Spirits | South America | Chile | Träkál
Träkál
Summary
When a band of backpackers and fellow ex-pats met by chance in Buenos Aires, Argentina, they decided to go all-in on distilling a new spirit that embodies the rugged beauty of Patagonia. This mountainous region shared by Chile and Argentina would not only be the spiritual inspiration, but the garden for all ingredients used in the making of the spirit eventually called Träkál.
“We use local apple and pear varieties to create our base alcohol and work with local communities to hand-pick seven native herbs and four native berries that are all integral to our authentic spirit,” says Träkál co-founder Ben Long.
During the process of finding the perfect balance of ingredients, master distiller Sebastian Gomez Camorino found a way to use Patagonia’s seasonal wild herbs year-round. To capture the flavor profile January through December, Camorino’s mother suggested they make essential oils from each herbal variety. The idea was a success, maintaining the consistency of Träkál’s unique taste and the distillery’s ability to scale production for market. Today, Träkál uses essential oils and vapor infuses fresh herbs on the third and final distillation.
Träkál is a completely new spirit classification. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) had a similar conundrum, finally deciding to classify the Patagonian creation as a “spirit distilled from apple and pear with natural flavors.”
The co-founders of Träkál are serious about maintaining the integrity of their brainchild, so much that the bottle itself is Chilean-sourced with a natural cork. The distillery is also located in Patagonia, and the spirit is made in batches using water sourced from an underground river.
