We have a fairly well-stocked bar and are mindful of adding random spirits to make one-off drinks. But when Ed suggested making a Pisco Sour, we knew it was worth adding another bottle to our inventory. We were not the only ones on a pisco kick as our local liquor store (Pennsylvania Wine & Spirits Store or ‘State Store’) was out of the two types of pisco it typically carries and we had to venture to another store.
Pisco is a brandy made in either Peru or Chile. It’s distilled from grapes making it both gluten-free and wheat-free. Apparently there’s some cocktail controversy (check out The New York Times’ article Pisco Wars) in South America over the use of the name ‘pisco.’ Peru claims to have the right to use name exclusively (think the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée (AOC) that governs the use of the name ‘Champagne’ in France) while Chile considers it to be a generic term.
You’ve probably enjoyed a whiskey sour at some point in your life. This is similar but a softer and smoother version. The brandy (pisco) isn’t as harsh as the whiskey. And, addition of an egg white (dry shake) makes it nice and frothy. This Pisco Sour is considered Peruvian as they add bitters while Chileans do not. It’s worth investing in a bottle as I assure you that it will not stick around collecting dust. We procured a bottle of BarSol Pisco Primero Quebranta for our introduction to pisco.
Looking for other sours? Try Riegl Palate’s Irish Sour or Boston Sour. And, in case you were wondering, the Hibiscus flower has nothing to do with this drink – it was in my garden and too pretty not to include.
Pronunciation: Wondering how to pronounce ‘pisco?’ The internet can answer anything – take a listen to this (piz-ko).
| Pisco Sour | Print |
- 2 ounces pisco
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice (~ ½ lemon)
- ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice (~ 1 lime)
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Angostura bitters
- Combine pisco, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup and egg white in a cocktail shaker. Shake for 1 to 2 minutes until frothy.
- Add ice cubes and shake for 30 to 60 seconds.
- Strain into a martini or coupe glass.
- Top Angostura bitters to taste.
1 cup (8 ounces) water
1 cup granulated sugar
Bring the water to a simmer in a saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the sugar and stir until it completely dissolves. Remove the pan from the heat. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Pour the syrup into a clean 1-pint bottle, cap it and refrigerate it until needed. Makes 1½ cups and keeps two months or longer in the refrigerator.
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