AGWA: Bolivian Marching Liquid
By OWEN MORRIS
For the past week, I've been drinking this liquor, AGWA de Bolivia, that's making its way to bars in the area. AGWA's main selling point is that it's made from "only the finest coca leaves" grown and selected in Bolivia (wink). Unlike other liquors, this one claims to give you tons of energy, even make you jittery (wink, wink). Sometimes it's even sold with a mirror and a white powder -- lime salt -- that you cut on the mirror and then snort suck through a straw. (Wink, wink, nod, nod.)
Those winks and nods aren't mine, but rather those of Babco, the beverage/marketing company that sells it. Though they never actually say the word "cocaine" they do everything to imply it short of showing a picture of Pablo Escobar holding a bottle. While AGWA is one of two drinks licensed to use coca leaves (no points for guessing the other licensed company) the average $100 bill has more blow than AGWA. The liquor contains no cocaine but it does have a "special blend of herbs" that the company says will keep drinkers alert far later than normal.
If ever there was a reason to party late in the name of research this was it. I called up a few friends, told them I'd just received a gift from Bolivia and asked if they'd be interested in sampling it. Results after the jump.
The Price: In liquor stores, expect to pay around $25 to $30.
The Color: "Green like Hulk!" It's not just green but glow-in-the-dark oozy green. If you're all about colors that appear in nature then this ain't the drink for you. I'm pretty sure the last place this color appeared was in a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie.
The Flavor: Straight up, it's an acquired taste to say the least. A Pitch co-worker described it as "tastes like Scope and rubbing alcohol." Nobody disagreed. The fact that it was at room temperature didn't help. Later, when it had chilled and I served it on rocks, the flavor had greatly improved. "Still tastes slightly like Scope but sweeter and I can't taste the alcohol nearly as much now," said the same co-worker. When I asked her if she'd drink it straight, she shook her head. "If I were to drink this stuff, I'd mix it."
Mixing AGWA recommends several different mixed drinks on its Web site, including the "Eight Ball" and the "Bolivian Kiss Ritual." The only one I tried was AGWA Blaster, which is just an AGWA on the rocks with an energy drink. I thought it tasted better than Jägermeister and Red Bull but my friend said he thought the AGWA flavor got lost in the Red Bull. The difference here is that he really likes the taste of Jägermeister.
So Does It Work The Way It Hints At? No. The night I shared it with co-workers I had three glasses of it on the rocks. I was tipsy but not wired or jittery. I tend to get very tired around midnight and was hoping the AGWA would prevent that but it didn't. I ended up having to go get a large cup of coffee to keep me awake. Since I drink so much coffee I thought that might be interfering with the effects, but none of my co-workers reported any extra energy, either. As for my Jägermeister-loving friend, he thought that the AGWA Blaster gave him a bigger boost of energy but he wasn't entirely sure.
The Verdict: If you run with the Jägermeister and Red Bull crowd, give it a try. The same goes for people who really like trying new liquor flavors or people who love a good marketing campaign.
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