Barsol Pisco Primero Quebranta Pisco 70 cl

Product Information

First Impression: Very wine grape almost burgundy or Pinot Noir smelling, hint of grapefruit, savory notes on nosing. Peru’s Tacama, in the Valle de Ica, lays claim to being the oldest vineyard in South America. This acholado blends a number of grape varieties, including Quebranta, Albilla and Italia, resulting in a rounded, almost-creamy spirit with lime zest and icing sugar, and deeper notes of spiced pear. Alc 40% To a small saucepan add the sugar, dried lavender flowers, and 1 cup of water. Then, place it over medium heat and allow it to cook just until the sugar has dissolved. It usually takes about 2 - 4 minutes. Barsol Supremo Mosto Verde Torontel is made solely from Totontel grapes, grown in the Ica Valley region of Peru, which produces fresh, aromatic pisco with low acidity.

Begins with zesty crisp citrus, grape and delicious green apple. You are soon greeted with delicious notes of vanilla, rose and sweet plum. The finish is clean, yet slightly bitter.

The climate of Peru is somewhat unsuited to growing grapes for wine production due to high temperatures resulting in grapes with too higher a sugar content. However, that high sugar content is ideal for the distillation of pisco. Distilled in traditional copper stills with no additives, this delightful clear brandy retains the true pisco flavour profile. Quebranta grapes are non-aromatic, so best appreciated on the palate as does not give much nose.

Distilled from partially fermented Torontel, grown in Lanchas in the province of Pisco, this is multilayered and complex, with raisins and curry spice alongside potpourri and even a touch of leather – fascinating, and well suited to a neat serve. Alcohol 42% We say: The pisco punch is very fruity and slightly on the sweet side but is so tasty that it justifies its legendary reputation. Peruvian Pisco is governed by a stream of traditionalist rules and regulations. They can only be made using eight types of grape (four aromatic and four non-aromatic). It can only be made within certain regions. Once distilled the Pisco is rested in glass jars for three months to allow the flavours to meld. Nothing is added, not even water. There are three types: ‘Pisco Puro’, which is made with one variety of grape. ‘Pisco Acholado’, which is made with a variety of grapes, with the potential for an enormous array of nuances. Lastly, there’s ‘Pisco Mosto Verde', or ‘green must’, which is made from grapes that are only partially fermented before distillation, therefore sweeter and more costly, as it takes more grapes to produce. High-quality pisco is best enjoyed solo (think of it as a South American sipping brandy), though you can never go wrong with a Pisco Sour or a Chilean Piscola! We say: Whiter than white yet mysterious. As for the taste, white wine acidity balances rich elderflower with spirituous lacing from apple brandy and aromatic grapy pisco.Capel is one of the leading pisco manufactures in Chile, and produce many excellent varieties of pisco using cooperative producers. Their Moai Reservado pisco is made in the Valle de Elqui region of Chile and consists entirely of Muscat grapes.

Like all liquors, pisco does not need to be refrigerated once opened, so long as the bottles do not exceed room temperature (around 75 degrees Fahrenheit). This is a single grape pisco, which requires approximately 3 kilos of Quebrada grapes to produce a single 750ml bottle of Caravedo Quebranta Pisco. The low distillation strength of Peruvian pisco results in a very flavoursome product due to more congeners, or flavoursome compounds coming of the still. Products such as vodka which are distilled to a high proof have comparatively little flavour due to their containing very few congeners. As this pisco is distilled to the final bottle ABV, no additional water (or flavourings for that matter) is added to the distilled pisco, and it is bottled directly after distillation.Each type of liquor has its own set of regulations, which is how we get so many unique tasting spirits. Ingredients You Need Then there’s the Pisco Punch, another neglected classic, combining pisco, pineapple syrup and lime juice, with room for a personal touch. ‘With culinary flair, you can vary the Pisco Punch’s ingredients from one day to the next,’ says Amathus Drinks managing director Harry Georgiou. Begins delightfully with citrus and peach notes. Mid notes of vanilla, sweet toffee and contrasting bitter dark chocolate create depth. Finishes cleanly and slightly bitter-sweet. A very refreshing pisco that’s perfect for enjoying neat on in a Pisco Sour. Acholado, which translates as 'half-breeded, is made from a blend of must from several varieties of grape. Peru's pisco regions Pisco is produced from distilled wine or fermented fruit juice, ultimately rendering it a style of brandy. However, unlike other famous brandies (cognac, armagnac, etc.) oak barrels are not permitted in the “resting” (aging) process of pisco. Peruvian pisco may be produced from eight different grape varieties, including quebranta, uvina, mollar, negra criolla, moscatel, italia, albilla, and torontel. (Nearly ⅘ of all Peruvian pisco on the market is made with quebranta.) Peruvian pisco must also be produced from a single distillation. Note: Chilean pisco permits the use of 14 different grape varieties, oak barrels may be used, and more than one distillation is permitted.

Appearance: Perfect clarity, bright. Light coating on the glass when you swirl it, scalloped edges,then long legs, then finally droplets forming. Final Thoughts: An excellent pisco that reminds us of a good Amarone grappa and at about 1/2 the money. More settled and less aromatic (read doesn’t smell like lighter fluid) than a lot of pisco with nice round bass notes to the aroma The advantage to this spirit being cheap is you can experiment with it and not worry as much about regrettable outcomes. You could pay twice the money for something that doesn’t taste as good as this. While there are better piscos out there you won’t find them at this price. As with most base liquors (gin, rum, vodka, etc.), pisco is extremely stable and will last for a long time. If unopened, the bottles will last forever. Once opened, pisco’s flavors will diminish over time, but they won’t ever truly go bad. At this point, taste the simple syrup and see if it has a strong enough lavender flavor. If the flavor is not strong enough, allow the lavender flowers to steep for an extra 30 - 60 minutes until the desired taste is achieved. Still, there are big challenges, not least because educating the consumer is difficult with such confusion in the labelling of the category. Eric Zandona, Author of The Tequila Dictionary and Director of Spirits Information at the ADI shared some of his insight with me. “Pisco can be a really beautiful spirit when it’s done well, but one of its biggest challenges in terms of broader acceptance is the fact that Peruvian and Chileans fight over who gets to call it pisco.”Presented in an eye-catching art-deco looking bottle with the company logo proudly embossed on the glass. Very high-class looking. Summary Notes: Pisco is a form of brandy, in that it is distilled from grapes. Made in Peru and Chile, there is wide disagreement as to who has better quality Pisco. I have heard conflicting reports from both sides-so obviously we need to do more hands on research to settle this question. It is similar to Grappa or Marc in some ways, including the wild variation of quality depending on who makes it.