🥃 Pisco (Peru)
Peruvian pisco is a grape spirit from 8 “pisco” varieties, made on the coast of five departments, distilled from freshly fermented must with no water, sugar or additives. Types: puro, mosto verde, acholado.
Peruvian pisco is the grape spirit behind the pisco sour and the Peruvian answer to the question “what else can you do with a grape?”. It is obtained by distilling fresh, just-fermented must of eight “pisco” grape varieties, with no additives, sugars, water or anything other than grapes. Under the denomination of origin it is made only on the coast of the Lima, Ica, Arequipa and Moquegua departments and in the Locumba, Sama and Caplina valleys of the Tacna department.
There are eight varieties. The aromatic ones are Italia, Albilla, Moscatel and Torontel; the non-aromatic ones are Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Mollar and Uvina. By variety and by manner of fermentation, three types are distinguished. Pisco puro is made from a single variety, and the bottle states the variety and the valley. Mosto verde comes from must that has not fully fermented, so not all the sugar has turned into alcohol. Acholado is a blend of at least two varieties.
After harvest the grapes are pressed, the must ferments for several days, the liquid is separated from the skins and distilled in an alembic or a traditional falca. The distilled pisco “rests” for several months before bottling. In old bodegas there still stand large clay tinajas in which the must fermented.
The state officially established the name “pisco” in 1946. In 1988 the denomination was declared a cultural heritage of the nation, later confirmed by Law No. 30639. The denomination itself was established in 1990 and ratified by Decree 001-91-ICTI/IND in 1991, and in 2011 INDECOPI approved its regulation and the Regulatory Council. In the EU, “Pisco” from Peru has been a registered geographical indication since 27 July 2009, and this registration does not prevent Chilean pisco.
Why it matters to you. By the rules, Peruvian pisco is not diluted with water, not sweetened and not flavoured with anything. For pisco puro, look for the variety and the valley. Peruvian and Chilean pisco are different drinks with different rules. The WHO reminds us: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| Legal basis | DO Pisco: 1990, Decree 001-91-ICTI/IND (1991); INDECOPI regulation 2011; EU GI since 27.07.2009 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | fresh, just-fermented must of 8 “pisco” varieties |
| Distillation method | alembic or falca; no water, sugar or additives |
| EU category | 9 “Fruit spirit” (EU GI list) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Pisco (Peru) → kind of → 🍇 Grape brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, ⚗️ How spirits are made
- Packed in
- 🍷 Clay wine vessels
- Made from
- 🍇 Quebranta
- What is made from it
- 🥃 Pisco Sour
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍇 Grape brandies, 🥃 Pisco
- Related to
- 🌍 Latin America
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Brandy, 🥃 Pisco (Chile), 🥃 Pisco (Chile), 🥃 Singani
Frequently asked questions
Can water or sugar be added to Peruvian pisco?
No. Under the denomination of origin, pisco is a product made from grapes alone, with no additives, sugars, water or other substances.
What is the difference between pisco puro, acholado and mosto verde?
Puro is made from a single variety; mosto verde from not fully fermented must; acholado is a blend of at least two varieties.
What grapes is Peruvian pisco made from?
Eight varieties: the aromatic Italia, Albilla, Moscatel and Torontel, and the non-aromatic Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Mollar and Uvina.
Is pisco from Peru or Chile, and where in Peru is it made?
Peruvian pisco is made only on the coast of the Lima, Ica, Arequipa and Moquegua departments and in the Locumba, Sama and Caplina valleys of the Tacna department. Chilean pisco is a different drink with different rules.
Is the name Pisco protected in the EU?
Yes. Peruvian “Pisco” has been a registered EU geographical indication since 27 July 2009; in the GI list it is entered in the category “fruit spirit”. Chilean pisco is protected in the EU separately, under the agreement with Chile.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🥃 Brandy — Brandy is a strong spirit made from wine spirit and aged in oak. In the EU, a drink sold as brandy has at least 36% ABV and six months to a year in oak.
- ⚗️ How spirits are made — Fermentation, distillation (below 96% ABV), oak ageing, blending and dilution with water: five steps from grain or fruit to bottle.
- 🌍 Latin America — A region from Mexico to the south of South America: about 9% of the world's milk, dulce de leche and fresh cheeses, Argentine and Chilean wines, olives.
Similar
🥃 Singani · 🥃 Pisco (Chile) · 🥃 Straldzha Muscat Rakia (Straldjanska Muscatova rakya) · 🥃 Suhindol Grape Rakia (Suhindolska grozdova rakya) · 🥃 Grape Rakia from Targovishte (Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte) · 🥃 Vinars Murfatlar
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
What it includes
Sources
- Ministerio de Cultura del Perú: Informe N° 000003-2025-DPI-DGPC-VMPCIC/MC (sistemas tradicionales de producción de pisco)
- eAmbrosia: Pisco (PE), EUGI00000016166, GI registered, EU protection 27.07.2009
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III: geographical indications of spirit drinks (version of 31.01.2020)
- EUIPO GIview: Pisco (PE), EUGI00149900398 — protected under the EU–Colombia/Ecuador/Peru Trade Agreement since 01.08.2013
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)