Pisco is a droplet infused with moonlight,the soul in a crystal glass containing the cold air of the Andes.Pablo Neruda "Ode to Pisco"
Pablo Neruda, the 1971 Nobel Prize in Literature winner, is considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century. Throughout his life, he drew countless works that made references to his homeland, Chile. It is the liquor known as pisco. In the poetic imagination he created, pisco is more than just a beverage. It is an important medium symbolizing a national identity of Chile, akin to the role of soju in Korean literature.
When describing this liquor, he primarily used three symbols: celestial bodies like moonlight and stars, the Andes mountains and the land, and transparency like crystals or droplets. All of these are metaphorical devices that condense Chile's nature, culture, and national spirit.
In the Elqui Valley vineyards,the fruits ripened by the sunbecome pisco as they flow.In that clear wave,the soul of the Andes dwells.Pablo Neruda "Song of the Earth"
On the 21st of last month, I visited the Elqui Valley vineyard featured in Neruda's work. At an altitude of 1,200 meters, the vineyard sprawling endlessly under the bright sun created a spectacle against the Andes mountains, where clouds lingered between the valleys. Under the clear sky, the neatly arranged vines extended beyond the horizon. In one corner of an old vineyard, grapevines over 100 years old stood twisted and barely upright. Local farmers were trimming grape clusters and pruning the vines. In the distance, tourists with cameras watched the scene with curiosity.
"The water flowing beside you comes from glacial water from the Andes mountains."
Jose Miguel Via, the chief distiller I met at a vineyard in the Elqui Valley of northern-central Chile, was filled with pride.
Pisco is undoubtedly the national liquor of Chile. Just as Koreans cannot be unaware of soju, no one born in Chile is unaware of pisco. Its origins date back to the 16th century when Spanish conquerors brought grapevines to South America.
According to historian Juan Carlos Martinez of the Chilean Cultural Heritage Commission, fermented grape liquor has been made in the Elqui Valley and Limari Valley area since the Inca Empire period. Today's pisco was born by adding the distillation techniques brought by Spanish conquerors. The most plausible theory is that the name pisco derives from the name given to a bird that lived in that region in the Quechua language.
Pisco is produced in Chile under strict regulations. Chile has implemented a designation of origin protection system that allows the use of the name pisco since 1931, over 100 years ago.
Orlando Chelme, a representative from Doña Josefa, which has been making pisco since 1940, said, "Proper pisco can only be made in places where these three conditions are met: high altitude in the Andes mountains, humid mornings and evenings, and dry climate during the day. It is liquor made in a traditional way, in an area with authenticity."
Chilean law limits the grape varieties that can be used to produce pisco to 13. The most important variety is Muscat. This grape, known as muscat in our country, has a strong aroma and high sugar content. In the historic pisco distilleries, just passing by old oak barrels stimulates the senses with the rich aroma of Muscat must.
The process of making pisco is not much different from that of other distilled spirits. The grapes are harvested, pressed, fermented, distilled, aged, and finally bottled. While the process itself is unremarkable, the materials and supplies used and the distillation techniques create subtle differences.
The cold Humboldt current flowing from the Chilean coast generates cold and humid fog in the area every morning. This fog quickly dissipates when exposed to the intense sunlight of midday. During the humid and cool mornings, the grapes accumulate acidity. Conversely, during the dry and hot afternoons, they accumulate sugar. By repeating these two processes, the grapes provide intense flavors without becoming overly large.
If nature provides good grapes to everyone, it is the duty of the winemaker to transform them into their own liquor. Each distillery in the region distills in its unique way. Just as certain Scottish distilleries treat malt with peat smoke, some distilleries burn wood to operate their stills. There are even places that have been using old stills for over 200 years in the same manner as before.
The dense smoky aroma is the biggest factor that distinguishes Elqui Valley pisco from pisco from other regions of Chile. For instance, Los Nichos is recognized as a producer with a strong personality among the distinct Elqui Valley piscos. Its heavy smoky aroma is particularly strong, and its complexity stands out. This brand delicately tunes the intense smoky aroma to the distillate made from grapes, resembling a roaring campfire. When first brought to the nose, a distinct smoky scent fills the air, while a sweet grape flavor enhances the palate. Experts have affectionately named this phenomenon "The Smoky Paradox."
Luis de la Hara Merino, a representative of Los Nichos, said, "We use an old copper still to extract alcohol in the first distillation and refine flavor components in the second. In this process, we remove heads and tails, which can diminish good aromas, using only the middle heart portion."
It takes nine months from harvest to complete distillation. He has been working at the pisco distillery that started with his great-grandfather for 158 years to his father. His son is also expected to follow in his footsteps.
Merino noted, "While the pisco industry represents a product that embodies Chile's cultural identity, it is also an industry on which the livelihoods of 15,000 households in the region depend. To maintain tradition while continuing to cater to modern consumer tastes, we are producing a divide between traditional brands and premium brands."
As of 2024, the Chilean government is investing more than $50 million (about 73 billion won) annually to promote the development of the pisco industry. According to the Chilean Economic Development Agency, this funding is primarily allocated for research and development aimed at improving pisco quality, subsidies to protect small-scale producers, and marketing for overseas market expansion.
However, pisco recognition in the Asian market remains at a low level. In Northeast Asia's mainstream market, which includes Japan, China, and Korea, traditional European distilled spirits such as whiskey and cognac have dominated the premium market. Before pisco, tequila made significant inroads into the distilled liquor market, but it has yet to achieve notable success.
The Chilean government and liquor industry are seeking differentiated strategies for penetrating the Asian market. They are targeting demand for cocktails such as pisco sour instead of drinking pisco in its pure state (neat).
Pisco sour is a cocktail made by adding lemon or lime juice, sugar, and other ingredients to pisco. It is relatively low in alcohol content and sweet, typically enjoyed in Chile as an aperitif or a digestif. In restaurants with a liquor menu, pisco sour appears with almost every meal. Chileans often enjoy this pisco sour with appetizers like sopaypiya and caramel jam called manjar.
Paola Vasquez, a director at the Chilean Economic Development Agency, noted, "After the pandemic, pisco demand has increased in the U.S. and Europe, surpassing last year's overall exports by September of this year. Pisco is a liquor that maintains its identity even when used in various cocktails, making it well-suited to the recent mixology trend of mixing high-alcohol drinks with soda or other beverages."