Top 10 Best Pisco & Where To Buy Pisco In The USA

1. Mistral Gran Nobel Pisco

Aged for up to ten years in American bourbon oak casks, this pisco features a blend of Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel de Austria. It results in a unique flavour profile that expresses spiced notes of cardamon as well as a floral hint of jasmine. You may also experience a distinctive citrus flavour thanks to the lively Moscatel grape.

It offers a long and lingering finish that is comparable with even some of the most prestigious cognacs. Mistral’s Gran Nobel is an excellent example of how Chilean pisco can be aged in order to produce its distinctive flavours.

2. Macchu Pisco La Diablada Pisco

This super-premium Peruvian pisco is an Acholado blend that is composed of Quebranta, Moscatel, Italia, and Torontel grapes. Its intriguing name is derived from an Andean spiritual dance that reenacts a legendary battle between angels and demons.

It’s produced by Macchu Pisco, which you’ll see again in this list, which was founded by sisters Melanie and Lizzie Asher. This relatively recent award-winning pisco brand has become particularly popular among mixologists.

3. Caravedo Mosto Verde Pisco

Caravedo is arguably the oldest pisco producer in operation since its bodega was first established in 1684. Today, the estate is home to a hotel for visits as well as both a winery and distillery. If you’re looking to sample a pomace pisco, Caravedo produces one of the best mosto verde blends on the market.

As an acholado mosto verde, it’s produced from partially fermented quebranta, torontel, italia, and albilla grapes, which have been individually single-distilled to their final alcoholic concentrations. They’re then rested for 18 months before being blended, which results in a distinctively spicy yet creamy harmony of fruity flavours.

4. Waqar Pisco

This Chilean pisco is produced at the family-operated Planta Tulahuén in the Coquimbo region. Rather than opt for an aged finish, it instead focuses on the purity of its single-variety Moscatel composition. This clean crystal clear expression showcases the qualities of Chilean pisco that undergoes a similar unaged process to Peruvian varieties.

5. BarSol Selecto Acholado Pisco

When Diego Loret de Mola and Carlos Ferreyros founded BarSol, they teamed up with the artisanal San Isidro distillery in order to adhere to the time-honoured process. Although the brand features a selection of single-variety pisco, we’re quite fond of the Quebranta, Italia and Torontel Acholado blend.

The result is a surprising array of honeysuckle and tree blossom aromas, which are accompanied by a harmonious palate of spices, geranium, and pecan nut flavours.

6. Capurro Moscatel Pisco

A five-generation family venture, the Capurro family is very influential in the pisco industry. Indeed, Eduardo Castro Capurro was even a consultant for the government when it outlined its Denominations of Origin in 1991.

Although we’ve shown a preference for blended pisco, Capurro’s Moscatel single-variety expression is an excellent choice. Unlike most pisco, though, Capurro labels its production with a vintage of when the grapes were harvested and distilled. In the case of the 2016 vintage, it offers a tart flavour profile of red apples and conference pear with additional notes of rose and orange blossom.

7. Caravedo Torontel Pisco

Another release from Caravedo, this single-variety Torontel pisco offers a wonderfully floral bouquet with a rich fruit palate. Expect notes of violet, pear, and peach, with a subtle undertone of lemon zest in the finish.

8. Macchu Pisco

As mentioned above, we were going to feature Macchu Pisco again. While the La Diablada is a premium option, its flagship pisco is a slightly more affordable single-variety quebranta creation. Don’t be fooled by its distinctive herbal nose, its palate packs a spicy punch with a zesty lime finish.

9. Kappa Pisco

Kappa is an intriguing experiment from the Marnier-Lapostolle family who own Grand Marnier in France. Using the production from their Chilean winery purchased in 1994, Grand Marnier’s master distiller, Patrick Raguenaud, created a pisco blended from two different varieties of Moscatel grape.

Although hard to find, it’s worth sampling if you have the opportunity. Its floral nose offers hints of lavender and vanilla, which contrast against notes of rose and litchi delivered through its oily mouthfeel.

10. Campo de Encanto Pisco

An award-winning pisco launched in 2008, Campo de Encanto was co-founded by bartender Duggan McDonnell who runs Cantina in San Francisco. It embodies the spirit and tradition of Peruvian pisco tradition. Expect a balanced flavour of apricot and rose with a mildly spicy finish.