You haven’t tried a Pisco Sour yet? Then it’s high time! Although the South American drink was little known in Europe until a few years ago, it is now being served in more and more cocktail bars. The full-bodied grape brandy mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice also tastes delicious, so it’s not surprising that the two main producers of the drink, Peru and Chile, regularly argue about which country Pisco originally came from and who invented Pisco Sour. According to the latest findings, it was neither a Peruvian nor a Chilean but the American Victor Morris who invented the drink in his Morris Bar, which opened in Lima in 1916. After one evening of having run out of whiskey for whiskey sours, he grabbed without further ado this South American brandy, and, lo and behold, Pisco Sour was born.
But what is Pisco?
Similar to grappa, Pisco is made of grapes. Eight different grape varieties are suitable to the production of the Pisco. In Chile, this is mainly the Moscatel grape. In contrast to Italian schnapps, winemakers do not use the remains of the grape to produce the Pisco, rather fresh grapes. Six to seven kilograms of grapes yield about a liter of Pisco. This drink is fermented for about four days to turn into “wine” and is then distilled as Pisco. Stored in wine barrels, the Pisco takes on the taste and color of the barrels depending on the length of storage. Here the principle of “the older, the better” applies.
Pisco has been around for more than 400 years. UNESCO has officially recognized Peru as the country of origin of Pisco, and the spirit produced in Chile does not match the popularity and taste of the Peruvian. However, great Pisco is made in Chile in the country’s main growing area in the Elqui Valley, which offers top growing conditions thanks to its climate.
If you feel like trying a Pisco Sour, here’s the recipe for the Chilean Pisco Sour:
INGREDIENTS
Lemon juice
Triple amount of Pisco (Capel and Alto del Carmen are available in Germany)
4 ice cubes
Blend at the highest level
Decorate the rim with icing sugar
Enjoy – Salud!