La Hechicera picks inaugural Wanderlust Colombia winners

Two British bartenders have been chosen to represent La Hechicera rum in Colombia as part of the brand’s inaugural cocktail competition, Wanderlust Colombia.

Alex Lawrence (left) and Walter Pindus (right) will join Miguel Riascos (centre) on the inaugural La Hechicera Wanderlust Colombia trip

Following an intense final held at MASH in London, Alex Lawrence from Orchid Aberdeen and Walter Pindus from the Rivoli Bar at The Ritz in London, were declared winners of the competition.

Chosen from 15 finalists from around the UK, the two winners were selected for their charisma, passion, ability to educate and the quality of their drinks.

Each finalist was tasked to create a La Hechicera cocktail, using less than seven ingredients and at least 50ml of La Hechicera rum. They were also tasked to present their cocktail and knowledge of the brand to a panel of judges, which included Louise Corbin of BarChick, Becky Paskin of The Spirits Business, and Miguel Riascos, co-owner of La Hechicera.

Lawrence’s drink, Lady Colombia, combined La Hechicera rum with Mozart chocolate liqueur, Martini Extra Dry and maple syrup infused with chocolate and coffee bitters. Pindus’ Rum Baronesses featured La Hechicera with Tintilla de Rota fortified wine, Noble maple syrup infused with camomile blossom and vanilla, coconut oil and finger lime.

Both Lawrence and Pindus win a four-week trip to Colombia to visit the country’s leading bars, restaurants and hotels, learn about Colombian culture and educate local bartenders about the brand. They will also receive a salary from La Hechicera for their time.

“This was truly an intense competition,” said Riascos. “The final three contestants were very close and we genuinely had real trouble deciding the winners. Every single bartender did extremely well, and we were really impressed with the drinks every single person turned out.”