Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/33511
BRANDS TO WATCH Inca Gold Pisco ($22) This achalado style of pisco blends Quebranta (Mission) and Italia (Malvasia) grape varieties to produce a smoky, tropical-fruit nose with a silky mouthfeel and a sharp but smooth fi nish. There are some great lingering notes from the Italia grape, including soft honeysuckle with hints of citrus blossoms. —E. K. INCA SPIRITS ORO Pisco ($35) The folks at ClearGrape have imported the most extensive line of pisco imaginable, with more than ten different expressions that span all eight pisco grape varietals. The ORO line is a literal voyage through the category’s various aromatic and taste qualities, including aromatic pisco, non-aro- matic pisco, blended (acholado) pisco and sipping pisco (mosto verde). ORO Italia Mosto Verde recently won Best Pisco at the 2011 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. —E. K. CLEARGRAPE LLC Campo de Encanto Pisco ($40) Resurrecting the deep historical connections between San Francisco and pisco, Campo de Encanto has petitioned the city of San Francisco to adopt pisco as the offi cial drink of San Francisco. Beyond San Francisco, Encanto has seen an amazing number of accolades, including winning Gran Medalla de Oro in 2010, the Best in Show at the Comisión Nacional del Pisco Grand Championship in Lima, Peru. —E. K. FOOL’S GOLD TERROIR MARKETEERS BarSol Primero ($25) Peru’s leading export brand, BarSol is made at Bodega San Isidro in the heart of the Ica wine-grow- ing region. The Primero expression is produced exclusively from the dark purple Quebranta grape. The fermented juice and pulp is single-distilled in copper alembic stills to best preserve the distinctive character of the grape. —R. P. BARSOL USA Pisco Capel Reservado ($22) Produced just outside of Vicuña in Chile’s Elqui Valley, Pisco Capel Reservado is distilled in small batches from Muscat, Pedro Jimenez and Torontel grapes and pristine spring water drawn from the nearby mountains. After distillation, the young brandy is aged in 1,000-liter oak casks for 24 months before being bottled at 80 proof. The Moai bottle reproduces the haunting Easter Island statues. —R. P. SHAW-ROSS INTERNATIONAL IMPORTERS Pisco Portón ($45) Produced at the oldest distillery in the Americas—Peru’s Hacienda la Caravedo—Portón is a brilliant example of a mosto verde pisco; after pressing, the grapes are distilled prior to being fully fermented, which preserves more of their natural sugars. It is a blend of Quebranta, Torontel and Albilla grape varietals. The brandy is alembic distilled to 43% alcohol by volume before being aged for 5 to 8 months. —R. P. PISCO PORTÓN See also Anthony Dias Blue’s review of the outstanding Pisco 100 on page 72. —Editor june 201 1 / the tasting panel / 95