Notes for Clemens and Sobrino: a new brandy
There is a new style of brandy from Peru beginning to make the rounds in American bars. For some reason US News & World Report devotes a whole article to it. The style is called pisco and it is the pride of Peru. Now a Peruvian-American business woman is marketing her own brand here in the US. She calls it Macchu Pisco. It is the only brand of pisco you can get in this country that is true Peruvian pisco.*
Dealing with US law was a problem. "It was like penetrating 50 countries to deal with federal, state, and local licenses" (that's what makes this country so great).
So far only 17,000 cases of any type of pisco has been sold here in 2004. You need to compare that with 40,000 cases of Korean soju (nice stuff, btw) or the 1.4 million cases of Tanqueray gin.
I really like brandy and would love to try some if I can ever find it. For now though it sounds as if it's only available in the most sophisticated, and expensive, lounges and bars in the major, and expensive, cities. Don't think it will be coming to Lykesboro or Crockett anytime soon.
*There is a Chilean brand called Capel, but mentioning that to a Peruvian would be like mentioning Polish vodka to a Russian (or vice versa).
posted by Clemens @ 10:45 PM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Dealing with US law was a problem. "It was like penetrating 50 countries to deal with federal, state, and local licenses" (that's what makes this country so great).
I remember reading that microbreweries had a similar problem. There were lots of officials in one of the southern states that were primed to ban beer above a certain ABV. Their argument was that since beer is the drink of choice among young people (wrong) they will gravitate (no pun intended) to stronger beers (WRONG again!)
This bill got support from moral authoritarians and larger breweries that were not to keen on losing market share to smaller breweries.
Young people that are interested in getting blitzed, have no interest in an 11% bottle of Trappist Rochefort 10. At 8 dollars for 12oz that is a FAR more expensive buzz than most wines and liquors. Macro fizzy pale lagers are what most (young and not so young) people drink. Those will not be above 6% through natural brewing processes.
Heck, even tonight, I ordered a Sam Adams for a guy at work. He drank it but at the first opportunity he switched to Bud Light.
--Joey
You wasted a Sam Adams? Why not just pour it down the drain? Most American workers just don't have your taste in beer.
BTW, everytime the town of Crockett tries to pass a referendum to serve liquor by the drink, it is always opposed by local church leaders - who are backed up by liquor store owners across the state line.
Doing God's work.
I didn't buy it, in fact someone was buying a round but he didn't know what this guy wanted so I defaulted to Sam Adams.
I really consider SA to be the khaki pants of beer; it pretty much goes with everything. I don't think it is too off-putting for the average BudMillerCoors drinker. Unlike, for example, Sierra Nevada Celebration...not a good one to start newbies out on.
--Joey
I remember my trip to peru, beautiful warm evenings and pisco filled nights. The vibrant culture and memories of peru will always be attached to this amazing liquor.
I have had the opportunity to drink Macchu Pisco at "Cafe Atlantico" in Washington DC. It reminded me of the music, the fresh food and enchanting breezes of tropical warm air. Thank you, melanie for bringing this memory to my living room and favorite restaurant.
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