How Peruvian Pisco Became Popular in the United States
What is Peruvian Pisco
Peruvian Pisco. What is it?
Pisco is Peru’s national alcoholic beverage. It is a type of brandy distilled from wine in a copper pot. It is then left to rest in metal or glass for three months, but it isn’t aged. The Peruvian Pisco Sour is the traditional way to drink Pisco.
History of Peruvian Pisco
After the Spanish had conquered Peru in the mid-16th century, they found the southern coast of Peru ideal for growing grapes. They brought eight varieties of grapevines from Spain and produced wine from these grapes. They also created a drink from fermented grapes called aguardiente or “firewater” in English.
Wine production flourished until 1687 when Peru suffered a devastating earthquake with a magnitude of 8.5. It destroyed the wine cellars and broke the storage containers used for wine production. The earthquake also destroyed the port of Pisco and damaged the cities of Lima, Ica, and Callao. These were the largest wine-producing areas at the time.
In the early 18th century, wine production recovered. By the middle of the 18th century, Peru was producing more Pisco than wine and exporting aguardiente to other countries. Aguardiente became Pisco, named for…
