A History of Pisco

The conditions for pisco were laid down centuries earlier by the adept engineering of the Incas in the Ica region on the southwestern Peruvian coast. Ica was a dry, infertile desert region before the Europeans arrived in the sixteenth century. The Inca's civil engineering laid the foundation for future agricultural exploitation in the Ica region. The Europeans acted on the clue left by the Inca emperor Pachacutec and channeled Andean melt waters to where they planned to plant their vineyards.

Henk Milne described the Incan legend of Pachacutec:

When the Inca emperor Pachacutec offered his hand in marriage to a fair maiden from the Peruvian hinterland and was turned down in favor of her plebeian boyfriend, he might have been forgiven for being miffed. But instead of achieving the consummation of his desire by, say, knocking off the rival and insisting on the nuptials - or some other such straightforward monarchical solution so common in those simpler times - he gave in gracefully. In fact, just to show how sporting of a chap he was, her offered to grant the lady her dearest wish. She, evidently not be a material girl, said that her dream was that the waters of the River Ica be brought to her hometown in the desert. Fifteen days later, forty thousand laborers wiped their collective brow, dropped their shovels and sat down beside the 30-mile canal they had just dug. The heart-smitten Supreme Panjandrum dubbed this waterway the "Achirana".

The Achirana provided the Europeans with a sufficient water source to plant vineyards with the Negra Corriente grape in 1547. The vineyards were so prosperous that within ten years, Peru had thriving wine exports to Argentina, Chile, and Spain. Over 100,000 acres of vineyards flourished in the Ica region. The cultivation of the grape in Latin America was a result of Peru's success and it is believed that the widely grown Criolla grape of Argentina and the Pais grape of Chile are descendants of the Negra Corriente grape originally brought over to the new world by the Spanish

The Incas already had a favorite drink called Chicha, made from fermented corn and water. Chicha was a ceremonial drink for the Incas and made only by women, the so-called "Chosen Women."

One of the chief occupations of the Chosen Women was the making of chicha for the Inca and his nobles and priests, and the making of it required the crushing of the sprouted corn after it had been boiled. Much crushing was required because much chicha was drunk. Drunkenness was required, in fact, at Inca feasts and ceremonies, since the liquor of corn was as sacred as the kernel they named "life giver". No ceremony began without the Inca lord or priest's pouring chicha on the ground to honor the corn goddess, Mama Sara.

The Europeans, however, craved their native brandies. "Through trial and error they found a grape called the Quebranta produced a pure, highly potent, aromatic brandy which eventually became known by the port from which it was exported to grateful drinkers abroad: “Pisco".

Pisco is now the national drink of Peru and comes in two sorts – “sipping Pisco” for the palate without additives and there are somefine ones and “rough Pisco” best used for the famous Pisco Sour. Both can be enjoyed at The Cross Keys in Cusco

A History of Pisco Sour:

The Pisco Sour is one of the worlds great Cocktails and a world class Pisco Sour can be enjoyed at The Cross Keys. The first mention of the Pisco Souris to be found in the book “ Lima the City of Kings (The Peruvian Book) 1928-29”. Almost 80 years ago, the Pisco Sour figured in the list of beverages offered by The Morris Bar, a traditional establishment located on Jiron de la Union in Lima. The entry in the book says the following: “Morris, Victor, Morris Bar. Importer of all classes of wines, spirits, beers, of which there is a select assortment of the finest brands. This bar has been made famous for the exquisite preparation of its Whisky Sour and Pisco Sour …. in which authentic spirits are used.”

Everything points to Victor Morris’s adaptation the Whisky Sour recipe to include Peruvian Pisco and the results were magnificent.

Later the Hotel Maury in Lima became famous for its preparation of a stupendous Pisco Sour. Following this, the Hotel Bolivar (to-day a former shadow of its Victorian elegance but the bar is worth a visit ) followed the trend with its Catedral ( Cathedral) which includes a double measure of Pisco in the cocktail. The actress Ava Gardener was seen to dance on the bar of the Bolivar Hotel after several of these Cathedral Pisco Sour’s!!

A Recipe for a Traditional Pisco Sour:

2 parts Pisco
1 part key lime juice
1 part sugar syrup or sugar
1 egg white
Ice 5-6 cubes

Blend all and serve with a dash of bitters.

 

A Recipe for a Pisco Sour Catedral:

6 oz Pisco
1 oz key lime juice
2 oz sugar syrup or sugar
1 egg white
5-6 ice cubes

Blend all and serve with a dash of bitters or sprinkle of cinnamon.