Cocalero Clásico, the premium South American-inspired botanical spirit that has taken Asia by storm, is now available in Georgia, Illinois, California, Texas, Nevada, Massachusetts and Oregon. Cocalero’s parent company, Intrepid Spirits, expects it to be nationwide by the end of 2019.
Since its international release in 2013, Cocalero has sold hundreds of thousands of cases and was the most successful launch of an imported liqueur in Japan in the last 20 years.
“Since we introduced Cocalero Clásico in Georgia last summer, we’ve received an incredible response from bartenders and retailers who have really embraced the product,” John Ralph, CEO of Intrepid Spirits, said. “Cocalero is unlike anything else on the market, and we’re confidently poised to replicate the success we’ve had in Atlanta in multiple other cities across the country over the next 12 months.”
The brand name pays homage to cocaleros, the traditional coca leaf farmers in the Andes Mountains who have been cultivating the crop for its medicinal properties for centuries. They are an essential part of the rich heritage and history of the area, where the coca leaf is an intrinsic part of the lifestyle—used as a natural remedy for altitude sickness, to combat hunger, and to promote energy and stamina.
Cocalero Clásico is infused with a proprietary recipe of 17 natural botanicals and herbs, with notable hints of coca leaf, juniper, guarana, orange peel, ginseng, ginger, green tea and lavender. A specialized steam distillation process pioneered by the perfume industry is used to extract the complex flavor of the coca leaf and the essential oils from the delicate blend of plants. The result is an herbaceous aroma of juniper and citrus, with notes of ginger, lavender and a hint of capsicum chili. The flavors strike a rare balance of depth and smoothness with a subtle sweetness on the palate.