Many of you may be asking yourself, “Where’s Matt? He hasn’t posted in a donkey’s age.” Okay, maybe you would not say that exactly, but you might be wondering. The short answer, I was out of town. Where did I go? My wife and I went to Peru.
Before you ask, I did not do the Inca Trail or go to Machu Pichu. I did, however spend some time in Peru’s wine country outside of Ica. I’ll spare you the slide show and daily details, but I would like to talk about Peru’s native spirit, pisco.
The exact origins of pisco are obscured in myth and legend; even the country of origin is cause for debate. Chile also claims pisco as it’s national drink (or the pisco sour at least). The actual history of pisco is probably a very simple. The Spaniards came to conquer. They brought with them the means to make wine and therefore, brandy. Over time, the brandy developed a particular quality that became synonymous with the port city where sailors could purchase such (bourbon drinkers may be familiar with a similar tale). So, this clear spirit made from grapes became known as Pisco. Since Pisco is in Peru, I think that gives them a leg up in the controversy.
Peruvian piscos are governed by fairly strict set of laws and, not surprisingly, Chilean piscos cannot be sold as ‘pisco’ within Peru. There are several differences between the two, but the most obvious is Chilean pisco is aged in oak. Cheaper Chilean piscos are still clear because they are heavily cut with water and aged for only a short time. High-end Chilean piscos are tinted yellow, much like whisky. Peru outlaws any additives, including oak aging. Peruvian pisco must be aged in a vessel that will not affect the taste or aroma of the spirit.
In the wine country, which lies mostly between Ica and Pisco and extends below Ica for 100km or so, there are several large bodegas (the vineyard kind, not the convenience store kind) and more boutique bodegas than you can count. Pretty much anyone with a grape vine in their backyard can make wine and pisco and sell it at the local markets. The classifications of Peruvian pisco are pretty simple Pure (Puro) is comprised of only one grape. Aromatic pisco is made from only one grape varietal, but must be one of a specific range of “aromatic” grapes. Aromatic piscos are sometimes labeled by the variety (Muscat, Italia, Torontel, etc.). The last two classifications are blends: Mosto Verde (distilled before fermentation is complete) and Acholado (a straight up blend of grapes).
Because of the variety of grapes available and the number of wineries making pisco, the quality and flavor can vary greatly. We tried piscos that tasted like grappa, tequila, vodka (that is to say no discernable flavor) and even white dog whisky (I would have loved to taste that one after a few years in oak). Our favorites tasted like nothing else we could name. I guess you could say that our favorites tasted like pisco.
We really enjoyed the wines of Peru (the whites especially). Unfortunately, I have never seen Peruvian wine at my local shop. The good news is that a small variety of piscos are on the shelf. If you are in the market for a new clear spirit, give pisco a try. The puros and the aromatics are my favorites neat and the mosto verde is great for those with a sweet tooth. For a great mixer that still has some character, try a nice acholado. My current favorite brand is not available in the U.S. (Tacama Puro), but Ocucaje is available here and that is one of Peru’s largest vineyards and pisco producers. Work your way down the shelf. It won’t take long and won’t cost a lot. Hopefully, you enjoy pisco as much as my wife and I do.
Salut!
-Matt
