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Alquímico

Cartagena

At face value, Alquímico is party central, with each of its three floors packed out every night, but it’s the values at its heart that make it stand out. Operating out of a cherished 100-year-old 19th Century mansion in Cartagena’s Old Town, the international crowd flocks for the all-night fiesta without necessarily realising that Colombian identity is in embedded in every detail here, including the bartenders who often spontaneously break into dance routines.

Each floor serves its own drinks, the ground floor driving change by working with local agricultural communities. Order Ajonjonlí, a whisky, sesame paste, orange and carrot cordial cocktail. The first-floor balcony bar offers classic cocktails with Colombian twists, such as the house Caipirinha made with a blend of viche aguardientes, while the urban-tropical rooftop serves the From The Farm To The Bar list, paying tribute to the ingredients cultivated at the small estate owned by Alquímico’s owner Jean Trinh; order Xuan, a gin cocktail infused with chamomile and calendula. Of course, there’s a pumping reggaeton soundtrack to keep energies high.

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