Every year, Ivy Mix holds out hope that Pisco’s moment has finally arrived, that this is the year that we’ll finally experience a “Summer of Pisco.” And year after year, she’s disappointed.
Mix, who co-owns pan-Latin cocktail bar Leyenda in Brooklyn and literally wrote the book on Latin American spirits, has long championed the Peruvian grape distillate both as a versatile cocktail component and as a neat sipping spirit, and for good reason. Peruvian Pisco in particular — and for the purposes of this story the term “Pisco” will refer to Peruvian Pisco rather than the Chilean distillate of the same name — in theory ticks a lot of boxes for both bartenders and spirits enthusiasts.
It’s clear. It’s distilled from naturally fermented grapes. It comes in a variety of expressions, with flavor profiles ranging from earthy and round to floral and citrusy. It has a rich history and is tied by common origin to one of the world’s most ascendant cuisines. And it’s strictly additive-free, with regulations prohibiting even the addition of water during the production process.
But Mix’s enthusiasm for Pisco — an enthusiasm shared by many in the industry — hasn’t exactly proved contagious with her patrons. “I put a Pisco flight on the menu for a while,” she says. “I think we sold, like, two.”
For Mix, Pisco’s inability to gain traction in the U.S. isn’t just disappointing, but perplexing. On paper, an additive-free spirit craft-distilled from quality wine by mostly small, independent producers should play well
