So the guys at Lima, Mumbai, came over to mytable and pointed at a really hot thing by the bar. “Have you met our exotic new friend from Peru — Pisco?” they asked. “No, introduce us!” I exclaimed. Pisco is a colourless or light brown brandy produced in Peru and Chile, from distilling grape wine and turning it into a high-proof spirit. She is volatile, dangerous and I have a feeling Ricky Martin’s ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ was about her.

Machu Pichu

Ingredients

50 ml pisco

10 ml strawberry syrup

10 ml grenadine syrup

15 ml blue curacao

10 ml lime juice

90 ml orange juice

Method

Build up the layers one by one in a highball glass. Carnival time!

Cartagena

Ingredients

60 ml pisco

20 ml strawberry puree

10 ml cherry syrup

10 ml lime juice

60 ml orange juice

Method

Shake all the ingredients and strain over ice in a highball glass. The party is just getting started and your date is enticing you with some slow, solo tango — and it’s criminal to ever let tango be a solo.

Apricot Sour

Ingredients

50 ml apricotinfused pisco

15 ml lime juice

15 ml sugar syrup

20 ml egg white

2-3 apricots

Method

Muddle the apricots in a Boston glass and then add all the ingredients in a shaker. First dry shake, then shake well with ice and pour it into a rock glass. This is a tropical twist to the stiff whisky sour. A good start to the night, accompanied by some soft guitar strumming.

Tikal

Ingredients

60 ml pisco

10 ml lime juice

30 ml passion fruit puree

Ginger ale to top up

3-4 basil leaves to muddle

Method

First muddle the basil leaves, add all the ingredients and shake well with ice. Pour the entire mixture into a highball glass. This is when you are guzzling drinks and dirty dancing to Shakira. Who knew the night would be this exciting?