Macchu Pisco Brandy 750ml

Macchu Pisco was founded in 2006 by sisters Melanie and Lizzie Asher, who set out to introduce a refined expression of Peruvian pisco to international markets. Melanie, a graduate of Harvard Business School, led the brand's development, focusing on single varietal bottlings that let individual grapes speak for themselves rather than blending for consistency. The family run operation sources its grapes from Peru's Ica Valley, long considered a heartland of pisco production, and adheres to traditional methods throughout the process.

This expression is made entirely from Quebranta, a non-aromatic grape that is itself a Peruvian adaptation of black grapes the Spanish brought over in the sixteenth century, developed to withstand the region's stony soil and intense coastal sun. The grapes are destemmed and pressed by foot, a slow, labor-intensive method that requires roughly ten pounds of fruit for every bottle produced. The resulting spirit is distilled once in a traditional pot still to preserve grape character, then rested for about a year before bottling at full proof, since pisco is traditionally never cut with water.

The nose is light, carrying vanilla, lime peel, and a touch of white pepper. On the palate the texture turns notably oily and waxy, with pepper, lime, and yuzu layered against sweeter vanilla sugar and a faint hint of cinnamon through the finish.