Pisco: It's History and Uses
Pisco is a type of liquor that is distilled from grapes and made into a brandy. It is widely consumed in Peru and is even considered the national drink. The Pisco Sour is the famous cocktail that is served everywhere, from every bar and restaurant in Lima and Cusco, to the small villages deep in the Andes. The drink is a mixture of Pisco, lemon juice, egg whites, sugar syrup, and regional bitters.
History
Marquis Francisco de Caravantes imported the first grapes from the Canary Islands in 1553. Soon after wine production developed rapidly and vineyards were producing export quality wines. It was during this time that small groups of people began to experiment with discarded grapes that they would use to extract a brandy-like liquor from, similar to the techniques of Chicha production.
In the early days the Spanish didn't drink Pisco but it was very popular among the poor, particularly sailors who started called it Pisco, after the port where it could be bought. It was revered for its strong taste and quick effects of intoxication. Soon Pisco was exported as much as wine. This all changed in 1641 when wine imports from Peru into Spain were banned. However, pisco production was able to survive this change and became the main drink on ocean-crossing vessels in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Today the finest Pisco by Peruvian standards is produced by the Queirlo family, who began production in the 1940's. In the 1960's Chile decided to ban all imports of any Pisco product from Peru. Since then Peru is constantly trying to enforce that pisco is a Peruvian-only product, even though it is widely enjoyed in Chile. They have set up distillation and storage requirements as well as trademarks.
Varieties of Pisco
Pure: This type is made from a single variety of grape, the Quebrata.
Aromatic: made from Muscat, Italia, or Torontel grapes.
Green Must: distilled from fermented must before the fermentation has transformed the sugars into alcohol.
Acholado (half-breed): a blend of several grape varieties.
Type of Drinks using Pisco
Pisco Sour (Pisco, sugar, lemon juice, bitters, and egg whites)
Canario (Pisco and orange juice)
Capitan (Pisco and vermouth)
Chilcano de Pisco (Pisco, lemon juice, and ginger ale)
Piscola (Coca-cola and Pisco)
Pisco Collins (Pisco, sugar, lemon juice, and carbonated water)
Pisco Punch (several fruit juices and Pisco)
Peru Libre (Pisco and soda)
Serena Libre (Pisco and Papaya juice)
Further Information
Peruvian Embassy information about Pisco
About.com -> Pisco in Peru and Chile
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