Huellas Boricuas, the initiative that highlights Puerto Rican culture through flavors

Puerto Rico is in fashion, and for good reason. More than 400,000 tourists are expected to arrive on the island to enjoy its music, concerts, and flavors over the past two months.

Its people are proud to be Puerto Rican, and they have something to feel proud of. Roberto Berdecia, owner of the La Factoría bar in Old San Juan, which is on the 50 Best list, was tasked with finding, through a cocktail, the flavors that would identify the entire island. Johnnie Walker, the Scotch whisky brand, tasked him with creating Bad Johnnie , an emblematic blend that would represent the artistic pulse of the island, its people, its warmth, but above all, Puerto Rican pride. The challenge was to transform that Caribbean pulse into a drink.

Berdecia started with a clear premise: coconut had to be included. But she wanted something more than a tropical touch; she was looking for a contrast that would make the mix vibrate. She tried tamarind, pineapple, and ginger, but she chose parcha, as passion fruit is known on the island. “It’s bold, balances the whiskey, and makes it so that even those who don’t drink it find the cocktail a pleasant entry point,” she explains.

The result: a combination of Scotch whisky, coconut water, and passion fruit juice, served with a slice of lemon to adjust the acidity to your taste. On the palate, the drink is fresh, with a tangy yet sweet finish.

But Bad Johnnie isn't just a recipe. It is, for its creator, milliliters of memories. "These flavors are in the canoes in the plazas, in the ice creams sold from carts in front of El Morro, in those afternoons of flying kite until the sun goes down," he says. He speaks of the island with the cadence of someone who knows that every corner holds a story and every story has a flavor.

The cocktail is also a bridge. Puerto Rico is part of the United States, but its soul beats in a Latin key. “We have indigenous heritage, Caribbean rhythms, we are a point of connection with the continent. That mix makes us unique, and I wanted the Bad Johnnie to be a reflection of that,” he adds.

Huellas Boricuas isn't just about cocktails. The campaign brings together three creators who, through their disciplines, bring the island's spirit to the world: visual artist Nannette Mariela García, filmmaker Jean Paul Polo, and Berdecia as an ambassador of flavor. It's a cultural journey that will include events where art, music, and gastronomy intertwine.

At each stop, the proposal is the same: invite others to interpret the Puerto Rican imprint. In the case of Bad Johnnie, Berdecia gives the spotlight: “I want each bar to make it their own, to say: this is my Bad Johnnie. That way the imprint multiplies.”

The Puerto Rican footprint isn't just expressed in flavors. It's also painted. Visual artist Nanette García, another of the campaign's protagonists, speaks of the turquoise blue of the sea surrounding the island, the intense green of the mountains, and the bright silver of the yagrumo leaves that glisten in the sun. “I grew up on the beach in Vega Baja, between sand, river, and mountains. Here, the colors are more vivid than anywhere else,” she says. Her strokes for Huellas Boricuas are inspired by that natural chromaticism, by the movement of a salsa or bolero, by the joy that beats even in street reggaeton. “My inspiration comes from how Puerto Ricans move, how Puerto Ricans dress, the colors, growing up in the Caribbean. Here, I feel all the colors appear brighter than usual,” explains the artist, who was in charge of capturing each of the illustrations for Huellas Boricuas.

Johnnie Walker takes over the island with a celebration that blends Puerto Rican music, flavor, and culture. As the official sponsor of Bad Bunny's "No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí" residency, Johnnie Walker will bring three fans from Colombia to be part of this experience. The winners will be those who purchase the most Johnnie Walker products through the Rappi app, until August 31st. These three fans will receive round-trip tickets to San Juan, Puerto Rico, a hotel, and a ticket to the residency concert. In addition, a fourth winner will be chosen at the brand's party on August 30th at SCI Bogotá.

Maria Alejandra Rodriguez