Pisco

Dry ice lends an eerie trail of wispy smoke to this intoxicating, conversation-starting drink.

Pisco became popular on the West Coast, especially in San Francisco, during the days of the Gold Rush. Many ships would bring men from the East Coast around Cape Horn, through the Strait of Magellan and up the West Coast. One of the stops for provisions was the popular port town of Pisco. There they would load up on the eponymous brandy and bring whatever was left with them to Northern California. Soon the spirit became a commodity on the trade route of the western seaboard. (This would, of course, later decline with the creation of the Panama Canal cutting Peru out of the route.) The Pisco Punch was created during the late 1800s by a barkeep named Duncan Nicol at the Bank Exchange and Billiard Saloon in San Francisco. The exact recipe was never shared with anyone but was enjoyed by the likes of Mark Twain and Jack London. After Nicol’s passing, those who knew offered up their interpretations of the Pisco Punch.

秘鲁的皮斯是官方的饮料;其他e is even a National Pisco Sour Day, celebrated the first Saturday in February. Pisco brandy was first established by Spanish conquistadors, who planted grape vines as they traversed the mountainous terrains of Chile and Peru—and Chile also claims the Pisco as a national treasure. There is good reason for the debate, as Pisco was the first distilled spirit in the New World. The now-classic Pisco Sour was created in the 1920s by ex-pat American bartender Victor V. “Gringo” Morris at the Morris’ Bar in Lima, as a local variation on the Whiskey Sour. The cocktail became a favorite among the locals and quickly spread up the West Coast of America as far north as San Francisco, where it was popular by the late 1930s. This version contained pisco brandy, egg white, lime juice, simple syrup, and aromatic bitters served frothy and straight up. A specific kind of lime called Limon de Pica is the right ingredient for the Peruvian classic. Some places in Peru grate nutmeg or cinnamon on top of the cocktail to finish it; our version includes the nutmeg. The Peruvian Pisco Sour is the perfect brunch companion as a restorative drink: musky and clean, with a rich texture and alluring bitters.

We have served this variation of the Pisco Sour ever since we first learned about the drink in the mid-1990s. There weren’t many Pisco choices available back then, so we worked with what we had. One brand we used was Pisco Capel Reservado from Chile, a blend of 30 percent Muscat and 70 percent Pedro Jimenez and Torontel grapes, which give the spirit a nice sweet full flavor, as it’s aged in wood for up to 6 months. Because of the slight oak, it combines beautifully with fresh lemon juice, so our variation was a gringo-styled sour, tall over ice. Little did we know that the true Peruvian Pisco Sour (page 115) was created by a gringo as well.

A few years ago Chip and I took a trip to Peru. We started in Lima and then traveled on to Cuzco and Machu Picchu, one of the most beautiful places on earth. While in Lima, we stopped at an outdoor bar in the Barranco neighborhood, an artists’ and musicians’ enclave rather like a Peruvian French Quarter. We met a salty old bartender who made us these delicious frothy drinks that reminded me somewhat of a gin fizz, but after two, our heads were spinning. Pisco is a spirit made from grapes, and it is quite strong, so beware!

Pisco, a potent brandy distilled from grapes, is made in Peru and Chile, and each country claims the Pisco Sour—recognizable by its distinctive foamy head (from egg white) and tart lime flavor—as its own. A swirl of fresh pineapple juice boosts the tropical vibe.

This version of a classic South American cocktail was created by Eben Freeman, bartender of Tailor restaurant in New York City.

Bartender Naren Young developed these cocktails at Bobo Restaurant in New York to showcase the flavors of cachaca, a Brazilian spirit made from distilled sugarcane juice.

A Caribbean spin on the 150-year-old classic, this version infuses pineapple into Pisco (a South American brandy) and uses fresh grapefruit and lime peels for added brightness.

This drink was featured as a Cocktail of the Month. Click here to learn more about thePisco Sour. This recipe is from Ryan McGrale, bar manager of No. 9 Park, in Boston.

In South America, this cocktail is traditionally made with Pisco, a brandy distilled from Muscat or Mission grapes, bitters, and egg white, a classic ingredient in a number of old-fashioned cocktails that gives drinks a foamy head.

Pisco, Peru’s iconic brandy, is aromatic, herbal, and subtly sweet—it pairs perfectly with cilantro for a bit of freshness.