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Learning the craft of being an award-winning mixologist takes patience, creativity and a little bit of rebellion, according to Jeisson Caro.

The 28-year-old has been nominated as the best bartender in Colombia for his work as the lead mixologist at NEMO by Harry Sasson bar, in partnership with Four Seasons Hotel Bogota.   The final competition takes place in late August in Bogota.

But Caro’s success to date isn’t because he plays by the rules. In fact, Caro says his passion lies in challenging the establishment of mixology by creating drinks no one thought was possible.

“The establishment personalities can be really conservative, so they don’t like people breaking the rules. But I like showing them you can break them and do so much more. The rules are made to be broken,” Caro said.

The Bogota native says risk-taking is integral to his work and he enjoys using innovative methods that can raise eyebrows. Previous work of his has included using the processes that are usually used to make pastry, but with drinks, and using foam and air-suction techniques. In one drink he even replaced ice-cubes with pieces of black coal.

A former graphic design student, Caro is no stranger to the creative arts and it was a part time job as a waiter, aged 17, during his studies that began his interest in drinks.

“It was a coincidence – or destiny that brought me to the bar. I was working at Andres Carne de Res and I would always be asking questions to the bartender,” he said. “I just had this thirst for the knowledge.”

While working in the restaurant Caro knew he had to continue his career in mixology, so he began to study in a bartender academy in Bogota.

Over ten years of experience later and trips to Buenos Aires, Mexico and Europe have left Caro with an unmistakable craft for mixology.

Caro says the ethos throughout his work is the hashtag #CocktailsWithLove or in Spanish #CocktailsConAmor, because he always wants to transmit his passion, happiness and his love in every drink.

He says his cocktails all contain elements of his own character, which he describes as “complex, like a cocktail, with a very strong character but he also a little sweetness.”

All of his creativity comes from the fact he wants the industry to grow in Colombia, of which he says has been growing over the last few years, with industry experts from all over Europe beginning to notice.

“We’ve had guests come from London, from really established and respected companies, and I’ve served them my drinks,” Caro says, adding with pride, “And of course they loved it.”

Caro has previously won competitions for a gin cocktail and for a Negroni cocktail. The contests, held in Bogota, focused on “Mediterranean inspiration gin” by Gin Mare and “La ruta del Negroni” by Groupo Campari.

NEMO by Harry Sasson is situated in Four Seasons Hotel Bogota in the city’s Zona T area.

Caro is currently nominated for the Colombia Cocktail Awards 2018 as the best bartender in Colombia, and voting is taking place online now.  The winner will be declared in late August 2018 at an event at the city’s French Embassy.