Quick answer: May cocktails at Etro Rooftop feature seasonal Colombian ingredients as protagonists: Andean poleo syrup in the Niebla ($60,000 COP), corozo syrup in the Revelación Rubí ($45,000 COP), tamarind syrup in the Esfumado ($38,000 COP) and Colombian mandarina lime in multiple preparations. May also activates the best sunset light from the 16th floor, with the mountain vegetation at its most intense green of the year.
May in Medellín has seasonal ingredients that in other months are not available under the same conditions. The season’s rains activate the production of fruits, herbs and concentrates that the drier months do not have: the high-altitude Andean poleo is at its peak aromatic intensity, tropical fruits from the warm zone of eastern Antioquia reach the market at their optimal ripeness, and the corozo from Colombia’s coastlines has its best production season in May.
Etro Rooftop uses those seasonal ingredients as the protagonists of its author cocktail program, with the same criteria that La Makha applies when selecting the Colombian ingredients of its tasting menu. May’s cocktails at Etro are not a special seasonal offering separate from the regular menu: they are the regular menu designed around ingredients that have their best expression during these months.
Andean poleo: the ingredient that defines the Niebla
Poleo is a herb from the mint family that grows in the páramos and high-altitude zones of the Colombian Andes. It has softer mentholated notes than conventional spearmint, a longer aromatic persistence and a herbal profile that connects with Colombian high-mountain plants.
The Niebla ($60,000 COP) has the poleo syrup as the element that bridges the Ojo de Tigre Mezcal from 8-year-aged espadín agave with Colombian mandarina lime. The mezcal’s deep smokiness and the poleo’s mentholated-herbal note produce a contrast that evokes exactly the sensation the name suggests: the mist of the Andean páramos meeting the Oaxacan mezcal’s smokiness.
For visitors arriving at Etro in May, the Niebla with high-altitude Colombian poleo at its peak aromatic intensity is a cocktail experience that cannot be exactly replicated in another month of the year.
Corozo and tamarind: two Colombian fruits that transform spirits
Corozo is the fruit of the corozo palm that grows on Colombia’s Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. It has a flavor profile where acidity, sweetness and a soft tannin coexist in a way that cold-climate fruits do not have. Corozo syrup concentrates those attributes in a preparation that can be used in cocktail-making without the drawbacks of fresh fruit (oxidation, ripeness variability, bar handling difficulty).
The Revelación Rubí ($45,000 COP) uses the corozo syrup as the bridge between the American bourbon with rye notes and the pineapple extract. The tropical corozo softens the bourbon’s rye and connects it with the Colombian tropics in a way that no standard syrup can replicate.
Tamarind appears in the Esfumado ($38,000 COP) as the syrup that complements Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) and aged rum. Tamarind has a more complex acidity than lime: more tropical, more persistent, with dried fruit notes that lime does not have. That complexity is what gives the Esfumado more flavor layers than its ingredient list suggests.
Colombian mandarina lime: the Colombian acid that redefined Etro’s cocktail program
Colombian mandarina lime is an ingredient that does not exist in most international bars. It is a citrus that combines the acidity of lime with the aromatic notes of mandarin, producing a juice with a more complex and less aggressive profile than the tahiti or eureka lime that dominate international cocktail-making.
At Etro Rooftop, mandarina lime appears in the Silencio, the Niebla and as an acidity adjustment element in other preparations. Its use is not decorative: it is technical. The softer, fruitier acidity of mandarina lime allows using less quantity to achieve the same balance in the cocktail, preserving the other ingredients’ aromas rather than having the acidity mask them.
For visitors arriving in May from other Latin American countries or Europe, the Colombian mandarina lime in Etro’s cocktails is one of the ingredients that generates the most comments at the bar.
May and the full menu: classics with premium spirits
Beyond the five signature cocktails, Etro Rooftop’s May menu has the complete selection of international classics with premium spirits that elevate each preparation.
The Negroni ($45,000 COP) at Etro uses Campari by the bottle ($397,000 COP), not the standard low-volume bar dosing version. The Penicillin ($60,000 COP) has Talisker 10 years ($704,000 COP bottle) as its base, which is the island Scotch with the smoky profile appropriate for that preparation. The Mezcalita ($61,000 COP) uses the menu’s mezcals (400 Conejos, Amores, Unión Joven) according to the diner’s preference.
The May sparkling wine selection includes the Prosecco Zonin Brut Cuvée ($352,000 COP) as the entry option and Moët Chandon Brut Imperial ($911,000 COP) and Veuve Clicquot ($1,055,000 COP) for groups who want to celebrate with reference sparkling wines.
The article on Etro Rooftop’s 5 author cocktails has the complete detail of each preparation and the bar philosophy behind the menu.
Frequently asked questions
Does Etro Rooftop’s cocktail menu change in May?
Etro Rooftop’s 2026 menu includes the Colombian seasonal ingredients that have their best expression during the months of greatest rainy season activity (April–June). The five signature cocktails use ingredients like poleo, corozo and tamarind that are at their peak intensity in May.
How much does a round of cocktails for four people at Etro Rooftop in May cost?
With four different signature cocktails (one of each main variety), the cocktail spend is between $152,000 and $240,000 COP including taxes. Gratuity is voluntary and 10% is suggested.
Does Etro Rooftop have a cocktail pairing option with the food menu?
The dining room team can advise on which menu cocktail works best with each dish according to flavor profile. There is no fixed established pairing, but the conversation with the bartender or server about what to order according to the preferred flavor profile is part of Etro’s service.
