Pisco, South America’s answer to grappa, is great for summer drinks. Here are three worth trying, plus pisco co*cktail recipes.
Drink | Pisco
What Is Pisco?
Pisco is a distilled spirit (aguardiente) made from grapes. It looks pure and clear, but Pisco is deceptively strong, sneaking up on you unexpectedly.
What Are Its Origins?
The spirit has been made in South America since the late 1500s, although there is a rivalry between Peru and Chile on who can claim bragging rights to being the original producers.
How Is It Made?
Pisco must follow strict and traditional production methods. It’s produced from a single distillation of young wine made up of one of eight different grapes. Nothing extra can be added, not even water. What is distilled is what goes into the bottle.
How to Use It?
The classic and traditional co*cktail to make with pisco is a Pisco Sour (see recipe below) and the recipes differ slightly from Peru to Chile. The Peruvian Pisco Sour recipes generally include pisco, egg white, simple syrup, lime juice and Angostura Bitters, whereas the Chilean version uses sugar instead of the syrup and excludes the bitters.
Beyond the Pisco Sour, there’s the Pisco Punch (made with pisco, pineapple chunks, syrup, water and lemon juice), the Piscola (pisco, lime juice and cola), or the Pisco Sidecar (pisco, Cointreau, lemon juice).
Which To Try?
Here are 3 piscos to try, all recommended from top bartenders.
Capel Pisco (Chile)
“Bold, robust, and at the same time, as delicate as a flower. A source of contention amongst Peruvians and Chileans, nuff' said.”
- Bartender Ciaran Wiese of Scott & Co. in Tucson, AZ
Kappa Pisco (Chile)
“I just got my hands on some very memorable Kappa Pisco.The Marnier-Lapostolle family makes it.I make the most typical drink with it, but I love it: the Pisco Sour.”
- Bartender Eric Alperin of The Varnish in Los Angeles, CA
Campo De Encanto Pisco (Peru)
A product of a partnership between a sommelier (Walter Moore), a bartender (Duggan McDonnell) and a distiller (Carlos Romero).
- Recommended by bartender Daniel Shoemaker of Teardrop Lounge in Portland, OR
Recipes
Here two co*cktail recipes, one classic and one creative, highlighting the qualities of pisco.
Bartenders’ Tips, Recommendations & Recipes
Pisco: Campo de Encanto, Kappa, Capel
Classic Recipe | Pisco Sour
Recipe by F.E.D.
Yield
1 drink
Glass: co*cktail Glass / Coupe
Garnish: Angostura Bitters
Ice: Large Cubes (For Shaking)
Ingredients
- 2 oz. pisco
- 0.75 oz. simple syrup
- 0.75 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1 egg white
- 5 drops Angostura Bitters
Directions
1) In a co*cktail shaker, add pisco, simple syrup, lime juice, and egg white.
2) Briefly “dry shake” the ingredients without ice to emulsify the egg.
3) Add ice cubes and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. The drink should be shaken enough to produce a foam on top.
4) Strain into a chilled coupe or co*cktail glass.
5) Top with 5 drops of bitters. For a fancy touch, take a stirring straw and swirl through the bitters in the foam to create a pattern.
Notes
The key to this co*cktail is the tart component. Lemon juice is generally used in the U.S. to make a pisco sour, but it is traditionally made with South American limes, which are much tarter than American limes. If you can find real Key Limes, give them a try in this co*cktail.
For a variation on the bitters, the team at Bittermens recommends using their Boston Bittahs with pisco.
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- Classic Recipe: Pisco Sour
- Creative Recipe: Long Time Coming
Creative Recipe | Long Time Coming
Recipe by Daniel Shoemaker, Teardrop Lounge in Portland, OR
Yield
1 drink
Glass: co*cktail Glass
Ingredients
- 2 oz Encanto Pisco
- 0.75 oz Cherry Digestif
- 0.5 oz Port Reduction
- 8 drops Truffle Bitters
Directions
1) Stir ingredients over ice.
2) Strain into a chilled co*cktail glass.
Cherry Digestif
We pit Lapin cherries from Hood River every August, to can house brandied cherries for the year. We then steep all of the pits in GNS for 2 months, adding bittering agents (licorice root, dandelion root, Chinese Angelica, quassia, gentian) as well as caramelized sugar, at the end.
Port Reduction
Tawny port, a little sugar, spices (star anise, clove, allspice, cinnamon) reduce by 1/2.
Truffle Bitters
Just what it sounds like. I steeped Oregon white truffles (very fragrant, but delicate) in rye whiskey 4 separate times over the course of 2 years to extract enough of the truffle note. A ton of spices, bark & herb, then barrel-aged for 6 months in Oregon oak.
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