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What Is Pisco? Chile and Peru’s Booziest Feud | The Spill

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Welcome to another episode of The Spill, where Arsenic Culture dives deep into the boozy drama behind Pisco, a brandy-like spirit that's at the center of a long-standing rivalry between Peru and Chile. Matt, Jason, and Kendra sip, squabble, and sort through history, origin myths, and flavor notes to figure out: who actually owns Pisco?

If you've ever wondered what makes Pisco different from brandy, why South Americans take it so damn seriously, or whether the Pisco Sour is Peruvian or Chilean, this one's for you.
Hit that like button, throw us a sub, and tell us your favorite underdog booze in the comments.


#Pisco #PiscoSour #SpiritsCulture #ArsenicCulture #BoozeWars

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Matt:

Welcome back to Arsenic culture where beer don't count, but bad decisions to do I'm Matt

Jason:

I am Jason.

Kendra:

I am Kendra

Matt:

and, uh, Kendra, your favorite beverage from South America?

Kendra:

Rum. South, not

Matt:

Is that south? That's not, that's like more like, and it's,

Jason:

asking the wrong guy

Matt:

gonna be more like Caribbean, I

Kendra:

south America.

Matt:

I'm totally fucking with you. I

Jason:

don't have a clue.

Matt:

out.

Jason:

I was like, don't ask me, don't

Matt:

for her to say something.

Kendra:

I'm like, I missed school that day.

Jason:

I missed beer school that day

Matt:

Yeah. I don't, I can't think of many things that like originate in South America. Right. We got something

Jason:

That shit that you chew up and

Matt:

Chicha.

Jason:

Yes. It's

Matt:

Chicha I think comes from South. You know what Chicha is?

Kendra:

No.

Matt:

It's, uh, where you take corn and you chew it up and then you spit it into like a bowl and then you let that ferment and then you drink it later.

Kendra:

that's disgusting. Oh, that's disgusting.

Matt:

not doing that today. Today we're doing pisco. This is

Kendra:

out by something?

Matt:

by, this has not been spit out by anybody, but this is a, uh, south American, uh, originated. Um. Brandy ish kind of thing. Yeah. Uh, kind of a regional thing. Um, like a lot of regional beverages like champagne or, or cognac or something like that. But, um, yeah, this is, well, for the spill, we're just gonna do a, a just kinda like, I love doing like, history of like obscure spirits and stuff, and this

Jason:

I've never heard of it.

Matt:

I hadn't either, I love walking through the store and just finding random shit and being like. Oh, wonder what the history is on that. And I look it up like, oh, that's kind of neat. Um, yeah, this one actually goes back quite a ways. I

Jason:

I mean, there's two different types. See what Peruvian and Chilean,

Matt:

Yeah. Yeah.

Jason:

this one from?

Matt:

this is Peruvian. So this Barlow Barsol, Pisco, and this is, this comes from Peru.

Jason:

What's the price on something like that? Um,

Matt:

it wasn't my, I fucking should have known that, right? We

Jason:

You should have,

Matt:

do you wanna Google that real quick? Can you Google that and see how much this is? Yeah.

Kendra:

sold?

Matt:

I saved the receipts, but I never remember to like look at 'em. Sure. 40 bucks.

Jason:

40 bucks.

Matt:

Yeah, it's, I honestly, it's probably like 20, 20, 25, $30, something like that. Um,

Jason:

proof on this one?

Matt:

So this is 41.3% alcohol. And it's weird because, um, all the ones that I saw were, that's standard proof, but that's a very obscure kind of number. Right.

Jason:

what was the proof again?

Matt:

alcohol. So

Jason:

82. Well, honestly, like, so the Peruvian one, which is this one, right? Yeah. It says it has to be between 76 and 96 proof, which is also a weird

Matt:

range. Yeah, it's very obscure numbers. Did you see that price on

Kendra:

Um, yeah. It runs around 40.

Matt:

They make multiple, uh, expressions and I think I'll get into it here, but I think they're all 41 per 0.3% alcohol. It's kind of weird. So Pisco is a clear or lightly amber colored, uh, great brandy. And the quote unquote controversy kind of really just comes back to the or origination. Um, Peru says they invented it. Chili also says they invented it. There is a

Kendra:

brandy's usually like brown in color.

Matt:

Well, they, yeah, they're, they're brown because they're aged in oak. Oh. So that oak barrel, uh, will impart a lot of flavor and color. It basically, wood just turns it brown. Um, when it's not oak aged, then it's usually clear.'cause it's

Kendra:

so

Jason:

Peruvian can't be amber or it won't be dark because not aged in oak. Yeah. The Chilean can be aged in

Matt:

Yeah, so there are some differences there. Uh, Peru, they have a port called Pisco, I believe, and I think the general consensus is that's kind of where it originated. Chile actually named a town, um, Pisco Elk Elke in 1936 to try to say no, no, no. We've had it. Yeah, but Pisco was already like out by that time. Um, so it's kind of funny. They go back and forth on like who's who actually invented it, and it's just kind of the, but each. Area has a pretty different kind of rendition of what makes their peco Peco. Do you have more info on that?

Jason:

So Peruvian, there it has to be, it's produced on the central and southern coast of Peru. The government regulates the limit of production to five areas. So Lima, Ika, epa, moca,

Matt:

you pronounced all those amazingly

Jason:

tegna.

Matt:

Yep, that's right.

Jason:

exactly right. Yeah, yeah, for sure. For sure. Yeah. So this one from Peru has to be transparent, colorless with particles in suspension and distilled only once with

Matt:

particles in suspension,

Jason:

kinda like NCF when we think of bourbon. Right. So Noshe

Matt:

that. Okay.

Jason:

That's why, that's why I'm the research

Matt:

So they said it has like, and

Jason:

I don't know if it, I don't know if it has to be, but it says with part, I mean, made a point of that. Yeah.

Matt:

But that would insinuate that, um, they're really. Hammering home the single distillation aspect of it, because it, the multiple distillation is what kind of gets everything out. So if there's shit in

Jason:

Well, and also like your chill, fil chill filtration, like with bourbon. So it kinda like spins out like everything or freezes it out, all the part particles, whatever, particulates. But usually with bourbon you think of more flavor. A thicker mouth feel like just better overall if it's not chill, filtered. Yep. This one kind of smells like tequila, a little bit on the nose. To me.

Kendra:

wait, what is the, what is the fruit in

Jason:

look? Some kind of

Matt:

it's supposed to be great brandy. So the Peruvian pisco, um, can be made with one of eight different varieties. Um, I don't know what they all are, but, uh,

Jason:

I didn't look it up

Matt:

yeah, they're categorized by their aroma. Um, what does this say? P kranta? I can't

Jason:

So speaking of Piro, there's actually three different types, right? So the first one is piot. It's made from a single grape varietal. So whatever we figure out what this one's made

Matt:

So that's probably what that is. Pure Bronte. That's probably the varietal.

Jason:

Exactly. The next one is gelato. That is a blend of it, more than one. Great variety. So it could be three, it could be 18, I guess. And then the last one is most verde. Yeah. It is defined by residual sugar produced from mu, so grape mus that aren't fully fermented. So the sugar is more, more present in those sweet tends to be more expensive. It uses almost twice as many grapes, and it is typically, typically straight on that one. So the higher

Matt:

that's the Peruvian side. Yeah, on the Chilean side. Um, they have different categories. It can be made with up to 14 varieties, uh, of different grapes. Muscat being the most predominant. You know, we've had Muscat

Kendra:

Oh

Matt:

usually pretty sweet. Yep, exactly right. Multiple distillations are allowed, like Jason said, um, you can add water, so they're a little bit more kind of like free with their restrictions on it. Whereas Peru is like very strict. Um.

Kendra:

um.

Matt:

Chili has, uh, categories, uh, uh, Corte or now, which is between 30 and 35% alcohol, especial, which is 35 to 40% alcohol. EZ Arvato, which is 40%, and then Grand Pisco, which is 43%. And I guess that's kinda like the higher, higher tier. So that's how they differ more or less. Peru is super strict. Chili is a little bit more lax in the regulations, um, but it's all great brandy. Uh, distilled brandy distilled grapes, and, um, and just it's however they make it, it's de determines

Kendra:

one considered to be better than the other?

Jason:

I, I think there's not necessarily one that's better, but at the top one that Moo,

Matt:

most

Jason:

stro Verde or whatever

Matt:

most verto for Peru and then for chili would be the Grand Pisco. Okay.

Jason:

Now this one here, I did look up though. So Piro, that's the type of grapes.

Matt:

Yeah. Yeah. I would say, I would say I don't. I have not heard

Jason:

it is on the back. Yeah,

Matt:

I knew that all along. I was just testing you, so I'm I'm glad you came through.

Jason:

Yes. Yes.

Matt:

Okay. Yeah. What do you think? Did you try it?

Kendra:

well, um, it sounds really cool.

Matt:

but you're like, I refuse to drink it.

Kendra:

happy to try it. It,

Jason:

the smell of it is not the taste. Like it smells like tequila to me a little bit. It does. It really does. That's kind of

Kendra:

of why I was like, what's the fruit? Because I could

Jason:

little fruity Esther, but

Matt:

It is strange. It is more agave. So

Kendra:

very, it's very strong.

Matt:

It's very clean, it does taste kind of potent. Um, I'm working on a mean hangover, so maybe that's why it tastes stronger to me, but it's, it's super, it's very clean. Like I, I, I can kinda get some venous notes in there, but not many. I wouldn't say this is vodka, but

Jason:

I mean, I wouldn't say

Matt:

little

Jason:

you made me pick out grape, I mean, I guess I could guess brandy on it. Yeah. I think the difference on this too, so we're coming from, you know, we've had a lot of bourbon on here and a lot of rum, stuff like that. So. Those are aged out. So when they're aged out, it blends some flavors together with'em, it makes it more smooth. Okay. With this one, it's almost like you're straight shooting vodka or straight shooting tequila. So it's a little more harsh. It's not too harsh, but it's definitely more harsh than like an aged bourbon or something.

Kendra:

If you guys didn't tell me this was brandy, I would have guessed tequila. Yeah. Mm-hmm. I'd almost

Matt:

be in the same boat. Like the taste isn't quite as agave forward as a really agave rich tequila. But, um, yeah, it's, it's weird to see a clear brandy. Yeah. You know what I mean?

Jason:

I don't know that I ever have, honestly.

Matt:

No. Yeah. What do you think of it?

Jason:

I mean, I think it's fine. I, I wouldn't, I wouldn't have multiple bottles at the house. I wouldn't drink this straight necessarily, but I don't think it's necessarily meant to be drink straight.

Matt:

No.

Jason:

to see a drink with it.

Matt:

so we did, uh, the spill on Oxa, um, not too long ago. And that was a, that was a Brandy derivative also, right? I think so. That was great. That had, it's still down here. That one had a lot more like body, a lot more flavor, uh, just a more complex profile like that hit a lot of notes to be drank by itself.

Jason:

but it's aged. I'm looking at the back of it right here.

Matt:

Yeah. But just like by definition of the product, if I were to put Brandy derivatives next to each other, I'd put met higher. I'm not saying this is bad, but the thing with Pisco is apparently the Pisco sour is really big. So that's how you're, I guess that's how a lot of people drink it. Um, is

Kendra:

that a cocktail?

Matt:

It is a cocktail. Sour the piece. Go sour is, um, oh God.

Jason:

got egg watts. It's

Matt:

got an egg white in it. I don't even remember writing that. I had to double check to make sure I wrote that down right. Yeah.

Jason:

whiskey sours will.

Matt:

Yeah. Okay. I guess that's true. And egg white acts as an emulsifier. If you recall our spill about, um, cream Le Coors,

Jason:

What if you don't recall that spill,

Matt:

recall it, then, then, uh, then, facts are optional. We make up all this shit anyway.

Kendra:

Wait, what's the other ingredients?

Matt:

uh, I actually don't,

Jason:

just gave us one.

Kendra:

Oh, that's all.

Matt:

have the

Jason:

it's kind of

Matt:

now, and I feel like an idiot here. Um, there's the, I don't know why I didn't write the that, so that is the most popular one, but I assume it's some sort

Kendra:

of a piece goes sour. Okay.

Matt:

then egg white. Uh, the Chicano is another popular one. It's pisco ginger ale and lime juice. Uh, that's pop, that's a

Kendra:

Peruvian. Oh, I would totally drink

Matt:

Something like that. I think that would be great with this. I think this is a better mixer.

Jason:

Oh yeah, for sure. It's crazy too, man, we, I don't know how we could find out a recipe on this. There's not like a, we have the internet

Matt:

What's, what's the inter, the insert?

Jason:

so you get one, one and a one and a half ounces of piece co, one egg white, one ounce lemon juice, and then 3 4 3 4 ounce simple syrup. It actually looks like pretty awesome.

Matt:

You know what? Let's do, we will do it later on. We'll do a quick shot. Looks

Jason:

like a margarita. Oh,

Kendra:

Oh, that looks really good.

Jason:

I don't know if you can see it from my phone on there, but it looks like a margarita.

Matt:

Let's do a quick shot. We, I've been wanting to do more cocktails on quick shots anyway. We'll do a piece, go sour and we'll give it a shot.

Jason:

would you buy it again?

Matt:

would you buy it again? No,

Jason:

Yeah. Fair.

Matt:

I gotta be honest.

Jason:

I, I'm gonna say no until I can taste it in

Matt:

right. Yeah, we'll try it. It's like. And I don't think there's anything wrong with it. No, it's just there's not enough depth there for me to appreciate it as it is. I could think of five other things, you know, just walking through a liquor store. I'd probably buy it before this, but let's try the sour. Let's try and see if that's good. Maybe we'll do a Chicano

Kendra:

be awesome if we like ended up loving it in a cocktail.

Matt:

Well you know what we did, uh, remember the quick shot we did of the dill, spicy dill pickle vodka. Yeah. Fucking hated that thing. You know what, we have a 750 milliliter bottle now. Oh. Because we, we put it in our, uh, bloody Mary's and it's amazing. So I'll, Rene, I'll, I'll say I'm wrong, but, uh, as it stands, it's, it's fine for what it is. It's not super expensive, but I mean, it's a cool piece of history. We'll try it in

Jason:

Yeah. What about you? Kidding? Same thing.

Kendra:

I would not buy it again though.

Jason:

Until we try in a cocktail

Kendra:

till we try it in a cocktail. Yeah. I will also try it with some ginger L on mine though. That's my go-to

Jason:

oh, that's pretty. I bet that'd be pretty good.

Matt:

Yeah. Uh, guys, thanks for checking us out. If you enjoyed it, then share it. If you didn't, then get the fuck outta here. IC culture. You can check us out on all the socials. We are at arsenic culture.

Jason:

Like, and subscribe on YouTube.

Matt:

we'll see you on the next one.