Peru, the country of Pisco

Pisco is a spiritual drink originary from Peru, today is considered the country’s national drink of the Incas and has a long history and tradition. Join us to learn more about Peru, the country of pisco.

The history of Peruvian pisco

The history of Peruvian pisco goes back to the sixteenth century, the Viceroyalty of Peru. The Spaniards brought the first vines in the middle of the sixteenth century, shortly after the founding of Lima, the “City of Kings”. Just over a century Peru in the main wine of America, having as its most important area Ica Valley, where pisco was born.

The etymology of the word pisco

The word pisco comes from the Quechua language “pisqu”, a word that was used to call some small region of southern Peru birds. This word was also used by the ancient Peruvian potters to name amphorae or large containers where all kinds of drinks were kept, the container was called “piskos” (imagine) over time the drink adopted the name of the container that was kept and passed to be “pisco”.

The Peruvian pisco

Pisco is a spiritual drink produced from grapes, which could qualify as spirits distilled from grapes, but with the designation of origin is known as pisco. For a long time the birthplace of pisco, a fight that took place between Chile and Peru discussed. Historical evidence, the same etymologies of the word and the fact that there is a city with the name of Pisco in Peru, proved and recognized pisco as a Peruvian drink, and making clear that pisco is Peruvian.

The Peruvian pisco to the world

For centuries, pisco has been the most popular drink in Peru, but only a few decades ago pisco has begun to transcend borders and has taken the place it deserves among the most popular drinks in the world such as whiskey, rum, vodka or tequila.

Today all 5-star hotels include in their bar’s menus the drink called pisco sour, the most popular cocktail made with pisco, plus some other popular cocktails like the Pisco punch, Chilcano or Machu Picchu.