What is Pisco?

Pure skies. Pure legacy.

Chilean Pisco, an aromatic spirit ranging from transparent to yellowish-amber, is distilled from fragrant grape varieties in northern Chile’s Atacama and Coquimbo regions, benefitting from cold nights and sunny days, resulting in concentrated flavours. 

Initially used by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative to orujo, Pisco’s significance has grown over centuries. The Chilean Pisco Designation of Origin, established in 1931, is the first in the Americas and second oldest worldwide.

Pisco’s aging process distinguishes it as either “Pisco de Guarda” or “Pisco Envejecido,” with alcohol content categorised as Grand Pisco 43°+, Reserved 40°, and Special 35°. With over 300 years of tradition, Pisco is integral to Chilean heritage, cherished in social gatherings worldwide. 

Today, its versatility captivates enthusiasts in over 40 countries, fostering a global appreciation for this exceptional spirit.

Process

Harvest

Pisco grape harvest starts mid-February with Austrian Muscat, concluding with Alexandria Muscat and Pedro Jiménez. Grapes with an alcohol strength of 10.5° or higher are accepted, then separated from residues like leaves and stalks. They’re pressed, and the juice is vinified at controlled temperatures.

Process

Winemaking

The winemaking process usually lasts around 30 days, varying with technology. After fermentation, artisanal distillation begins in discontinuous stills using copper alembics, devices crafted for evaporating and condensing liquids. 

Process

Distillation

The wine-to-pisco process is magical. In discontinuous stills, wine is heated to capture alcohol, divided into head, heart, and tail. The heart, purest, is used for pisco, distilled once to thrice for purity. Alcohol content, 60° to 73°, is adjusted with demineralized water. Pisco must rest 60 days in steel or wood barrels.

Process

Aging and Bottling

Unaged pisco is called “transparent” and can be bottled right after distillation. Alternatively, it can be aged in wooden barrels, typically Rauli (native to Chile) or Oak, giving it wood notes that enhance the grape flavour and provide an amber colour, varying with aging. Once bottled, it can be called “Pisco”. 

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Categories

Pisco’s resilience lies in the unwavering dedication of its crafters to timeless tradition. Its Designation of Origin (1931) stands as a bulwark protecting pisco’s essence. Decree 521 (1999) meticulously classifies varieties based on alcohol content and aging:

  • Special (35º): Delicate nuances in a lighter form.

  • Reserved (40º): A robust expression, refined yet potent.
  • Grand (43º+): Exuding boldness and depth, a pinnacle of strength.

Barrel aging imparts distinctive character. Noble woods like Oak and Raulí lend their essence, bestowing amber richness:

  • Transparent: Untouched by wood, a pristine canvas of purity.
  • Guarda (Mellow): 180 days of wood influence, unveiling subtle complexities.
  • Envejecido (Aged): Aged for 360 days, a symphony of mature flavours.

To amplify versatility and sophistication, Chilean Pisco artisans meticulously employ double or triple distillation, extracting the purest essence of the heart of outstanding Chilean wine.

Categories

Pisco’s resilience lies in the unwavering dedication of its crafters to timeless tradition. Its Designation of Origin (1931) stands as a bulwark protecting pisco’s essence. Decree 521 (1999) meticulously classifies varieties based on alcohol content and aging:

  • Special (35º): Delicate nuances in a lighter form.
  • Reservado (40º): A robust expression, refined yet potent.
  • 
Grand (43º+): Exuding boldness and depth, a pinnacle of strength.

Barrel aging imparts distinctive character. Noble woods like Oak and Raulí lend their essence, bestowing amber richness:

  • Transparent: Untouched by wood, a pristine canvas of purity.
  • Guarda (Mellow): 180 days of wood influence, unveiling subtle complexities.
  • Envejecido (Aged): Aged for 360 days, unveiling a symphony of mature flavors.

To amplify versatility and sophistication, Chilean Pisco artisans meticulously employ double or triple distillation, extracting the purest essence of the heart of outstanding Chilean wine.

North of Chile and Culture

The Andes, Earth’s vast mountain range, spans nearly 3 million square kilometers, with towering peaks averaging 3,000 to 4,000 meters above sea level. In Norte Chico, between Atacama and Coquimbo, the Andes transition into gentle, east-to-west mountain laces. This is the land of the transversal valleys – Copiapó, Huasco, Elqui, Limarí, and Choapa – each cradled by hills and narrow passes, nourished by rivers born from spring thaws that flow to the ocean.

Blessed with over 300 days of clear skies per year, these regions offer ideal sunlight for grape cultivation.
 
Pisco is produced in two regions: Atacama, home to the world’s driest desert and renowned for its extraordinary transformation – the Flowering Desert phenomenon,

and Coquimbo, known for stunning coastal landscapes, beautiful valleys, world-class
astronomical observatories, and a rich cultural heritage, making it a diverse and captivating destination for travelers.

Blessed with over 300 days of clear skies per year, these regions offer ideal sunlight for grape cultivation.

Pisco is produced in two regions: Atacama, home to the world’s driest desert and renowned for its extraordinary transformation – the Flowering Desert phenomenon,

and Coquimbo, known for stunning coastal landscapes, beautiful valleys, world-class astronomical observatories, and a rich cultural heritage, making it a diverse and captivating destination for travelers.

200+

Piscos available in Chile

40+

Countries offer Chilean Pisco

35+

Million litres produced every year

80%

Global pisco produced in Chile

200+

Piscos available in Chile

40+

Countries offer Chilean Pisco

80%

Global pisco produced in Chile

35+

Million litres produced every year

History

Vines and wine have been intertwined with human history for thousands of years, with the first grape crops dating back to the Bronze Age in the Middle East. Vitis vinifera arrived in America alongside the Spanish conquerors, who brought European plants and animals to maintain a taste of home in their newly discovered territories.

History

Planting of vineyards brought from Spain

Hernán Cortés, Governor of Mexico, ordered vineyards planted in 1525 with Spanish vines. Thriving in fertile soils, they yielded abundant wine, laying the foundation for a wine industry in Spanish colonies. By 1549, vineyards flourished in La Serena, spreading to Chilean valleys like Copiapó, Huasco, Elqui, Limarí, and Choapa. Despite remarkable sweetness, wines were prone to spoilage, complicating transportation.

History

Distilling in Copper stills

The solution to these issues was ingenious: distillation. Producers extracted alcohol from wine for preservation, reducing storage weight. This thrived, aided by local copper and skilled artisans, “fragüeros,” crafting essential copper stills for pisco. The first such still in South America was recorded in 1586 in Santiago del Nuevo Extremo, owned by María de Niza for brandy production. Records show 22 stills in the 17th century, and dozens more in the 18th century. Historian Pablo Lacoste highlights copper’s importance, boosting regional economy and ensuring quality.

History

Pirates

The era of pirates like Francis Drake and Bartholomew Sharp, raiding Chilean shores, inadvertently shaped pisco’s destiny. Devastating attacks in the late 17th century forced residents inland to transversal valleys, ideal for viticulture. In 1686, William Knight’s mission to ravage Tongoy was thwarted by Don Pedro Cortés y Mendoza, later hailed as “the hero of Tongoy,” with just twelve men. That year, La Serena’s citizens repelled pirate Edward Davis, who sought refuge in the Church of Santo Domingo.

History

Settling in the Andes Mountain’s Valleys

As Chilean residents settled deeper into valleys, estates like Don Pedro’s La Torre in Elqui Valley became winemaking fortresses. Here, the tradition of crafting high-quality spirits from Muscat grapes flourished, producing a fragrant spirit revered in the region. Stored and transported in elongated clay vessels called “piscos,” this spirit laid the foundations for today’s pisco. 

Don Pedro’s manor hosted the first oven for clay vessels in northern Chile, along with the region’s inaugural still. These innovations were emulated by local estate owners, completing the dynamic wine hub of transversal valleys.

History

First Spirit

After Pedro’s passing, his innovative legacy endured through his son and others, inheriting the distinctive distillation and storage techniques. By Marcelino Rodríguez Guerrero’s death in 1733, who managed La Torre, the estate boasted thousands of wines, essential winemaking equipment, including copper stills, and notably, “botijas” of pisco: the earliest recorded mention of this grape brandy.

Over the years, notarized wills of local elites documented pisco’s expanding presence in Elqui Valley, marking the rise of a regional legacy intertwined with the courage and resilience of its people.

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