RED HOT EXOTIC PISCO MAKES ITS MARK STATESIDE By Alia Akkam

t wasn’t that long ago bartenders were introducing a new Latin cocktail to their i curious customers called the “Mojito.” The Cuban-inspired drink, made with rum and fresh muddled mint, combined just the right elements: it was refreshing, had exotic allure and was quite easy to whip up. While Mojitos are now favorites at the bar and to make at home, there is another international drink poised for making its way into the canon of American cocktail culture just as successfully: the Pisco Sour.

The national liquor of both Peru and to help push the category, along with today’s Chile, Pisco is a colorless spirit distilled imaginative bartenders who help boldly il- from grape must, tracing its roots to the luminate its versatility. 16th century, when Spanish settlers made their way to South America. Originally THE PLAYERS produced in Peru, today there is quite Diego Loret de Mola, president of wine and a debate as to the merits of Chilean liquor super store BevMax, launched BarSol Pisco, with Pisco developed in Peru Pisco in 2005 after closely watching the spir- generally deemed a more authentic, its market and recognizing the growing ap- superior product. Approximately preciation of Latin American culture in the 25,000 cases of Pisco are imported U.S. A native of Peru, it was important to into the U.S. today. Undoubtedly, Loret de Mola that he create a Pisco made Pisco has a long way to climb. The in an artisanal manner, but one that was also Pisco Sour, the most iconic of cock- affordable so it would become accessible at tails made with the spirit, featuring the bar. His BarSol Pisco is made with the egg white and bitters, will continue Quebranta grape, the most common grape varietal grown in Peru for the pro- then bartenders won’t think about the duction of Pisco. It is the least aro- potential of Pisco,” Lizzie says. matic, and makes for a Pisco that is Herbie Loebl’s family has been in dry and smooth. the Pisco business for quite some time “I wanted to share a little bit of now, working in the U.S. and abroad my Peruvian culture through Pisco on generating buzz for the spirit since cocktails,” explains Loret de Mola. 2004. For the last two years, he and “I was really convinced there was a his father have been focusing their great opportunity for the Pisco Sour efforts on their own brand, Gran Si- The bar at Yerba Buena, and the Pisco Punch here; America erpe, a Peru-made Pisco with an eye- New York City is in love with all things Latin. More catching package design. Currently, bars are opening their selections and Gran Sierpe is available in the South including Pisco as part of their menu. And Florida market, with plans for the North- bartenders are really letting their imagina- east and California. Loebl believes that this tion fly with it.” Pisco has the potential to successfully cross Available in 44 markets, BarSol’s over all the segments of the trade and the national distribution is quite extensive. consumer. “This business has come about They have been lucky enough to partner after careful consideration of quality, nec- with national chain The Cheesecake Fac- essary marketing efforts and a huge learn- tory, which pairs its food with novelty ing curve that we have experienced after cocktails made with BarSol, extending the selling Pisco for five years in the U.S. I brand’s visibility. feel very strongly that Pisco is the next big “It’s a small brand and it’s still a small white spirits category to be explored by the category,” says Loret de Mola. “As more U.S. consumer,” Loebl explains. brands come together, providing awareness So far, the progress is siginificant. At and education of Pisco is the way for the Beekman Liquors in NYC, they can barely spirit to grow.” keep their bottles of Pisco on the shelf. Last year, Melanie Asher, a Harvard Owner David Frieser says they’ve been car- business school alum originally from Peru, rying Pisco for many years at the store, but brought her Macchu Pisco, which first now customers are more excited by it as they launched five years ago in London, to NYC. Artemio Vasquez’s cocktails look for new cocktails. “People are experi- “It was very difficult gaining traction here,” at Yerba Buena menting; they’ve tried the Mojito, they’ve recalls Lizzie Asher, Melanie’s sister who tried the Caipirinha, and now they want to also serves as the company’s president and try the Pisco Sour. brand ambassador. “In London there was “as more brands come more of a fascination for the esoteric and together, providing DISCOVERING PISCO they were more experimental.” Some may At Yerba Buena in New York City’s East Vil- have thought Melanie was crazy to start a awareness and lage, Artemio Vasquez is at the helm of the brand from the ground up when she could education of pisco is bar. An alum of such lauded institutions as have stuck with her banking career, but the way for the PDT and Pegu Club, Vasquez clearly knows she really wanted to start a business, one how to make an inventive cocktail. Com- that would celebrate her Peruvian heritage category to grow.” plementing a Latin-inspired menu of dishes though much-loved Pisco. The portfolio - diego loret de mola, like short rip arepas and chipotle guacamole, now features the signature Macchu Pisco, Vasquez makes a number of cocktails with made with the Quebranta grape, and the founder, barsol pisco Pisco. A fan of Macchu Pisco, he makes premium La Diablada, made with Que- classics like Pisco Sours but also pushes Pis- branta, Moscatel and Italia grapes that are co to more creative limits with his “Boludo presed by foot. “Technically a white spirit, ‘Yerba Mate’,” yerba mate-infused Pisco with Pisco is similar to vodka,” Lizzie points out, Recently, Lizzie found herself at the grapefruit and lime cordials and fresh lemon ”but Pisco has tremendous versatility with Bubble Lounge in NYC walking the owner juice; Audrey Saunders’ classic pineapple- an underlying signature; when you open a through a Pisco tasting, where she made a infused Pisco Punch; and a distinctive Pisco bottle of our Pisco, you can tell what those Pisco Punch topped with Champagne. “If we Sour with purple corn. When Yerba Buena grapes are.” narrowly stay focused on just the Pisco Sour, opens its downstairs Pisco bar and its sec- ond location in the West Village The bar at PX in Alexandria, VA soon, Vasquez will have even more opportunities to champion his love for Pisco. Nearby at Louis 649, owner Zachary Sharaga also likes us- ing Pisco. “When we put one out, soon we’re putting a whole handful out,” Sharaga says of the Pisco Sour. “We’ll take the bit- ters and maybe make a swirl to make it visually appealing and create interest.” Sharaga says there is still a need to educate his guests about Pisco, though. “People aren’t even familiar used in creations like a “Pisco Negroni” with it and confuse it with brandy, but and a “Sideways Sour” with white grape there’s a huge interest in it. We’ve been juice and a Pinot Noir float. experimenting and trying to mix it with Also in San Francisco, Cantina’s Dug- other spirits like apple brandy.” gan McDonnell was recently in Peru re- Downtown, in the South Street Sea- searching Pisco. “When we opened two port area, guests who come to new Latin years ago we had the largest selection of American restaurant Onda on a Thursday Pisco in the country,” he says. It’s still evening are treated to half-price Pisco one of the city’s top destinations for Pisco Sours made with BarSol, a touch of nut- cocktails like the “Blushing Lima” with meg and a few drops of Angostura bitters orange Muscat and Cherry Heering. all evening. “People are surprised,” says In the Washington D.C. area, Todd barman Cyril Ntukogu. “Peruvians will Thrasher, one of the nation’s most promi- come into the bar and say ‘you’re making nent mixologists, loves making cocktails a Pisco Sour?’ It’s an old classic that is with Pisco at Restaurant Eve, the Majestic being reinvented and being introduced to and his seductive speakeasy-style bar, PX, many new people.” in Alexandria, VA. Before opening Res- taurant Eve, he worked at Café Atlantico, PISCO POWER where his first cocktail list was built around The Pisco craze is catching on not only Latin creations. “I had two Pisco cock- in NYC. Like Yerba Buena’s Vasquez, bar tails on the menu back in 1996,” Thrasher guru Adam Seger at Nacional 27 in Chi- points out. “It’s been my favorite cock- cago makes a “Chicha Sour” with organic tail for many years now.” Thrasher thinks purple corn, egg whites, lime and bitters, Pisco goes really well in particular with off the South American Classics section savory ingredients, so you’ll find him mak- of his cocktail menu. ing Pisco the base of celery root cocktails San Francisco has a particular af- and spicy punches. “I kind of look at Pisco finity for Pisco. It was a favorite among as more of a wine than a spirit because of gold seekers during the big 19th century its subtle nuances,” he says. At PX, the rush and in 1919, the last “authentic” classic Pisco Sour is one of only a few clas- Pisco Punch was served when Prohibi- sic cocktails guests will find on the menu, tion closed down the Bank Exchange & and it has a loyal fan base. Thrasher says Billiard Saloon where it was the signature he goes through about six or seven bottles drink. Today, Pisco Latin Lounge in the of Pisco a week. Does he think Pisco will Hayes Valley draws guests to its long wal- be the next big cult spirit? “The problem nut bar for its Latin cocktails. In a nod is that some bartenders are so unfamiliar to history, the “Original Recipe” Pisco with Pisco,” he says. “It’s really a matter Punch is the star drink, but Pisco is also of playing with it.” n