If there’s one thing Chile is known for worldwide, besides Pedro Pascal and Don Francisco, it’s the wine produced in our country. But did you know that vodka is also produced here, and not just any vodka? It’s Kawesqar, the vodka made with Patagonian potatoes.
It was precisely in the Coyhaique area where Yuliyan Popov, a Bulgarian, arrived and envisioned the perfect place to create the vodka that is considered the southernmost in the world in the cold lands of the south of our country.
It’s a 100% artisanal product made with local raw materials and an artisanal process that Yuliyan is deeply proud of.
But how does a Bulgarian end up making vodka with Patagonian potatoes? That’s what Yuliyan Popov, the creator of the distillery that brings Kawesqar to the world, told BioBioChile.
Yuliyan Popov: The Bulgarian Who Created Kawesqar Vodka
Yuliyan Popov is the mastermind behind Kawesqar Vodka in Patagonia. Originally from Bulgaria, he arrived in Chile 25 years ago and loved it so much that he decided to make it his home. With perfect Spanish, but a hint of a Balkan accent, Popov spent 19 years in Santiago. There, he found love and started a family with his wife, while working as an engineer in the telecommunications industry.