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What to drink in Peru? Top 25 Peruvian Alcoholic Beverages

Last update: Tue Mar 18 2025
Top 25 Peruvian Alcoholic Beverages
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Peruvian Alcoholic Beverage Types

01
Chilcano
Chilcano infographic
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Chilcano is a Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of pisco, lime juice, and ginger ale. The simple cocktail is prepared by combining the ingredients in a highball glass over ice, then stirring the combination. If desired, the cocktail can be additionally enriched by adding a few drops of bitters and it is recommended to garnish it with a lime twist.


Regarding the origins of this refreshing cocktail, it is believed that the drink started to be called chilcano, which is the name of a local fish head soup, because both the drink and the soup were great hangover cures.

02
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Pisco Sour is a Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of Pisco brandy, lime juice, sugar syrup, and egg whites. The ingredients are shaken with ice and then strained into an old-fashioned glass. The cocktail is traditionally garnished with Amargo Chancho bitters, but Angostura bitters are widely used today.


The first Pisco Sour was made in the early 1920s in Lima by an American bartender Victor Vaughn Morris. Today, there is still an ongoing debate about Pisco Sour’s origin, with Peru and Chile both claiming that their nation is the home of the first Pisco. 
03

Cocktail

PERU and  2 more regions
4.2
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Canelazo is a spiced beverage that is enjoyed in various parts of Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, and Argentina. Although there are different versions of the drink, it is usually made with a combination of cinnamon water (hot water infused with cinnamon sticks) and sugar or unrefined cane sugar (panela).


The combination is then usually improved with a splash of South American aguardiente—a clear and potent spirit usually made from sugar cane. Common additions include fruit juices, other spices, while aguardiente is occasionally swapped with rum or the alcohol can be completely omitted. 
04
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Chicha Sour is a Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of pisco, lemon or lime juice, simple syrup, egg whites, and chicha morada – a traditional beverage made from purple corn. In order to prepare the cocktail, all ingredients should be shaken without ice in order to create a foamy mix.


Ice is then added to the combination, and the whole thing is shaken once again. It is recommended to serve chicha sour in a coupe glass and garnish it with mint.

05
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Pisco is a brandy that is distilled from the fermented grape juice. It was invented in the 16th century as a replacement for orujo—an ancient Spanish pomace brandy. Although it is also produced in Chile, Peruvian pisco results in a slightly different drink due to different terroir, grapes, and techniques used in its production.


In Peru, pisco can be made with eight, mostly native grape varieties. It is distilled only once to preserve its dominant flavors while diluting and oak-aging is strictly forbidden. The drink is typically strong with dominant earthy and herbal flavors, but the character can slightly differ depending on the choice of grapes. 
THE BEST Pisco Brandies
1 Pisco Puro Italia
Intipalka
Pisco Puro Italia

5.0

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SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold 2024, 2023

2 El Gobernador
Miguel Torres
El Gobernador

5.0

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IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding 2019

3
Tres Erres
Reservado Pisco

5.0

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USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy 2022

4 Gran Demonio Albilla
Tacama
Gran Demonio Albilla

5.0

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USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy 2020

5 María's Pisco
Industrial El Rosario S.p.a. (Pisquera Bou Barroeta)
María's Pisco

5.0

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IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding 2024

06
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Chicha de jora is an ancient Peruvian alcoholic drink that is made from fermented jora—a type of yellow maize. The discovery of pottery mills near Machu Picchu suggests that the Incas have made chicha de jora, and it is belived that it was mostly likely enjoyed and used as a ritual drink.


The drink is produced by germinating maize and extracting the malt sugars. The wort is then left to ferment, traditionally in large earthenware pots. Depending on the length of fermentation, chicha de jora can vary in flavor, but it is usually pale yellow and murky with a subtly sour aftertaste. 
07
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Don Alfredo is a popular Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of pisco, elderflower liqueur, lime juice, and soda water. To prepare it, the first three ingredients should be poured into a glass filled with ice, then topped with a splash of soda.


If desired, the cocktail can be garnished with basil, mint, or lime peel. Although this refreshing drink was invented in Lima in 2008, it only gained popularity by the end of 2012, and nowadays it is enjoyed in most countries which have access to pisco and elderflower liqueur.

08
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El Capitán is a Peruvian cocktail made with a combination of Pisco, sweet vermouth, and Angostura bitters. In order to prepare it, all ingredients should be stirred with ice, then strained into a coupe glass. The cocktail is garnished with lemon peel, cherries, or olives.


It is believed that El Capitán dates back to the 1920s, when a combination of Pisco and sweet vermouth was often ordered by army captains, hence the name.

09
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Amargo Chuncho bitters, also known simply as Chuncho Bitters, is a Peruvian bitters product traditionally used to prepare a pisco sour cocktail. It is produced in Lima, Peru, from 30 various peels, herbs, roots, barks, and flowers from the Peruvian forest – including Quina and Sarrapia leaves, and aged for six months in barrels, allowing the flavors to meld and develop, contributing to the distinctive taste of the cocktails they are used in.


It is noted for its complex flavor profile, which includes cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, and has a floral base with hints of cherry and cola. The rich and varied flavors of Amargo Chuncho bitters complement the sharpness of the lime and the sweetness of the syrup in a pisco sour.

10

Alcoholic Beverage

PERU and  one more region
n/a
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Caspiroleta is a warming alcoholic (sometimes non-alcoholic) drink that most likely originated in Peru, but it is also popular in Colombia. It is a type of eggnog made with milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, and usually some kind of alcohol—most commonly rum, aguardiente, or brandy.


The drink is cooked over low heat until it is thick and creamy. It is best enjoyed warm, and it is usually served dusted with cinnamon. In Colombia, the non-alcoholic version is often called candil. It is believed that caspiroleta originated as a warming recovery drink that was enjoyed as a health remedy.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Best Peruvian Alcoholic Beverages

01
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AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold

2024, 2023

02
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AWARDS

USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy

2021

USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Top 100

2021

03
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The Pisco Gran Demonio Mosto Verde Albilla by Tacama is a premium Peruvian pisco made from Albilla grapes. It is a Mosto Verde pisco, which means it is produced using partially fermented grape juice, resulting in a richer and more aromatic spirit.


With an alcohol content of 42.5%, this pisco offers a smooth and complex flavor profile, characterized by floral and fruity notes. It is ideal for sipping neat or in cocktails, reflecting Tacama's dedication to quality and traditional craftsmanship in pisco production.
AWARDS

USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Chairman's Trophy

2020

USC- Ultimate Spirits Challenge - Top 100

2020

04
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AWARDS

IWSC- International wine & spirit competition - Spirit Gold Outstanding

2024

05
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AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold

2024

06
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AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold

2024

07
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AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold

2024

08
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AWARDS

SFWSC - San Francisco World Spirits Competition - Double Gold

2023

09
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AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show

2018

10
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AWARDS

Decanter World Wine Awards - Best in Show

2016

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Peruvian Alcoholic Beverages