The Pisco Sour
Peru’s national drink… and how to make it
Pisco Sour – Peru’s national drink – was invented by Victor Morris, an immigrant from California who opened his own eponymous bar in Lima in 1916. Morris’ Bar quickly became the ‘in’ place for upper class Peruvians and English-speaking foreigners. Morris liked experimenting with drinks and the first Pisco Sour was his attempt at a Peruvian take on the Whisky Sour.
It underwent several changes until Mario Bruiget, a Peruvian bartender working at Morris’ Bar, created the modern Peruvian recipe of the cocktail in the latter part of the 1920s by adding egg white and Angostura bitters to the mix.
Over time, competition from other bars coupled with Morris’ declining health led to his bar closing. Mario Bruiget moved to work as a bartender at the neighbouring Grand Hotel Maury where he continued to serve the increasingly popular drink. Many Lima’s other top hotels of the time started serving the drink in the 1930s and 40s including the Hotel Bolivar and the Country Club Hotel.
Pisco Sour has now achieved international fame and can be found in bars all over the world. Peru even celebrates a public holiday in honour of the cocktail on the first Saturday of every February. In an ongoing controversy, Chile also claims both Pisco and the famous cocktail as its national drink.
Paul Richardson is on the pisco sour trail in this Financial Times article.
Recipe
The basic formula, as practiced in the Maury Hotel is three parts of Pisco to one part of Sugar Syrup and one part of lime juice. Add one part of egg white and shake or blend with ice. Ensure that there is a good foamy head and add a couple of drops of Angostura Bitters to the glass just before serving.
For a slightly less heady version, many barmen these days only use one-and-a-half or two parts of Pisco.