In Puerto Rico, we live where others dream of vacationing. Between parcha piraguas (shaved ice), coconut ice cream and a morning cafecito, our flavors do more than refresh: they tell stories.
Now joining that list of pleasures that leave a mark on locals and visitors alike is a new standout: the Bad Johnnie, a cocktail born from Puerto Rican creativity that has already made its mark.
Roberto Berdecia, founder of La Factoría and one of the most recognized mixologists on the Island, was tasked with creating a drink that would capture the essence of Puerto Rico for Johnnie Walker's "Huellas Boricuas" campaign.
What began as a creative challenge ended up becoming a cultural symbol.
The challenge: create something genuinely Puerto Rican 🇵🇷
When Johnnie Walker invited him to develop a cocktail that spoke to our identity, the assignment came with one very particular condition: it had to be made anywhere, from the most sophisticated bars to a roadside chinchorro (a casual roadside food and drink spot).
"When they told me it had to work at a chinchorro, that's when I said: we have to take this seriously"
Roberto Berdecia, founder of La Factoría
The brand wanted to pay tribute to Puerto Ricans who leave their mark on and off the Island, and chose Roberto as part of that representation. For him, it was an unexpected honor.
"The curious thing is that a brand not produced in Puerto Rico decided to recognize our contribution. That contrast makes it even more special," he explains.
The inspiration: from piraguas and ice cream to the perfect cocktail 🔥
Roberto began his search among flavors close to the Puerto Rican collective memory. Whiskey with coconut water already had a secure place at our town squares and festivals, but he wanted to try something different.
He mentally tried tamarind, pineapple and other tropical fruits, until parcha emerged as the winning choice.
"Parcha represents the mountains and coconut represents the beach. And what I love most about Puerto Rico is that within minutes you can be in both settings. I haven't seen that in many places in the world," he said.
The final spark came from a childhood memory: the ice cream carts and their little bells calling out "piña, coco y parcha." That sound was the definitive click that gave shape to the Bad Johnnie.
The winning formula 💯
The cocktail is simple in appearance but surprising in flavor: three ounces of coconut water, two of parcha juice and two of whiskey.
Roberto notes that the key is in the proportion. "Coconut water is more subtle than parcha, which can be very overpowering. That's why it calls for a little more coconut. That's how you get the balance."
What stands out most is that it is an atypical combination. "A friend told me: 'but what is this strange thing?'. And she was right, because parcha and coconut are not traditionally mixed together. Even less so with whiskey. And that's what makes it different."
More than a drink: a reflection of Puerto Rico ❤️🔥
For Roberto, the Bad Johnnie is much more than a well-received cocktail. It represents a personal and collective journey. More than a decade ago, at a global competition, he discovered that Puerto Rico still had a long way to go in mixology.
"Out there the level was very high and we were playing our own game, thinking it was enough. It was a reality check"
Roberto Berdecia, founder of La Factoría
That moment stayed with him. Instead of giving up, he decided his mission would be to raise Puerto Rico's name in the industry. Since then, every time he travels he brings the flag and our music with him.
"I like people to discover that their favorite artist, or the rhythm they dance to most, is Puerto Rican. We have too much to share with the world," the mixologist said.
The Bad Johnnie in its natural habitat
🍹Where is the best place to enjoy this drink?
Roberto is clear about it: places that are postcards of the island. "El Morro, El Yunque National Forest, Combate, Punta Borinquen, the Ceiba base… and of course, in the mountains, doing chinchorreo (hopping between chinchorros)," he lists without hesitation.
The Bad Johnnie is, at its core, a tribute to that duality that is so much a part of us: the mountains and the beach, the everyday and the unexpected, the classic and the rebellious. It is Puerto Rico in a glass, with a bold touch that invites you to leave your mark.
*DRINK RESPONSIBLY. WWW.DRINKiQ.COM. JOHNNIE WALKER 40% ALCOHOL BY VOLUME. DISTRIBUTED BY MÉNDEZ & CO., INC, SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO
This summer, Johnnie Walker brings pure Puerto Rican tradition
Coconut + passion fruit + Johnnie Walker Black Label. Discover the new cocktail on the Ruta del Bad Johnnie.
Know the mapThis content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
