A promotional picture of pisco produced in Peru.

Some bottles of Chilean pisco.

Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored grape brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru^[1] and Chile.^[2] Pisco was developed by Spanish settlers in the 16th century as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain.^[3] There are many theories about the origin of the name pisco some saying that it takes name from town of Pisco, located on the coast of Peru.^[1][4][5] The first vineyards were planted in the coastal valleys in the Viceroyalty of Peru, when vine plants arrived from the Canary Islands. Even though Spain imposed many restrictions on wine production and commerce, the wine-making industry developed rapidly, such as in the corregimientos of Ica.

Etymology[link]

There are several proposals about the origin of the word pisco. Pisco may have received its name from the town of Pisco, located on the coast of Peru inside of the valley of Pisco, made by the river with the same name.^[1][5] Chilean linguist Rodolfo Lenz have claimed that the word pisco was used all along the Pacific coast of the Americas from Arauco to Guatemala and that the word would be of Quechua origin meaning bird.^[4] This claim is disputed by Chilean linguist Mario Ferreccio Podesta who supports the Real Academia Española etymology that says that pisco was originally a word for a mud container.^[4]

Other origins for the word pisco have been explored including a Mapudungun etymology where "pishku" has been interpreted as "something boiled in a pot," which would in this hypothesis relate to the concept of burned wine (Spanish: vino quemado).^[4]

The drink began to acquire consumers in the sailors that transported products between the colonies and Spain as well as sailors of other nationalities, who began to call it pisco, naming it after the port of Pisco,^[5] founded 1640,^[6] where it was thought to originate from.

The oldest use of the word pisco to denote Peruvian aguardiente dates from 1764.^[7]

History[link]

Early aguardientes in Chile and Peru[link]

Zones of pisco production as established by Peruvian and Chilean law in red. In green singani production areas as established by Bolivian law.

Pisco has been produced in the Chilean cities of Santiago and La Serena since 1552.^[4] In the area of modern-day Peru pisco production begun at the turn of the 17th century, while Peru had been producing wine for commerce since the mid 16th century.^[8] In contrast to Peru and Chile Spanish settlers in the viceroyalty of New Spain established only very few vineyards.^[9]

In 1595 the Spanish Crown banned the establishment of new vineyards in the Americas, but this order was largely ignored.^[8] Moreover the Spanish Crown banned the export of Peruvian wine to Panamá and Guatemala in 1614 and 1615 respectively.^[8]

In the 17th century production and consumption of wine and pisco was stimulated by the mining activities in Potosí by then the largest city in the New World.^[8][10]

Recession of Peruvian pisco and rise of Chile[link]

In 1687 the whole southern coast of Peru was struck by the 1687 Peru earthquake which destroyed the cities of Villa de Pisco and Ica causing the Peruvian wine-growing industry to collapse.^[4] Wine cellars in the region affected by the earthquake collapsed and mud containers broke.^[7]

While in the early 18th century Peru production of wine exceeded that of pisco by 1764 90% of the grape beverages prepared in Peru were pisco.^[7] With the suppression of the Society of Jesus in Spanish America, Jesuit vineyards were auctioned off, and new owners typically did not have the same expertise as the Jesuits – leading to a production decline.^[7]

In late 18th century the Spanish Crown allowed the production of rum in Peru which was cheaper and of lower quality than pisco.^[7]

In the 19th century demand in industrialized Europe caused many Peruvian winegrowers to shift the land use from vineyards to lucrative cotton fields, contributing further to the decline of the wine and pisco industry.^[4] This was particularly true during the time of the American Civil War (1861–1865) when the cotton prices skyrocketed due to the Blockade of the South and its cotton fields.^[7]

Pisco was also popular in San Francisco and nearby areas of California during the Gold Rush in the late 1800s and early 1900s.^[11]

According to legal documents recently found in the U.S. National Archives of San Francisco, California, it has been proven that at least until 1864, Pisco was considered a liquor native only to the Republic of Peru.^[12]

Regulation[link]

This section requires expansion.

Apellation of origin dispute and Peruvian resurgence[link]

This section requires expansion.

Variants and production[link]

Chilean pisco[link]

Chilean "Pisco Aviador" label from 1915

Peru has tried to claim the exclusive right to the use of the Pisco label name as an appellation of origin.^[13][14][15] However, various large-market countries (e.g., the United States,^[2] France,^[16][17] Italy,^[16][18] Mexico,^[16][19] Canada,^[20][21] Australia,^[22] etc.) allow products of Chile to be identified as "Chilean Pisco".

Chilean pisco is produced in the Elqui Valley, a long narrow region through the Andes, by the ABA firm. It is produced there with a "boutique" type of distillate made by the Aguirre family. The ABA brand of Chilean pisco is produced with double distillation in copper pot type stills.^[23]

During the adaptation of many vineyards to pisco production, the most widespread grape was used as raw material, namely the Muscat, with some vineyards preferring the Torontel and Pedro Jiménez varieties. As is the case with Peru, regulations for pisco designations have been enacted in Chile, including the following classifications:^{[citation needed]}

• Regular, 30% to 35% (60 to 70 proof).
• Special, 35% to 40% (70 to 80 proof).^[3]
• Control, 40% (80 proof).^[3]
• Reserve, 40% to 43% (80 to 86 proof).
• Great, 43% or more (86 or more proof).

No distinction between varietal mixes is made other than that it is restricted to the three kinds of grapes named above.^{[clarification needed]}

The Regular pisco variation is quite bland in taste since the alcohol is mixed with water, reminiscent of a weak rum, and its odor is very sweet and woody with a slight yellowish tinge to the color.^{[citation needed]}

The Control Pisco from Chile is aged in oak and has a specific ABV of 40%.^[3]

The Special and Reserve variations are very similar in flavor and color, both being very sweet and of a cloudy yellowish color. The flavor is much stronger than regular pisco and leaves an alcoholic aftertaste in the mouth, similar to bourbon.^{[citation needed]}

The Great pisco has a commanding odor and a dark yellow color, it is not as sweet as the other varieties, yet it carries strong woody flavor the others lack.^{[citation needed]}

The yellowish to amber color in Chilean pisco is due to the wood aging process, with the darker colors being a sign that they have been aged longer.^{[citation needed]} Not all Chilean pisco is tinged, and the more mass-marketed brands can be clear.

Ecological aspects[link]

Chile has taken steps to have a clean and environmentally friendly production of pisco. In order to crack down on pollution, and to increase competitiveness, the National Council for Clean Production agreed with the pisco producers and pisco grape agronomists, to collaborate, signing an Agreement of Clean Production (APL). Capel, by itself invested more than US$800 million.^[24]

Peruvian pisco[link]

Some bottles of Peruvian Pisco.

Peruvian Pisco is produced only using copper pot stills rather than continuous stills^{[citation needed]} – like single malt Scotch whiskies and unlike most vodkas. Peruvian Pisco is never actually diluted after it is distilled and enters the bottle directly at its distillation strength.^{[citation needed]}

Peruvian Pisco is produced from grapes grown in the traditional wine growing region of the Ica Valley, around the Pisco River and Ica Rivers, which are both about located 300 km south of Lima, the capital city of Peru.^[3]

A Peruvian Pisco peculiarity is that the first part of the distillation (called the heads) is kept, and then mixed in with the rest of the distillate. Re-adding the 'heads' adds in more 'character' to the variety of Pisco and this is the way that the Peruvians traditionally liked it.^{[citation needed]}

Many types of grapes were used to produce pisco, leading to a wide variation in flavor, aroma, viscosity and appearance of the liquor.^{[clarification needed]} This harmed attempts to export the product under a single denomination since there could be enormous differences between the contents of bottles sold as pisco.^{[citation needed]} As such, a number of regulations were established and set a baseline for a product to carry the name.

Four levels of pisco were thus designated:^[25]

• Puro (Pure), made from a single variety of grape, mostly Quebranta, although Mollar or Common Black can be used; however, no blending between varieties is accepted ("pure" pisco should contain only one variety of grape).
• Aromáticas (Aromatic), made from Muscat or Muscat-derived grape varieties, and also from Albilla, Italia and Torontel grape varieties; once again, the pisco should only contain one variety of grape in any production lot.
• Mosto Verde (Green Must), distilled from partially fermented must, this must be distilled before the fermentation process has completely transformed sugars into alcohol.
• Acholado (Half-breed), blended from the must of several varieties of grape.

The order is not established based on quality; it is simply listed in this way in Peruvian regulation publications.

Some other specific restrictions of note are:^{[citation needed]}

• Aging: Pisco must be aged for a minimum of three months in vessels of "glass, stainless steel or any other material which does not alter its physical, chemical or organic properties".
• Additives: No additives of any kind may be added to the pisco that could alter its flavor, odor, appearance or alcoholic proof.

Pure pisco is a very viscous liquid, slightly more so than vodka and comparable to Sambuca.^{[citation needed]} It has an odor which is vaguely reminiscent of reeds.^{[citation needed]} Its flavor is very smooth and almost non-alcoholic, which can be very deceptive, with the result that many first-time drinkers often drink to excess and can quickly become inebriated without noticing.^{[citation needed]} Some people consider it "heresy" to mix pure pisco with anything else, and it is generally accepted that it should be drunk alone, even to the exclusion of ice.^{[citation needed]}

Aromatic is a variety currently made of Italy and Muscat grapes in Peru and frequently rests in big clay receptacles called botijas.^{[citation needed]} According to Peruvian specifications, Chilean Pisco cannot be classified as aromatic despite the restriction of 'no additives' is obeyed, because Chilean Pisco is aged in oak barrels and it is frequently made of a mix of more than four types of grapes that remain after the wine elaboration which is the main purpose of the Chilean spirits industry.^{[citation needed]}

Green Must is generally seen in high income environments.^{[citation needed]} Its grape taste is very strong, as is its fruity perfume.^{[citation needed]}

In Peru, "Pisco Sour day" is celebrated on the first Saturday of February.^{[citation needed]} Years ending with zero (0) are of special significance.^{[citation needed]} The theme is red and white (the Peruvian flag colours). When the Peruvian National Anthem is played, all Pisco Sour's must be finished as a mark of respect.^{[citation needed]}

Acholado is gaining popularity due to its sweetness, both in odor and flavor, making it a favorite for the Pisco sour, a mixed drink.^{[citation needed]}

Ecological aspects[link]

Water pollution from mining threatens grape harvests. The water intended for irrigating and cultivating the vineyards is loaded with mining residue and chemicals. Water purification is necessary for the survival of the vineyards. Air pollution must be dealt with immediately because of the threat to the health and safety of local residents and workers. The dry air of the Ica region is immobile because of the sea and the Andes mountain range. Eliminating river pollution as a result of mining is imperative. "Because of the dry arid climate, chemicals are absorbed into the local atmosphere and remain in the area".^[13]

Cocktails[link]

Some of the most popular cocktails with pisco include:

• Pisco Punch, the first known pisco cocktail in the world, invented in San Francisco, California in the 19th Century. It contained pineapple, gum Arabic, and syrup, among other ingredients.^[26]
• Pisco Sour, Peruvian national cocktail, prepared with egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and bitters.^[27]
• Serena Libre, similar to Pisco Sour, but made with Chilean Papaya juice and sugar.
• Algarrobina, Peruvian Pisco with Algarrobina syrup, cinnamon, egg yolk, and cream. (Carob syrup can be substituted for algarrobina syrup, but the taste is slightly different)

Mixed drinks[link]

Some examples of mixed drinks with pisco include:

• Canario
• Capitán
• Chilcano de Pisco, a Peruvian cocktail made with Pisco, lemon juice, and ginger ale.
• Piscola, also called "national cocktail" in Chile (Spanish: Combinado nacional or combinado) a cocktail prepared mixing Coca-Cola and pisco.
• Tiger tail: a variant from Piscola. First serve the Coca-Cola, then place a fabric napkin on the top of the glass and serve slowly the pisco through it.^{[citation needed]}
• Pisco Collins^{[citation needed]}
• Perú Libre, a cocktail prepared by mixing pisco with coke. Also known as "Sol y Sombra" (Sun and Shadow).^{[citation needed]}
• Pisco Sorpresa, a cocktail originated in East London, inspired by the Latin American classic. Involves shaking Gin, Cointreau, Triple Sec, Bacardi and Pisco, adding raspberry juice, pouring in to a cocktail glass and finishing off with a dash of soda, grenadine and a squeeze of lemon.

Consumption[link]

In Chile the per capita consumption of pisco is of 3 litres per year of which 18% is on average so-called premium piscos.^[28] However, in Peru, the annual per capita consumption was reported as being only 0.5 litres as of 2008, but growing – at the expense of decreasing market shares for rum and whisky (although whisky remains the most popular spirit in Peru).^[29]

See also[link]

Drink portal

• List of piscos
• Singani
• Cocoroco

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: pisco

• Pisco information, Peru^{[dead link]}
• Pisco: A Peruvian Tradition of Excellence, Peruvian Business Association of Vancouver

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