Pisco

Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored spirit[1] produced in winemaking regions of Peru[2] and Chile.[3] Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain.[4] It had the advantages of being produced from abundant domestically grown fruit and reducing the volume of alcoholic beverages transported to remote locations.[5] The oldest use of the word pisco to denote Peruvian aguardiente dates from 1764.[6] The beverage may have acquired its Quechua name from the Peruvian town of Pisco, once an important colonial port for the exportation of viticultural products,[7] which is located on the coast of Peru in the valley of Pisco, by the river with the same name.[8] From there, "Aguardiente de Pisco" was exported to Europe, especially Spain, where the beverage's name was abbreviated to "Pisco".[9]