Did you think I was done writing about pisco? I mean… how many times can you talk about it, and how much more is there to say? Quite a lot, apparently. I’m your one-stop-shop for all things pisco related, and right here, you’ll find quick access to three stories that will teach you everything you could ever want to know about Peruvian’s national spirit.

Eater: The Complete Guide to Pisco

Pisco is a type of brandy, which is to say that it’s a spirit distilled from wine or fermented fruit juice. Beyond that, it’s far removed from, and in some ways even diametrically opposed to, the type of brandy that most people conjure up in their heads, namely, well-aged Cognac.

“Don’t be mad,” jokes Johnny Schuler, master distiller of Pisco Portón, “your Cognac is made by oak, my pisco is made by god!”…

Eater: The History of Pisco Cocktails & The 4 Classics

Only four traditional Peruvian pisco cocktails exist: Pisco Punch, Pisco Sour, El Capitán and The Chilcano.

The most fascinating part of pisco’s cocktail history, and the development of those four pillars, is its link to the United States. Pisco’s current surge in popularity is not the first time the spirit has enjoyed a run of stateside success. In fact, the brandy used to be prominent in the U.S. in the mid to late 19th century, particularly in San Francisco and along the west coast.

“Pisco is a classic ingredient in American cocktail history going back to the 1850s Gold Rush in San Francisco,” explains Melanie Asher, founder of Macchu Pisco…

Tales of the Cocktail: How to Drink Like a Peruvian & Make the Perfect Pisco Sour

At Lovera, locals can also walk into the distillery and buy a big jug of Mistella for just a few dollars, which includes unfermented grape juice mixed with pisco. Similar drinks are made across the globe with different regional spirits. Here, the sweetness of the high-sugar pisco grapes cuts through the earthy pisco spirit itself, creating a concoction locals simply call the quita calzon, which loosely translates to “the panty remover.”…

Now drink up friends — Salud!