Search locations or food
OR
Sign up

What to drink in Colombia? Top 10 Colombian Alcoholic Beverages

Last update: Sat Feb 15 2025
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Colombian Alcoholic Beverage Types

01
Refajo
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list
MAIN INGREDIENTS

Bittersweet and refreshing, Refajo is a Colombian cocktail made with a combination of Colombiana soda, pale lager, and sometimes aguardiente as well. All ingredients are typically mixed together in a chilled pitcher without stirring. The cocktail is served over ice and it is often garnished with lime and orange wedges.


Refajo is traditionally served as an accompaniment at asado barbecues throughout Colombia, where everyone has a glass of this refreshing drink in their hands while preparing copious amounts of steak, grilled corn, and potatoes.

02

Cocktail

COLOMBIA and  2 more regions
4.2
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Canelazo is a spiced beverage that is enjoyed in various parts of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina. Although there are different versions of the drink, it is usually made with a combination of cinnamon water (hot water infused with cinnamon sticks) and sugar or unrefined cane sugar (panela).


The combination is then usually improved with a splash of South American aguardiente—a clear and potent spirit usually made from sugar cane. Common additions include fruit juices, other spices, while aguardiente is occasionally swapped with rum or the alcohol can be completely omitted. 
03
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Aguardiente is a generic term used for various distilled spirits from the Iberian peninsula and Central and South America. In Colombia, aguardiente is a sugarcane spirit that is flavored with anise. The drink is enjoyed in the entire country, but it is mainly associated with the Andean region.


The resulting drink is potent (typically around 30% ABV), smooth, and crisp. It has a herbal character and licorice licorice-like notes. It is usually served neat, traditionally in shot glasses. It is also sometimes incorporated into cocktails and long drinks.

04

Alcoholic Beverage

COLOMBIA and  one more region
n/a
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Caspiroleta is a warming alcoholic (sometimes non-alcoholic) drink that most likely originated in Peru, but it is also popular in Colombia. It is a type of eggnog made with milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and usually some kind of alcohol—most commonly rum, aguardiente, or brandy.


The drink is cooked over low heat until it is thick and creamy. It is best enjoyed warm, and it is usually served dusted with cinnamon. In Colombia, the non-alcoholic version is often called candil. It is believed that caspiroleta originated as a warming recovery drink that was enjoyed as a health remedy.

05
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Hervido de Piña Nariñense is a traditional hot drink from the Nariño department of southern Colombia. It is typically enjoyed during the colder months. The beverage is made by boiling water with fresh fruit pineapple juices.


The hot juice is mixed with aguardiente (anise-flavored liquor) before being served in glasses or cups garnished with sugar and pineapple slices. The drink can also be made without the addition of alcohol at the end of preparation.

06
Ate it? Rate it
Wanna try?
Add to list

Colombia is a patriotic cocktail made with a combination of vodka, grenadine syrup, lemon juice, orange juice, and blue curaçao. In order to prepare it, vodka and fruit juices should first be mixed, then strained into a cocktail glass.


Grenadine and curaçao are then slowly poured on opposite sides of the glass so that they sink to the bottom. When done properly, the cocktail should have a striking visual appearance of horizontal layers of yellow, blue, and red, matching the colors of the Colombian flag.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Colombian Alcoholic Beverage Producers

01

Beer

BOGOTÁ, Colombia
5.0
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

World Beer Cup - Gold

2022

BEST Pola del Pub Beers (Styles and Brands)
02

Wine

META DEPARTMENT, Colombia
5.0
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or

2020

BEST Finca Manzanares Sl Wines
03
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Industria Licorera de Caldas (ILC) is a Colombian company based in Manizales, founded in 1905. It specializes in the production of alcoholic beverages, including rum, aguardiente, and liqueurs. ILC is well known for its brands, such as Ron Viejo de Caldas and Aguardiente Cristal.


The company is committed to maintaining high-quality standards and innovation in the production of its beverages. ILC is also recognized for its contribution to the local economy and social development through employment generation and community support.
BEST Industria Licorera de Caldas Spirits and Liqueurs
04
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Industria Licorera del Cauca is a state-owned industrial and commercial company based in Popayán, the capital of the Cauca Department in Colombia. Its products have gained international recognition, winning awards at competitions such as Monde Selection, confirming their quality and excellence.


As a state company, Industria Licorera del Cauca plays a key role in the economy of the Cauca Department, contributing to the development and promotion of regional products at both the national and international levels.
BEST Industria Licorera del Cauca Spirits and Liqueurs
05

Spirit

BOGOTÁ, Colombia
4.8
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold

2024

BEST Unión Vichera Spirits
06

Wine

CARTAGENA, Colombia
4.8
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum

2021, 2020

07

Spirit

BARRANQUILLA, Colombia
4.8
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

The Rum & Cachaça Masters - Gold

2022

08

Spirit

CARTAGENA, Colombia
4.5
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Selva Gin is a Colombian distillery located in the historic city of Cartagena de Indias. Founded with the goal of creating authentic and high-quality spirits, the distillery combines tradition, local Colombian ingredients, and innovative techniques.


Selva Gin is the result of a collaboration between two passionate bartenders, one from England and one from Colombia, and a renowned Colombian chef. The distillery uses carefully selected local ingredients, including native plants and fruits such as corozo, fermented cacao, and limón mandarino, to craft products that reflect the unique nature and culture of Colombia.


Their meticulous production process is designed to highlight the rich aromas and flavors of each botanical. 
BEST Selva Gin Spirits
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Colombian Alcoholic Beverages

01
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

World Beer Cup - Gold

2022

02

Wine

META DEPARTMENT, Colombia
5.0
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

Concours Mondial de Bruxelles - Grande Médaille d'or

2020

03
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Gin Bosque de Indias is a Colombian gin that transports you to a lush botanical garden. Its unique formula combines classic juniper notes with a selection of exotic botanicals, resulting in an exotic and refreshing flavor that evokes nature in its purest form.


The recipe features a careful selection of botanicals, including tropical fruits, exotic spices, and aromatic herbs, giving it a vibrant and complex aromatic profile. Notable notes include juniper, citrus, pink pepper, cardamom, and a hint of floral essence. 
04
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Licor Anis Escarchado is a traditional anise liqueur known for its distinctive flavor and appearance. The word "escarchado" in Spanish means "frosted" or "covered in frost," referring to the crystallized sugar inside the bottle, which gives the liqueur its unique aesthetic appeal.


One of the most fascinating characteristics of this liqueur is the presence of crystallized sugar within the bottle, creating a frost-like effect. This visual feature not only enhances the drink's aesthetic charm but also serves as a testament to its traditional production process.
05
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold

2024

06
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum

2020

07
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Platinum

2021

08
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

The Rum & Cachaça Masters - Gold

2022

09
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List
AWARDS

The Rum & Cachaça Masters - Gold

2022

10
Rate it
Wanna try?
Add To List

Selva Gin is the first Colombian London Dry gin, distilled in the historic city of Cartagena. This gin is the result of a collaboration between two bartenders—one from England and one from Colombia—and a Colombian chef, in partnership with the Turicum distillery in Zurich, Switzerland.


Selva Gin combines 14 carefully selected botanicals, including corozo (a palm fruit endemic to Colombia's Caribbean coast), fermented cacao from the Pacific region, and limón mandarino (a native citrus hybrid). These ingredients, along with high-quality juniper berries, create a unique flavor profile with pronounced herbal and citrus notes.

TasteAtlas food rankings are based on the ratings of the TasteAtlas audience, with a series of mechanisms that recognize real users and that ignore bot, nationalist or local patriotic ratings, and give additional value to the ratings of users that the system recognizes as knowledgeable. TasteAtlas Rankings should not be seen as the final global conclusion about food. Their purpose is to promote excellent local foods, instill pride in traditional dishes, and arouse curiosity about dishes you haven’t tried.

Show Map
Colombian Alcoholic Beverages