What is Pisco?
Pisco is a spirit distilled from grapes.
Where does the name Pisco come from?
The drink is consumed in Peru and Chile. Peruvian and Chilean producers are involved in a long legal battle for the right to produce the drink under the name "pisco". Unlike cognac, for example, pisco does not have a protected origin. It is therefore not possible to say with certainty where pisco originally comes from. The city of Pisco and the province of Pisco are in Peru. In the Valle de Elqui in Chile there is a village that is also called Pisco, but the original name of this village was Las Gredas. Later this was changed to La Unión and in 1936 the name was changed to Pisco Elqui to strengthen the Chilean claim to the name Pisco. The fact is that the Spanish brought wine grapes to their colonies in South America to make wine for their church ceremonies. The word pisco comes from Quechua, where it is the name of a bird.