5 Pisco Sours: Classic, Orange Marmalade, Habanero, Yerba Mate, Mardi Gras
Today more than ever, Peruvian Pisco has truly gone global as more and more bars around the world are including a Pisco drink on their cocktail program. And this Monday July 28, many of these bars from Lima, to Buenos Aires, to Mexico City, to San Francisco, to New York, to London, and New Orleans will be serving their take on the National Drink of Peru — the Classic Pisco Sour. To join in the celebration of Peruvian Independence Day and to celebrate the international appeal of the oldest distilled spirit in the Americas, let’s take a trip around the globe with these 5 Pisco Sour variations that you can make at home.
Our first stop is Lima, Peru, the birthplace of the Classic Pisco Sour. Here, at the Morris Bar, is where bartenders first made this cocktail famous almost 100 years ago. Next, we visit Buenos Aires, and add an earthy taste to the cocktail by infusing the simple syrup with Yerba Mate. From there, we travel to Mexico City, and make the Pisco Sour spicy by using habanero hot peppers. A hop across the pond takes us to London, where we use orange marmalade instead of simple syrup in honor of Paddington Bear who hails from deepest, darkest Peru. Back in America, we end our journey in New Orleans and we make a Mardi Gras Pisco Sour with chicory, bourbon, and chocolate bitters — cheers!
If this is your first time making a Pisco Sour, be sure to check out the post How to Make a Great Pisco Sour for tips on ingredients, tools, techniques, and presentation. You can also learn more about the history of the legendary Pisco Sour in The Origin of the Pisco Sour.