Pisco: 5 Things To Know About This Peruvian Alcohol

Cocktail enthusiasts have likely already heard of pisco, a quintessential South American brandy. If you are not familiar with this spirit distilled in Peru since the 16th century, here are 5 things to know about this brandy considered the national drink of Peru.

1- Pisco is a brandy made from wine.

Pisco is a brandy made from wine, obtained by distilling grapes, just like cognac and armagnac in France or raki in the Balkans.

Unlike marc or grappa, this alcohol is not made from leftover grape pomace from winemaking. It is the result of distilling whole grapes.

It has an alcohol content ranging from 30° to 45°.

2- One must not confuse Peruvian pisco with Chilean pisco.

Pisco is an iconic South American drink to the point that it appears in Tintin's adventures, specifically in the album The Temple of the Sun!

However, it should be noted that the use of this name is a subject of disagreement between Peru and Chile. Both countries claim this alcohol as their national drink and want exclusive rights to the term...

To make matters worse, the Chilean and Peruvian spirits called "pisco" are not the same, as the standards governing their production are different. Fortunately for somewhat confused consumers, the pisco imported to Europe is mainly Peruvian and the Chilean drink is referred to by other names such as singani.

3- The origin of this beverage dates back to the 16th century.

In Peru, the first grapevines were imported from the Canary Islands in 1551. Winemakers began to produce a grape brandy that they shipped to other Spanish colonies from the port of Pisco, hence the name of this drink.

The name of this Peruvian city itself derives from the Quechua word pisqu meaning bird. This is not surprising as birds are very numerous in the valleys of Pisco, Ica, and Nazca. This alcohol might also get its name from the pottery in which it was stored: the piskos.

Today, the vineyards that produce the national Peruvian drink are located in the southwest of Peru along the Pacific coast, between Lima and Tacna.

4- Pisco is used to make cocktails.

In Europe, pisco is still relatively unknown, except among cocktail enthusiasts! Indeed, it is rarely consumed on its own and is mainly used to create a South American cocktail called Pisco sour.

In Peru, it is said that this cocktail was invented in Lima in the early 1920s by an American bartender.

The traditional Peruvian recipe involves mixing:
6 cl of Pisco.
3 cl of lime juice.
2 cl of sugar syrup.
1 egg white.
6 ice cubes.

Simply shake this mixture in a shaker until it becomes homogeneous, serve, and garnish the top of the glass with 1 to 2 drops of Angostura bitters.

5- Pisco contributes to the development of wine tourism in Peru.

This iconic Peruvian drink has facilitated the development of wine tourism in the country. Indeed, it is possible to follow The Pisco Routes to discover local winemaking traditions in the picturesque vineyards of Ica and Arequipa.

This tourist circuit that will delight wine and mixology enthusiasts offers an insight into the production process of this brandy and the various stages of fermentation, distillation, and maturation in wooden barrels.

Organized tastings at the bodegas allow visitors to discover the diversity of flavors and aromas of this Peruvian alcohol. The Pisco Routes conclude in the capital, specifically in the lively bars of Lima, to enjoy cocktails... made with pisco, of course!