There is a specific smell—musky, almost floral—that hits you when you first crack open a bottle of singani. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t worry, I hadn’t either until recently. It’s a spirit distilled from muscat grapes, and frankly, it’s about time more people in the District took notice. According to Ramon Escobar, the founder of Chufly Imports and a partner at Rujero Singani, this is the backbone of Bolivia’s most famous drink.
Think of the Chufly as South America’s own take on a classic buck. Usually, those cocktails rely on ginger beer or ginger ale to get that spicy kick, though in Bolivia, you might see people swapping that out for a lemon-lime soda depending on the mood—or maybe just what’s left in the fridge.
It’s pretty simple to put together. You’ll need:
– 2 ounces of singani
– A decent splash of spicy ginger ale (Fentiman’s or Fever Tree work best, actually)
– Plenty of ice
– A lime wedge for that essential garnish
You just toss it all in a glass. It’s not complicated, which is probably why it sticks around. It’s meant to be easy.
Wait, I should mention where you can actually find the stuff if you’re looking to recreate this at home. In the District, spots like Ace Beverage, Batch 13, Cordial Fine Wine & Spirits, and D’Vines are your best bets for tracking down a bottle of singani. It’s not exactly everywhere, but it’s not impossible to find either.
As for the health side of things—and take this with a grain of salt because I am definitely not a nutritionist—the analysis provided by Misryoum suggests you’re looking at about 160 calories per serving, with 8 grams of sugar and 8 grams of carbs. It’s an estimate, obviously. Probably not something you’d want to build a diet around, but for a Friday evening? It works.
The drink stays simple. That’s the beauty of it, really. You pour, you stir, you drink. It doesn’t ask much of you, which is refreshing in its own right, I suppose.