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Peruvian Pisco Sour is an elegant and delicious cocktail that combines 5 simple ingredients. Known as the national drink of Peru, this iconic and beloved drink even has its own national holiday; the first Saturday in February.
What is Peruvian Pisco Sour?
As the name suggests, Pisco, a clear grape brandy is the main ingredient in the Pisco Sour cocktail.
This Peruvian cocktail uses Peruvian Pisco as the base liquor and the addition of lime juice, syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters.
Pisco Sours are delicious and easy to drink. The sweet and tart flavors are complementary making the cocktail quite refreshing.
Be warned though, the alcohol level in a Pisco Sour can be quite strong, starting at about 40%. You want to watch how many you drink as they can knock you off your feet.
Discovering Peruvian Pisco Sour the National Drink of Peru
Pisco sour cocktails are ubiquitous in Peru. This cocktail is a popular option at happy hour.
As you walk down the streets, you’ll be tempted by happy hour menus. Discounted prices for Peruvian pisco sour or cocktails with pisco abound.
Our first experience with Peruvian pisco sours was in Cusco, our port of entry. Not surprisingly, we had our first cocktails while exploring the historic capital of the Inca Empire.
Just before arriving in Cusco, we had spent time in Chile exploring the local flavors. The Chilean Pisco Sour is also considered Chile’s national cocktail and we were curious to taste the differences.
As Pisco sour novices the differences were not immediately noticeable. Smooth, and tasty, we enjoyed the zesty and refreshing flavors.
Both Peru and Chile claim the Pisco Sour as their national drink. While similar, there are notable differences.
In Chile, Pisco Sour is made with Chilean Pisco, lime juice, sugar instead of syrup, and excludes Angostura Bitters and egg whites.
Peruvian Pisco is used in Peru, as well as lime juice, simple syrup, ice, egg white, and Angostura bitters.
Regardless of where it was invented or by whom, this cocktail remains a classic and one that should be experienced.
READ MORE: Chilean Pisco Sour – How to Make it at Home
Origins and History of Peruvian Pisco Sour
Peruvian Pisco Sour originated in Lima, Peru. It was invented in the early 1920s by American, Victor Vaughen Morris.
A bartender working in Cerro de Pasco, a city in central Peru, he opened Morris Bar in Lima in 1916.
It quickly became a popular spot for Peruvian upper class and English speaking foreigners.
The Peruvian Pisco Sour cocktail underwent several changes over the years. Mario Bruiget, a Peruvian bartender working at Morris Bar is credited for creating the modern Pisco Sour recipe.
In the latter 1920s, Bruiget altered the recipe by adding Angostura bitters and egg whites, creating the famous cocktail.
READ MORE: How to Visit A Pisco Winery: A Day Trip From Lima To Lunahuana
Peruvian Pisco Cocktails
While the Pisco Sour remains the most popular Pisco cocktail, we were excited to discover the Chilcano in Lima.
The Chilcano, another Pisco cocktail, is a refreshing beverage you’ll find easily in Peru.
Like the Pisco Sour, the Chilcano also uses Peruvian Pisco as the base liquor.
Chilcano’s are not as strong as Pisco Sours and are made with the addition of lime juice, ginger ale, ice and Angostura bitters.
There are many variations of Chilanos. Many use exotic fruits like maracuya or lucuma, perfect for those who like cocktails with a sweeter profile.
READ MORE: 10 Unique Peruvian Drinks To Help You Have a More Local Experience
How To Make A Peruvian Pisco Sour At Home
In Lima, Peru, we shared an Airbnb with Patricia, a local, in the foodie neighborhood of Lince.
Her boyfriend, Enrique, a self-proclaimed Pisco Sour connoisseur taught us how to make Peruvian Pisco Sour one Friday evening.
Before dinner, Enrique laid out the five simple ingredients and we got to work.
Peruvian Pisco Sour Ingredients
- Peruvian Pisco
- Simple syrup, preferably jarabe de goma from Peru
- Lime juice, freshly squeezed preferred
- Ice to blend
- 1 egg white
- Angostura Bitters for garnish
Best Pisco For Pisco Sour
While in Lima, we visited one of the oldest Pisco wineries distilleries in the town of Lunahuana.
On a tour with the owner, we learned about the four main types of Peruvian Pisco.
To make this iconic Peruvian cocktail, Pisco, exclusively from one type of grape varietal is preferred. The most popular is the Quebranta grape varietal. This grape is considered a non-aromatic variety making it perfect for the Pisco cocktail.
Pisco made purely from Quebranta grapes is Puro or Pisco Puro, meaning from one grape variety. This Pervian pisco is intense and complex, and one of the strongest Pisco varietals.
Where to Buy Pisco in The US
Walk into any supermarket in Peru and you’ll find an impressively large range of pisco varieties. Unfortunately, this is not the case in the United States. Despite the growing popularity of Pisco and Pisco Sours, the brands available are limited.
Some of the most popular Pisco brands you’ll find in the US are Peruvian Macchu Pisco, BarSol and Caravedo. From Chile, Capel and Alto del Carmen are widely available.
Depending on where you live in the country, you can have Peruvian Pisco delivered to your home. Alternatively, look for Pisco at the local liquor stores in your area.
Step by Step Pisco Sour Recipe
Making an authentic Peruvian Pisco Sour is incredibly easy. With Enrique’s guidance, the first step was to separate the egg white from the yolk.
Then place one egg white into a blender and mix it with ice.
The Pisco Sour recipe has 6 part Pisco, 2 part simple syrup, 2 part lime juice, ice all blended together.
Once blended together, pour into four cocktail glasses.
Top the foam on each glass with 3 drops of Angostura Bitters. This indispensable cocktail fixture gets rid of the egg taste and brings forward the Pisco Sour flavors.
AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: For a great accompaniment to your Peruvian Pisco cocktail, enjoy our delicious authentic Mexican guacamole recipe.
Peruvian Pisco Sour Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Peruvian Pisco
- 2 ounces simple syrup, Peruvian jarabe de goma
- 2 ounces lime juice
- Ice to blend
- 1 egg white
- Angostura Bitters for garnish
Instructions
- Separate the egg white from the yolk
- Place egg white and ice into a blender and mix until frothy
- Add Pisco, simple syrup, lime juice into the blender and mix well
- Add ice to blender and mix until smooth
- Serve into 4 glasses with a ½ inch (~1.5cm) layer of foam on each glass
- Garnish with 3 drops of Angostura bitters in each glass
- Serve immediately
Notes
Nutrition
More Peruvian Cooking Products
Looking for More Peruvian Local Food Experiences?
Our book, Authentic Food Quest Peru takes you on a journey through the regional food specialties in Peru. Get an introduction into Peruvian food and the history of how this unique gastronomy came to be.
Discover the authentic foods in Lima and Cusco as well as the top Peruvian foods and drinks that should not be missed. Take this guide with you as you explore Peru’s magnificent cuisine.
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Rosemary is the editor-in-chief and strategist at Authentic Food Quest.
Traveling slow since 2015 with her partner, Claire, she has explored the cuisine in 45 countries and more than 240+ culinary cities.
Her writing about local food specialties has been featured in Lonely Planet, Business Insider, Honest Cooking, Food Insider, and Huffington Post.
As a food and travel writer, Rosemary has co-authored three books, including one in collaboration with Costa Brava Tourism.
Rosemary is an avid runner when she’s not eating and exploring new destinations. She has run ten marathons and counting.
Before Authentic Food Quest, Rosemary held senior-level strategy positions in advertising.
Find out more about Authentic Food Quest
Looks so good! Such a fun and delicious cocktail. I love the photos from the Pisco festival too.
Thanks, Tara. Glad you enjoyed the Pisco cocktail recipe and pictures from the festival. Great fun in Peru for sure 🙂 Cheers.
Looks so good! Such a fun and delicious cocktail. I love the photos from the Pisco festival too.
Thanks, Tara. Glad you enjoyed the Pisco cocktail recipe and pictures from the festival. Great fun in Peru for sure 🙂 Cheers.
My husband’s from Chile, so the conversation with his Peruvian friends always ends up in friendly banter about whose country this drink originated in. It’s frothy and so delicious!
Lol…that is a classic Pisco conversation. In either country, it is delicious, frothy and so good. Yum!!
My husband’s from Chile, so the conversation with his Peruvian friends always ends up in friendly banter about whose country this drink originated in. It’s frothy and so delicious!
Lol…that is a classic Pisco conversation. In either country, it is delicious, frothy and so good. Yum!!
Oh this looks super refreshing. Perfect for weekend cocktail night.
You are right, Dannii, perfect for any evening for sure. Thanks for stopping by.
Oh this looks super refreshing. Perfect for weekend cocktail night.
You are right, Dannii, perfect for any evening for sure. Thanks for stopping by.
Fantastic recipe! I tried this cocktail at my friend’s house and wondered how to make it at home. So yum!
Wonderful, excited for you to make this Peruvian Pisco cocktail at home now. Cheers.
Fantastic recipe! I tried this cocktail at my friend’s house and wondered how to make it at home. So yum!
Wonderful, excited for you to make this Peruvian Pisco cocktail at home now. Cheers.
I’ve only ever had a pisco sour in bars! I can’t wait to try it at home. Perfect for a Peruvian themed dinner party!
Glad you like the recipe, Katherine. A pisco sour is perfect anytime for sure 🙂 Cheers.
I’ve only ever had a pisco sour in bars! I can’t wait to try it at home. Perfect for a Peruvian themed dinner party!
Glad you like the recipe, Katherine. A pisco sour is perfect anytime for sure 🙂 Cheers.
Delicious combinations. Picture perfect presentation and so very refreshing. Would surely make my evening special.
Thank you so much. Hope you get to try Pisco Sour soon…it is very refreshing and quite tasty. Thanks for stopping by.
I had always heard of it but never got my hands at it. Now I can make it with your recipe.
Great to hear, Sonal. And cheers, to when you finally make it.
Just tried this recipe and my family loved it. Thank you so much!
Love this pisco sour cocktail! So easy to make and perfect for summer. Thanks!
what a yummy drink! def will be making this until I can get back out and travel to Peru
So true, Rebecca. Nothing like bringing the tastes of travel home. Cheers.
Never heard of the this drink before today but it is so good! Loved learning the history behind it too.
I’ve only had this drink once in my life and it was so good. I cannot wait to make this myself and share with my friends.
Great to hear Andrea. A good Peruvian pisco is excellent. Cheers.
Your site is unbeatable if I need to find a cocktail recipe, and this recipe is not an exception. It seems something new to give a try! I will make it for sure. 🙂
Love a good cocktail with a kick! Looking forward to winding down with this after dinner tonight; sounds so crisp and refreshing, indeed!
Great plan, Sara. A good Peruvian Pisco sour is the perfect refreshing cocktail to end your day. Cheers.
Yummy! This looks so delicious and amazing! My hubby and I are going to love this drink! So excited to make tonight!
Yay, so excited for you Beth. A delicious drink for sure. Thanks for stopping by.
Wow these look so tasty, can’t wait to try making them!
Never heard of it, but I love that includes egg white, im sure it’s super smooth! Need to make it soon
It’s quite easy to make and delicious to enjoy. Excited for you to give it a try 🙂 Cheers
what a delicious looking drink! can’t wait to try it
I can’t wait to make these this weekend! I’m bookmarking this now! Thanks!
Perfect!! Cheers, to a wonderful and delicious weekend.
I haven’t tried a Peruvian sour until now! This was so easy and delicious.
Looks so refreshing and tasty. Easy to make too.
This sounds so refreshing! A perfect cocktail for summertime. 🙂
A nice cocktail to add to the mix. Thanks for stopping by.
I remember loving pisco sours when I traveled to Peru! So excited I have a great recipe to make it at home now!
You are right, Anjali. Peruvian Pisco sours are outstanding and so easy to make at home. Cheers!!
This was a lot easier than I imagined and it delicious!! Loved it, thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks so much Noelle. Glad you enjoyed it!! Cheers
I could not have imagined that you need eggs for making Peruvian Pisco Sour!! Pretty interesting to learn the process and to visit a bodega. It is such a refreshing cocktail, isn’t it.
Indeed Medha, a delicious cocktail with a fascinating history. The egg is one of the elements that distinguishes it from a Chilean Pisco Sour. The taste differences are subtle and enjoyable in either country. If you haven’t tried one, we highly recommend it. You’ll be delighted. Cheers!
You ladies are speaking my love-language right now. haha. I LOVE Pisco Sours and I loved having them in Peru. I didn’t even think doing this kind of your. I love it! I’ll have to absolutely look this up when I get back to Peru. Until then, I’ll use your recipe to get my fix 😉
Awesome, Paige. We are indeed Pisco Sour fans, especially in Peru. The next time you are back in Peru, it’s worth visiting the distillery. So much history and fascinating process. Be sure to brush up on your Spanish though. Thanks for stopping by and virtual Pisco Sour toast to you 🙂
I have fond memories of going to Pisco on my 1st wedding anniversary, and trying a Pisco Sour in the “home region” I love that you went to a Pisco winery. I worked in the spirits industry for many years, and It is great to see there is a process, regional differences, quality and traditions associated to distilling Pisco and award-winning products! Great post!
Thank you so much Dorene. So glad this article took you back favorably down memory lane. It was our first experience at a Pisco distillery and it was fascinating. A great drink and a fascinating Peruvian history. Thanks for stopping by, Cheers!
This post is indeed a tour de force on the National drink of Peru. The history and origins of the Pisco Sour make for some fascinating reading. I liked the part about the distillation process and how the drink finally finds its way into sparkling glasses. I had read about Pisco Sour earlier but had a lot of questions about it, but this post answers all my queries. Very informative and interesting post.
So glad you enjoyed the article Sandy. Now, it’s time to drink and savor it. Cheers!!
I don’t think I have ever had a Pisco Sour and now I want one.. I am about to go meet a client for a drink and I am going to beg the bartender to try and make one. The egg will probably prevent me from getting it but if not here, when I get home!!
Don’t let the egg in the Pisco Sour turn you off. You can barely taste it!! Give it a shot and you’ll be surprised how much you will like it 🙂 Thanks for stopping by.
Pardon my ignorance but I really hadn’t heard of The Pisco Sour before! 😐 WOW! A Pisco Sour day is celebrated! Wow! Such an interesting story behind the drink and it is interesting to see how two countries are trying to claim it 😀 So nice that you got to visit a winery and take the tour!The place looks stunning! Thanks for sharing such a wonderful local experience with your readers! I learnt something new today!
So glad you enjoyed the article and learning about Pisco Sour. It is the national drink of Peru and it is quite revered. No worries about not knowing about it before. Now that you do, the next time you eat at a Peruvian restaurant, don’t hesitate to ask for a Pisco Sour. Cheers!
Yes, Peru is all about food and drinks! I’ve learned that already on my flight to Lima when the ladies sitting next to me recommended nothing but food – no museums, no Machu Picchu, nope, just food. And having a nice Pisco Sour for an aperitif or one or two after a good meal is certainly a nice treat. At the Hotel Bolivar in Lima they serve you a large one and call it a ‘cathedral’ – I got very religious there…
Lol… the Cathedral at Hotel Bolivar!!! Indeed, Peru is all about the food and there is nothing like. Glad you experienced the national delights for yourself. Did you discover a favorite dish? Cheers
I have to admit, I never even heard of Pisco Sours and now after reading this I want to try it! Very informative post and I love the way you have written this.
Wow! You are dedicated!
I have not been to that part of the world yet, but I must say, it is high on my list. It looks delicious, and the process looks fascinating.
Just awesome. I am not sure how many you tried, but that sounds like one hell of an alternative pub crawl.
Peru is an incredible country to visit and the food and drinks are divine. If it’s high on your list, definitively recommend. The Pisco Sours are everywhere and you don’t need to look to far to try them. Thanks for stopping by!
Such a great experience! Thanks for sharing this informative post! It’s really nice to know how this delicious authentic Peruvian Pisco Sour came from and how it is made. I can say a really nice place to visit.
Glad you enjoyed the article. Learning how to make the national drink of Peru – the Pisco Sour, was an incredible treat!
Just discovered your blog and love the concept. This post is particularly fascinating and the accompanying photos made me feel like I was there! Makes me want to visit Peru ASAP!
Thanks Emma. Glad you enjoyed the post and the pictures. Peru is truly a wonderful place to visit!
This looks like such a fun place to be in. Seriously!!!
Lima and Peru in general is a great country worth visiting. Beyond the natural beauty, the food and drinks are amazing. Plan a visit if you can. You will have fun! cheers!
A fascinating post I must say, motivates me to visit Peru and taste this wonderful drink. Appreciate the way in which you have detailed the entire distillation process.
Thank you! Glad you liked the Pisco traditional distillation process. Quite fascinating! You will not be disappointed visiting Peru. There is so much to see from the Amazon to the Incas ruins. Cheers!
Wow! That’s quite in depth process! It sounds like a great drink to try though 🙂
Hi Gemma, making Pisco is quite an art! And Pisco Sour is a perfect drink to share with friends. Cheers!
I love pisco sours!! But I didn’t know the history or that Chile specializes in the drink as well. Thank you for sharing! I know what ill be doing on Feb 6th 😀
Thank you Jenna! We’re happy to share the good stuff 🙂 Cheers in advance!
I seriously loved reading this! You write accessibly and informatively, I’ve just learned so much. Hoping the Pisco Sour comes up as a pub quiz question one day! But the burning question remains: which did you prefer, the Peruvian version or the Chilean? 😉
Mel
https://illumelation.com
You can’t go somewhere without trying a traditional drink…this one looks interesting Great, informative post, thanks. I can’t wait to try one 🙂
Agree…the food and drink of a place are important to understand the culture and locals. The Pisco Sour is really good…do watch out though it’s easy to drink and quite strong. Try one out at a Peruvian restaurant near you…you will not be disappointed. Cheers!
The bodega looks fascinating. Loved to see how it’s been produced and valued as national cocktail. And oh, the good thing it everyone can easily do it at home. Cheers!
Hi Jessica, thanks for your comments. Yes, the bodega was a lot of fun. It was our first time seeing the production process of Pisco and we learned a lot. It is a very popular cocktail with it’s own national holiday coming up in February. Cheers!!
This is a totally new thing for me. Never had heard about the Pisco Sour! You have really given a beautiful narration of your quest to find the ways how Pisco is made…the simple recipe…and everything…loved the way you have narrated your experience too….
Thanks so much Bilna for your comments. Glad that you enjoyed the story telling and narration approach for the Pisco Sour. If you have never heard about it, try it out at a Peruvian restaurant near you. This cocktail is delicious and one that should be experienced. Let us know what you think of it after you’ve tried it:) Cheers!!