Search
Brazil
Argentina
BoliviaChile
Colombia
Ecuador
Guyana
French Guiana
Falkland Islands (Malvinas)
Paraguay
Peru
Suriname
Uruguay
Venezuela
Germany
Austria
Belgium
Croatia
Denmark
Spain
Finland
France
Greece
the Netherlands
Hungary
Ireland
Iceland
Italy
Luxembourg
Norway
Poland
Portugal
the United Kingdom
the Czech Republic
Sweden
Switzerland
Turkey
the United States
Mexico
the Dominican RepublicTurkey
South Africa
Australia
FijiFlavors · Pisco Elqui
Grape brandy with Chilean designation of origin, distilled from wine made from grape varieties defined by law in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo. The Elqui Valley and the village of Pisco Elqui are its heart.
Traditional drink from Pisco Elqui, Coquimbo
Also known as: pisco chileno
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
Click a photo to enlarge it.
Pisco — Pisco Elqui, Chile
Pisco is a brandy obtained by distilling grape wine. In Chile, the name is protected by a designation of origin: under the regulation, only brandy produced and bottled in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo, from wines made with grape varieties defined by law and planted in those regions, may be called pisco. The result can be clear or take on color and woody aromas when aged in barrels.
The Elqui Valley, in the Coquimbo region, is the area most associated with the drink. Chile’s official tourism presents Pisco Elqui, a village high in the valley, as the place where Chilean pisco was born; there are traditional distilleries that receive visitors and a museum dedicated to the drink. The village’s own name is an homage: it used to be called La Unión and was renamed Pisco Elqui in 1936 by law to reinforce the valley’s link with the spirit.
The name pisco is also used in Peru, which has its own designation of origin and its own rules. Each country regulates the pisco produced on its territory.
In Chile, pisco is drunk neat or in cocktails. The best known is the pisco sour, with lime juice and sugar; another common one is the piscola, with cola soda.
Pisco Elqui , Coquimbo
Chile’s official tourism presents Pisco Elqui as the village where Chilean pisco was born.
Wine from grape varieties defined in the designation of origin regulation, cultivated in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo.
Neat, in a small glass, or in cocktails such as the pisco sour (with lime and sugar) and the piscola (with cola soda). It has a high alcohol content: enjoy in moderation.
Apertif before meals, gatherings and celebrations; at distilleries in the Elqui Valley it is tasted during guided visits.
Your questions
Under the designation of origin regulation, only in the regions of Atacama and Coquimbo, in northern Chile. The Elqui Valley, in Coquimbo, is the area most associated with the drink.
Yes. In the Elqui Valley, several distilleries welcome visitors with guided tours and tastings, especially in Pisco Elqui and the surroundings of Vicuña. In high season it is wise to book in advance.
It is the best known cocktail made with pisco: it contains lime juice and sugar, and many recipes add egg white. It is served cold, as an aperitif.
Flavors of Chile
Drink made from fermented grape must, slightly sweet, produced in Curacaví, near Santiago, with cooking in copper or stainless-steel vats. It has a designation of origin since 2017 and an annual festival.
Sweet shortcrust tart topped with seasonal fruits such as raspberry, strawberry, murta and currant, inherited from the German settlers of southern Chile. In Frutillar, it is the pastry served in the tea houses.
Earth oven of the Rapanui people: meats, fish, sweet potato, taro and banana slowly cooked on hot volcanic stones, wrapped in banana leaves. It is the most traditional preparation of Rapa Nui cuisine.
Artisanal sweets made by families of confectioners from La Ligua and sold by vendors wearing white aprons and carrying baskets, in town and along the road. They have a geographical indication and are Chile’s intangible cultural heritage.
Shellfish, meats, sausage, potatoes and potato breads cooked in a hole in the ground, over hot stones, covered with large leaves. It is the dish most associated with Chiloé, in southern Chile.
Whole lamb opened on an iron cross and slowly roasted beside the fire, a dish of the sheep estancias of the Chilean Patagonia. It is the one most associated with the gastronomy of Magallanes.
Hot sandwich of thin beef cooked on a griddle with melted cheese, usually served on marraqueta bread. It’s named after President Ramón Barros Luco, who used to order it in Santiago.
Pipeño wine drink with pineapple ice cream, sometimes with grenadine or fernet. Its name is linked to the bars of Santiago and the 1985 earthquake, and it became a drink of the Fiestas Patrias.
Platter of french fries topped with strips of beef, sautéed onion and egg, served for sharing. It is associated with Valparaíso’s traditional bars, where it became popular.
