In all probability pisco will likely never be one of the top tipples in the best bars in the world, but it plays its part. This year, 83% of our sample said they stock a pisco, with more than half having two and more than a third stocking three. The Pisco Sour – number 20 in our classics list in 2022 – is one reason for this demand, but the light and oral notes of this South American grape spirit do find their way into bars’ signature drinks.
The second is Barsol, which was launched by Diego Loret de Mola in 2001 when he acquired Bodega San Isidro in the Ica Valley in Peru, with a view to taking pisco to the world’s best bars. Topping our table ever since we’ve been polling on pisco – seven years now – this time out Barsol was the bestseller in 29% of our sample, while more than half made it among their top three. It’s the pisco customers call for too – a third of our bars made it their top trending pisco.
Meanwhile, El Gobernador, which debuted on the list in 2018, is the second bestselling brand. Based in Chile and owned by Torres – which knows a thing or two about grape spirits – this you feel is the brand with the best chance of dethroning Barsol one day. El Gobernador was named the top seller by 12% of bars, while it was on the pisco podium in 20% of our sample.
These two brands – each flying the flag for their respective pisco-producing nations – look like they could form a duopoly. From here, the popularity of the other eight brands falls off considerably. Leading that pack is Demonio de Los Andes, a Peruvian pisco from the Ica region whose name translates as ‘devil of the Andes’. The brand, known for its fruity notes, was a top seller in 8% of bars and among the top three in 16%. Chilean Capel – one of the category leaders by total volume sales – was found to be a bestseller in 7% and a top-three choice in 17% of our bars. Peruvian brands Pisco Portón and Macchu shared a very similar performance among our sample. The bottom four brands have insignificant sales in the world’s best bars, our results suggest. But the final three positions being occupied by Chilean brands do make for a 50-50 Peru-Chile split.
How we did it
The Annual Brands Report results are the culmination of a survey of 100 bars from 33 countries around the world which have been nominated or won international awards. The report offers a picture of the buying habits of the world’s best bars – not only which brands sell best, but also what’s trending to indicate the brands that are hot right now.
To view the page-turner edition of the Brands Report click here.
The Brands Report will be serialised on drinksint.com throughout January.
