The Pisco Sour is Peru’s most iconic cocktail, recognized as a National Cultural Heritage and a symbol of Peruvian identity. Its preparation combines pure Pisco, lime juice, simple syrup, egg white, and Angostura bitters, creating a unique balance of acidity, sweetness, and aroma. Every February 4th, Peru celebrates Pisco Sour Day, highlighting its cultural significance and place in global gastronomy.
The history of the Pisco Sour dates back to the early 20th century in Lima, where bartender Victor V. Morris, owner of Bar Morris, is believed to have adapted the Whisky Sour recipe by replacing it with Pisco. However, it was bartender Mario Bruiget who perfected the formula by adding egg white and Angostura bitters, giving it its creamy texture and distinctive finishing touch. Its popularity grew rapidly, becoming an icon of Peruvian cocktails.
Today, the Pisco Sour is not only a source of national pride but also an ambassador of Peru around the world. From exclusive bars to family celebrations, this drink represents the fusion of tradition and creativity. Its legacy lives on, inspiring new variations like the passion fruit or coca Pisco Sour, while always maintaining its essence: the authentic flavor of Peru in every sip.
The origin of pisco dates back to the 16th century, when the Spanish introduced the European grapevine to the Peruvian coast. It all began with the Royal Ordinance of 1522: “All ships sailing to the New World must carry strains”; this is how grapes arrived from Spain to the Americas. Early chronicles of the conquest attest to the origin of the grapevine in Peru. Pedro Cieza de León noted having seen vines in Peru in 1547, when he was advancing northward toward Lima on Pedro de La Gasca’s expedition. At the end of the 16th century, Garcilaso de la Vega, in his Royal Commentaries, recounts that the Toledo native Caravantes, faced with a wine shortage, sent someone to Spain to bring back vines; and the Jesuit Bernabé Cobo indicated that Lima was the first place where vines were planted. He attributed the introduction of grapes to Hernando de Montenegro, who planted the vine and harvested grapes in 1551.
Wine production would have begun in the same 16th century. Father Cobo refers to the production of white wine in Nazca. He says: “In the Nazca valleys, they have been treading grapes in sacks or melinge bags for a few years now, and the wine is much purer, clearer, and whiter, so much so that each jug is worth four reales more.” And the naturalist Joseph de Acosta, who arrived in Peru in 1572 and remained for 14 years, describes the early production of wine in Peru in his work Historia natural y moral de las indias (Natural and Moral History of the Indies), published in Spain in 1590. According to Acosta, Peruvian wine was “abundant and good,” indicating that the quality was a result of the geography and nature of the coast and the use of pre-Hispanic techniques for proper cultivation. The Birth of a Spirit Called Pisco
Pisco is a port on the central coast of Peru (250 km south of Lima) from where the spirit produced in the valleys of Ica, Pisco, and Chincha was shipped, and was therefore called “Pisco Spirit.” It is here that the name of our spirit originates. Pisco, as a town and port, is recorded on maps since the first map of the South American coast, by Diego Méndez, dating back to 1574. Its Quechua name was given by Pachacutec when, upon arriving in these parts, he encountered birds that he called “Piscu,” which means “bird” in Quechua. Pisco, then, as a toponym, dates back to the Inca conquest of the coast around 1450.
The oldest reference to the spirit of Ica and Pisco is in the will of Pedro Manuel “El Griego,” dated in Ica on April 31, 1613, which was discovered by the historian Lorenzo Huertas. Here we read that Pedro Manuel had: “thirty jars of burney, filled with aguardiente, containing one hundred and sixty small bottles of aguardiente, plus a barrel filled with aguardiente containing thirty small bottles of said burning water.”
Other documents on Peruvian aguardiente in the first third of the 17th century include the notes of Pedro de León Portocarrero, “The Portuguese Jew,” discovered and published by the Argentine historian Boleslao Lewin. In these, he stated: “They make a lot of aguardiente in Peru, and it is very good.” Bernabé Cobo, in his History of the New World, also notes that when he lived in Pisco around 1625, aguardiente was one of the products produced from the grapevine.
The name “Pisco” for the spirit from the Ica region and its port was recorded by several travelers. William B. Stevenson, in 1814, regarding his visit to the port of Pisco, noted: “The spirit generally called Pisco, as it owes its name to the place where it is made, is of good flavor and colorless.” The Frenchman Julian Mellet passed through Peru in 1815 and left in his Voyages dans i’ntérieur de la Amerique meridionale (Voyages dans i’ntérieur de la Amerique meridionale) impressions of the commercial importance of the port of Pisco; he stated that the spirit was good and stronger than cognac in France. The British clergyman Hugh Salvin visited the port of Pisco in 1825, noting in his journal: “This district is known for the manufacture of a strong liquor which bears the name of the city.”
With independence and the end of the viceroyalty, pisco production continued to be concentrated mainly in the Ica region. In the 1840s, the first industrial distillery in Cañete was opened, allowing for the production of larger volumes using modern techniques. During this period, Pisco’s fame continued to grow. Visitors provide an account of the drink and its place of origin. Enrique (Heinrich) Witt, a German merchant who arrived in 1824, recounts in his diary his visit to the Quilca Valley (Arequipa), where he says he drank “wine, Pisco, and chicha.” After his visit to the town of Pisco, he wrote: “Pisco is the port of Ica, from which it is 14 leagues away, and from here all the country’s brandy or aguardiente produced and distilled there is exported. Hence the name Pisco, the word by which brandy is known throughout Peru.”
The Swedish sailor Carl Johan Skogman visited Peru with the frigate “Eugenie” between 1851 and 1853, and regarding his visit to the port of Pisco, he noted: “A spirit is produced there on a large scale, widely accepted along the entire western coast, and it is simply called Pisco.” Regarding Pisco production, the work of a Peruvian in the development of grape agriculture and its industrialization stands out during this period; this was the landowner and merchant Domingo Elías. His achievements aroused admiration among travelers who came to Pisco at that time, among them the Englishman Clemens Markham, who visited Elías’s wineries in Pisco in 1853 and, after tasting the spirits, noted: “The best Italian spirit is made from a large white grape and is delicious.”
Although factors weakened the wine industry at the end of the 19th century and part of the 20th century, it recovered, and today Peru has companies producing Pisco using the latest technology and equipment, supported by highly skilled production and marketing specialists. The South American country also has small, artisanal wineries recognized for the quality of their Pisco.
In 1990, the Peruvian government declared the Pisco Designation of Origin and ratified it the following year. In 2005, it registered this Designation of Origin with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). On October 30, 2013, in Brussels, the European Commission granted Peru the registration of “Pisco” as a geographical indication. Currently, more than 70 countries recognize the Pisco Designation of Origin of Peru.
For Pisco to comply with the regulations of the Pisco Designation of Origin, these characteristics are essential:
The primary raw material used is grapes, which come in different varieties, which will be defined below.
There are various types of vines used to produce pisco. Luis Llosa tells us in his book, “Pisco, Art and Tradition,” that the first black grape vines were brought from the Canary Islands by Francisco de Carabantes in 1533 and were initially planted in Lima, Cuzco, Arequipa, Moquegua, and Ayacucho, later in Ica. According to Francisco de Carabantes, in the royal commentaries of Garcilaso de la Vega, “The Pisco Valley remains the most abundant in excellent wines in all of Peru.
There is one that rivals our sherry, the so-called “pisco” brandy, because it is extracted from a small grape. It is one of the most exquisite liquors drunk in the world.” Based on the above, we will now proceed to mention the varieties of vines that descend from this type of vine brought by the Spanish.
According to the “Peruvian Technical Standard 211.001” (NTP) Pisco Alcoholic Beverage Requirements, it presents the acceptable varieties for pisco production, which are:
Non-Aromatic Grapes
Aromatic Grapes
Pisco is a fine grape spirit that requires between 6 and 7 kilos to obtain one liter. It contains no other ingredient other than the freshly fermented must of pisco grapes from our coasts (See Pisco Route). The result: a product made with passion and to delight the palate and the hearts of the world.
The Harvest
It is experienced as a celebration and takes place from February to April, when the pisco grapes have reached the appropriate sugar levels.
Treading and Pressing
This is the process of breaking the grapes, under the action of compression, in order to extract the maximum amount of must (grape juice). Treading is the first step the grape undergoes upon arrival at the winery. This process can be performed by human feet or mechanically. After the grapes have been crushed and pressed, the must is obtained, which is the grape juice obtained after this action. This must is then processed in the next step.
Fermentation
This is the transformation of grape must into pisco, thanks to microscopic, single-cell fungi called yeasts, which transform the grape sugars into ethyl alcohol, carbon dioxide, and various byproducts. The optimal temperature for this process to be successful is between 18 and 25°C. After this process, the so-called “Cachina” is obtained, which is ready to be distilled, since it has a certain sugar content and the yeasts have already transformed all the sugars into alcohol. Distillation
This process takes place in falcas or stills. At the beginning of the distillation, a few liters of alcohol called “head” are obtained, which are separated, and at the end, the so-called “tail” is obtained, which is mixed to form the “pucho.” Any intermediate production is called “cuerpo,” which is the pisco itself and generally has an average of 46° GL (Gay Lussac). It is also worth highlighting the principle of distillation, which is based on the differences between the melting points of water (100° C) and alcohol (78.3° C). If a container containing alcohol is vaporized, it will separate from the original liquid, then reunite and recondense it into a liquid of greater alcoholic strength.
If you’ve ever wondered how Peruvian pisco is drunk, let me tell you that it’s not just a matter of drinking. It’s an experience, a moment to connect with a tradition that goes beyond the glass. Pisco has history, passion, and soul, and it deserves our attention to discover all it has to offer. When someone serves you a good pisco, the first thing you do is look at that transparent drink that seems simple, but hides a world of flavors and aromas. There’s no rush. Hold the glass gently, watch how the light plays on the liquid, and then bring it up to your nose. Breathe deeply. Do you notice those floral, fruity notes? That aroma is like a greeting from the vineyard, the sun, and the earth that gave it life.
Pisco isn’t drunk in a rush, much less in large gulps. It’s sipped slowly, sip by sip, so you can appreciate how it evolves in your mouth. The first contact can be gentle, then the sweet or intense notes emerge, surprising you and making you want to continue exploring.
Tips for properly tasting pisco
Although it may seem like a small detail, starting with where to drink it is essential. No large glasses or beer steins. The ideal is a small glass with a narrow mouth, which concentrates the aromas and invites you to enjoy every breath.
Pisco is like a good friend: warm, close. Drinking it cold or on the rocks hides those nuances that make it special. Furthermore, room temperature is the key to experiencing its full character. Ideally, pisco should be enjoyed at room temperature, between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius. Why? At this temperature, the aromatic compounds and flavor nuances are optimally released. If the pisco is too cold, for example with too much ice, the aromas become “numb” and the flavor becomes flat or watered down, losing its characteristic complexity.
However, this doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it with a little ice if you’re looking for something refreshing, especially in warmer climates. But I always recommend using large, limited ice cubes so the ice melts slowly and doesn’t dilute the pisco too much. Avoid crushed or excessive ice because it alters the texture and character of the drink.
Don’t rush it. Look at the color, smell it, and then take a small sip. Let the pisco embrace your palate, unfolding slowly, and accompany it with a small exhalation through your mouth so the aroma travels and blends with the flavor.
Tobacco clouds your sense of smell and taste, and with pisco, that’s unforgivable because those senses are what tell the story of the pisco.
There are few spirits in the world that can be used as a base ingredient for countless cocktails. This exclusive list includes tequila, rum, gin, whiskey, and also the iconic pisco. Thanks to this distilled beverage made with the finest selection of grapes, you can prepare a series of exquisite and refreshing drinks with all the flavors, aromas, and textures that you’ll enjoy every time you try them.
For more than 20 years, Peruvians have commemorated National Pisco Day every fourth Sunday of July by preparing all kinds of traditional cocktails. No one can resist the incomparable taste of a pisco sour, a refreshing classic chilcano, an elegant capitán, or an always-appetizing algarrobina cocktail. All ideal for accompanying pleasant moments with friends or family. Below, we share more about the best cocktails whose main ingredient is pisco.
Pisco Sour
Its blend of intense flavors, its striking appearance, and its strong aroma have made this delicious drink a tourist symbol of Peruvian identity and a product exportable to the world. The pisco sour is Peru’s most famous cocktail, which is why it was declared a National Cultural Heritage Site by the National Institute of Culture (INC) in 2007.
It was created in Lima exactly one hundred years ago by Víctor Morris, owner of the “Morris” bar in downtown Lima, who first prepared this cocktail due to the lack of bourbon to make a whiskey sour. The success of his original drink was so great that, due to the high demand from his customers for a glass, he perpetuated it on his menu as a pisco sour. It is prepared with 4 ounces of pure quebranta pisco, 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 1 ounce of syrup, 1/4 ounce of egg white, and 4 ice cubes.
Chilcano
In recent years, the pisco chilcano has become as popular a cocktail as the pisco sour. Simple and delicious, that’s how one could describe this cocktail, made with pisco, ginger ale, a few drops of lemon, and ice. Several versions have also emerged, prepared with fruit juices, such as the passion fruit chilcano or the golden berry chilcano, as well as those prepared with macerated piscos.
This cocktail, favored by young and old, has become a favorite in nightclubs, bars, and restaurants due to its refreshing flavor. Its preparation, based on pisco mixed with ginger ale and lemon juice, makes the chilcano as simple as it is delicious. Its origin is believed to have originated in Lima homes at the beginning of the 20th century, under the influence of the Italian colony, which drank a very similar drink made with grappa. It is prepared with 1 ounce of pisco, half a lemon juice, half a teaspoon of sugar, ice, ginger ale, and a lemon wedge. Peru Libre
Also known as “piscola,” this cocktail is the Peruvian version of the popular “Cuba Libre.” Like this version, it combines black cola soda, lemon drops, ice, and, instead of rum, our Peruvian pisco. It’s a Peruvian variation on the famous Central American Cuba Libre cocktail, which is gaining popularity all the time. It’s made with 1 ounce of pisco, a lemon wedge, Coca-Cola, and ice cubes.
Algarrobina Cocktail
This cocktail is a kind of punch because, in addition to using the traditional Peruvian algarrobina, it also includes milk and eggs, as well as pisco. It’s often prepared at family gatherings and at home, as it’s a simple and delicious recipe. Originating in northern Peru, this cocktail is a favorite among all Peruvians. It’s made with algarrobina syrup, a substance extracted from the carob tree plant, and its flavor is incredibly delicious. It also includes milk, egg yolk, sugar, cinnamon, and the most important ingredient: pisco. It should be served very cold for maximum enjoyment.
Capitán
Known as the “Peruvian Martini,” this elegant cocktail, like the famous American cocktail, includes vermouth and the classic olive in its recipe. It is said that this cocktail was created in the department of Puno in a mining camp during the 1920s, where army captains in their military camp would take a shot of vermouth and pisco after their rounds. It is prepared with 1 ounce of pisco, 1 ounce of red vermouth, and ice to taste.
Sol y sombra
This cocktail is one of the long-standing ones. It is very similar to the traditional Chilcano, as it includes pisco, ginger ale, and a few drops of lemon, but in this case, a generous splash of cherry is added, and even better if it’s from Huaura. It is another of the traditional cocktails made with pisco. Similar to the classic chilcano, sol y sombra is distinguished by its recipe featuring cherry liqueur—fruit previously soaked in pisco—which gives it a special color, and dried orange slices as garnish. These fruits represent the sun and shade, respectively, hence its name.
Machu Picchu
This colorful cocktail honors our Wonder of the World. It’s made with pisco (obviously) and grenadine syrup (red), mint cream (green), and orange juice (orange). These colors resemble the flag of the Tahuantinsuyu, hence its unique name. This cocktail pays homage to the Inca sanctuary located in Cusco, Peru’s most important tourist attraction. It consists of an ounce and a half of pisco, ice cubes, 3 ounces of orange juice, 1 ounce of grenadine syrup, and 1 ounce of mint cream. The combination of its refreshing sweet and sour flavors gives this drink its distinctive character.
Pisco Sunrise
Cocktail that refers to the “Tequila Sunrise,” a cocktail prepared with orange juice, grenadine, mint syrup, and ice. Smooth, sweet, and refreshing—that’s how this famous cocktail could be described.
Pisco Punch
This cocktail, unlike the others on this list, was born far from Peru, in the 1930s in the United States, at the Bank Exchange bar in San Francisco. Its creator, Duncan Nicol, named it for its strength and flavor. This cocktail is made with pisco, pineapple juice, and lemon juice.
Knowing how to drink pisco also means knowing when and with what foods to enjoy it to enhance its flavor and that of the food. Pisco is a versatile drink that pairs well with various dishes, especially Peruvian cuisine, but it can also be paired with international dishes.
Pisco and Ceviche: The Indispensable Pairing
Ceviche, with its freshness, acidity, and a touch of spice, is one of the best companions to pisco. The citric acidity of pisco, especially in a pisco sour, perfectly balances the intensity of the ceviche and cleanses the palate between bites. To fully enjoy this combination, it is recommended to sip the pisco in small sips, allowing its freshness to shine without overpowering the flavor of the dish.
Pisco with Anticuchos and Grilled Meats
The smoky flavors and robust texture of anticuchos or any grilled meat call for a companion that refreshes the palate and provides balance. Here, pisco neat or even a pisco chilcano on soft ice can be the ideal choice. Sipping the pisco slowly between bites helps you enjoy the intensity of both.
Pairing with Cheeses and Tapas
If you’re looking for a more leisurely experience, pairing pisco with soft cheeses, nuts, or tapas is an excellent option. The complexity of pisco is complemented by the creamy texture of the cheeses and the crunch of the nuts, creating a rich and harmonious taste. In this case, pisco should be served at room temperature, in a suitable glass, to fully appreciate all its nuances.
Pisco and Desserts: The Perfect Finishing Touch
Pisco not only accompanies savory dishes; it can also be the perfect partner for certain desserts, especially those with tropical fruits such as lucuma, passion fruit, or mango. In cocktails like the fruit pisco sour, the drink provides freshness and a sweet contrast that highlights the dessert. To capture the details, it’s recommended to sip it gently, enjoying the blend of flavors.
