1st Sustainable Bar in Chile Serves Up Its Own Terroir-Driven Gin
Hotel Las Torres’ Pionero Bar, deemed Chile’s first sustainable bar, serves up a bespoke gin made using botanicals endemic to the region and glacial water sourced from the nearby waterfalls of Mount Cerro Paine. (Photo: Hotel Las Torres)
If you find yourself venturing into the heart of Patagonia’s stunning landscapes this hiking season in hopes of witnessing the iconic blue icebergs and towering mountains, consider a little trip to Hotel Las Torres, situated in Torres del Paine National Park. Beyond offering a wide range of adventures and trekking, the hotel is home to Pionero Bar, the first sustainable bar in Chile.
Embracing eco-conscious patrons with an array of unique libations and sustainable practices, Pionero Bar one-ups the typical boozy establishment by producing its own terroir-driven gin and beer.
(Photo: Hotel Las Torres)
Launched in 2017, Tierra Paine Gin is a spirit that aims to encapsulate the essence of Patagonia’s wilderness. This gin pays homage to its natural roots through the inclusion of eight endemic botanicals, all sourced from the Las Torres reserve. Noteworthy additions include the likes of Mountain Greda, Pampa Tea, Ñirre, Paramela and Empetrum, while coriander seeds, cultivated in the reserve’s regenerative garden, grow using the pure waters of the Cerro Paine summit.
(Photo: Hotel Las Torres)
“Tierra Paine has earthy mineral notes that harmonize with a herbaceous profile, characteristic of the endemic Patagonian botanicals used to create it,” the hotel’s award-winning lead bartender, Federico Gil, informed Gin Raiders. “It is smooth and oily on the palate, the result of the natural essential oils they use during their Copper Still Distillation process.”
While Hotel Las Torres doesn’t sell bottles of its bespoke gin, Tierra Paine can be enjoyed exclusively in cocktails for in-house patrons at the Pioneer Bar and the Coiron Restaurant. Connoisseurs and adventurers alike can indulge in the likes of the Van Gogh Negroni, Criollo Garden, Campero, Vinegar series, Ice Dragon and Gin Tonic – Tierra Paine (the spirit’s perfect serve).
(Photo: Hotel Las Torres)
Other drinks include the visually striking El Hornero, a blend of Chardonnay, homemade honey and trakal (a popular Patagonian pear-and-crabapple liquor infused with locally grown herbs and berries), all served in a rustic clay pot. Meanwhile, the Aborigen is mixed up with double-distilled Capel pisco, bitters, rhubarb, a mix of teas, lemon balm and wormwood syrup.
Each cocktail combines regional flavors and the hotel’s dedication to sustainability, right down to the recycled glassware and sustainable copper straws, providing a unique and environmentally conscious experience for all who pass through the hotel’s doors.
(Photo: Hotel Las Torres)
In addition to crafting its own gin, Las Torres also boasts a unique beer-making venture. The beer production takes place in a cabin adjacent to the bar, where the brew is fermented. The beer is formulated with glacier-sourced water and hops harvested from the hotel’s organic garden. Furthering its commitment to sustainability, all the organic byproducts generated during the brewing process for the beer are repurposed to create nutrient-rich compost, which, in turn, enriches the garden’s soil.
Find out more about Hotel Las Torres here.
Interested in other gin-filled vacation destinations? Consider a visit to Chatham Bars Inn, which also serves up its own bespoke juniper spirit, Etesia Gin.
Read next:
The Inn Gin: Chatham Bars Inn launches Bespoke Etesia Gin
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