This long-time cocktail essentially subs in Pisco as the base spirit in a classic Whiskey Sour to create a fresh take on the classic. So, what is Pisco? This is a clear or sometimes amber-hued spirit made in Peru and Chile by distilling wine or fermented grape juice – much like the process of creating brandy.
That partly explains why the Pisco Sour has been a bone of contention between Chile and Peru for years now. Both countries have long claimed they each invented it, but it’s now widely accepted (by everyone other than the Chileans, at least) that the Pisco Sour is Peru’s national drink.
For a long time, its creation was attributed to Victor Morris, an American railway worker in Peru. He opened Morris Bar in the early 1900s and served the Pisco Sour to much acclaim, while his bartenders ended up in various bars around Lima, further spreading the cocktail’s joy. Morris died in 1929, but the Pisco Sour lived on for years, and today remains a popular cocktail. There's even an annual World Pisco Sour Day, which is celebrated on the first Saturday of February.
Unfortunately for the ghost of Victor Morris, a 1903 pamphlet featuring a recipe for the Pisco Sour was discovered in 2012 by a Peruvian writer. And although Victor Morris first moved to Peru in 1903, it does suggest it’s unlikely he was the first to create this classic mix. Regardless of who first created the Pisco Sour, there's no doubt it's well-deserving of its mass adoration around the world.
