Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/490558
{ SOMMjournal.com } 7 fluctuate from year to year, so the Ashers treat their La Diablada, a blend of four varieties with three in the temperamental aromatic family, as a vintage. "On our back labels, we specifically label the cosecha, or harvest year, that our blend represents," says Lizzie. These delicate inconsisten- cies are championed by both sisters, and Melanie produces La Diablada's blend with a unifying profile in mind so that any given year plays the same range on the palate: a balance and tension between a floral sweetness, a long finish and a hint of spice, representing the devil-and-angel Carnavale dance for which it's named. Macchu Pisco is perhaps best known for its Puro expression: a single-varietal Pisco made from the Quebranta grape, the hardy Spanish variety that is the backbone of the Pisco industry. It's what your bartender will reach for when you ask for a Pisco Sour: Its body and range shine in that classic Peruvian cocktail, and many others, as more and more mixologists bring Pisco into their bartending repertoires. With Pisco's popularity distinctly on the rise, "it is key for our industry to educate the consumer," says Lizzie, calling misconceptions about the Chilean product of the same name "our greatest challenge." That education is as simple as ordering a Macchu Pisco cocktail, or better yet, neat—the product of deep history and an innovative future. Chilcano Thyme ■ 1½ oz. thyme-infused La Diablada Pisco ■ ¾ oz. Velvet Falernum Liqueur ■ ¾ oz. lime juice ■ 5 drops Angostura Bitters ■ Fever-Tree ginger ale Shake all ingredients except ginger ale. Strain into Collins glass over fresh ice cubes. Top with ginger ale. Garnish with thyme sprig. Pisco Royale ■ 2 oz. La Diablada Pisco Acholado ■ 1 oz. fresh Key lime juice ■ 1 oz. simple syrup ■ 1 oz. egg white ■ Prosecco Dry shake, shake with ice, strain into coupe. Top with Prosecco by pouring slowly down the rod of a bar spoon. Hemingway at Coya ■ 1½ oz. Blackwell Rum ■ ½ oz. pineapple- infused Macchu Pisco ■ ½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur ■ ½ oz. lime juice ■ 1¾ oz. pink grapefruit juice Shake all ingredients. Double-strain into a coupe. Garnish with grapefruit peel. Take a look through the cocktail menu at Coya and you'll find one of the most deeply Peruvian bar programs in Miami. "We cre- ated the foundation of this program based on the Pisco Sour," says Gian Carlo D'Urso, Global Bar Director for the restaurant that has branches in London and Dubai. They also feature a range of elegant Pisco infusions, a staple of any bar in Peru—Pisco's body and grape base make it an excellent vehicle for a huge number of flavors, and Gian Carlo and his bar director, Maria Pottage, tag team between Macchu Pisco's Quebranta and La Diablada expressions for most of their fea- tured cocktails. "We are very big fans of La Diablada!" says Gian Carlo, adding, "it offers beautiful flavors, fruity, floral, sweet notes and body." It's what you'll find in Coya's take on the Chilcano, a classic highball of Pisco and ginger ale—at Coya, the La Diablada is infused with thyme and paired with Velvet Falernum, a rum-based liqueur, for a tropical twist. "I love our Chilcano! It's very light, very refreshing—and a little bit dangerous in that way; you can just keep drinking them!" says Maria. And what about that classic Sour? Carlos and Maria typically use Macchu Pisco's Quebranta for its "body and robustness" in the drink—but in their spin on the classic, it's La Diablada, and they add a splash of Prosecco to the production, dubbing the drink the Pisco Sour Royale. Gian Carlo is ebullient. "The elegance of La Diablada adds a harmony with the Prosecco. It's a beautiful addition to the Pisco Sour experience." At Coya in Miami, the Pisco Royale is an upscale take on the classic Pisco Sour, made with Macchu Pisco La Diablada Pisco Acholado and topped with Prosecco. The Hemingway at Coya. MACCHU PISCO, VIA MIAMI