Pisco Punch Recipe

By Steve Kilcullen Jump to Recipe

This sweet and sour cocktail packs quite the pineapple punch.

“…Compounded of the shavings of cherub’s wings, the glory of a tropical dawn, the red clouds of sunset and the fragments of lost epics by dead masters.”

Rudyard Kipling wrote those words in his 1899 work From Sea to Sea. What or who was he speaking about? What was this glowing and flowery passage an endorsement of? Not a place, nor a person. He spoke of a drink, a cocktail called Button Punch, these days more commonly known as Pisco Punch.

From 1853 to 1919, the Bank Exchange & Billiard Saloon served the people of San Francisco all manner of libations and liquors. Among them was a spirit called pisco, a brandy-like alcohol hailing from Peru. The last owner of the saloon, a man named Duncan Nicol, created a popular cocktail using this particular giggle juice and named it the Pisco Punch. Combined with lime juice, sugar, gum arabic (a thickening agent), and water, this sweet and sour cocktail helped add to the popularity of the Bank Exchange. Writers such as Mark Twain sang the beverage’s praises, raising its status as a trendy drink even more.

What’s fascinating to me is that the recipe we’re making today, and other variations of it, are all sort of based on conjecture and lucky guesses. Legend has it that the recipe for the Pisco Punch was handed down from owner to owner and inherited by Nicol. And that exact recipe, whether his own or bequeathed, was a closely guarded secret. In 1919, the saloon closed its doors forever due to Prohibition, and when Nicol died in 1926, the Punch’s recipe went to the grave with him. While the drink survives to this day, the exact way it was made during those golden years in San Francisco is forever lost to history.

What is pisco?

Originally created in 16th-century Peru by fermenting grapes, the spirit is often compared to grappa, but is technically considered a brandy. Depending on the grapes used, the flavor will naturally vary and include many floral and herbal infusions. Those distilled from a single grape variety are considered puro, while acholado pisco has been made from two or more varieties.

What is the best pisco to use in a Pisco Punch?

If you’re new to pisco, you can always ask a trusted bartender to recommend something specific. At my local spirits shop, I found a few decently priced bottles; one a puro and one an acholado. Since the puro pisco is only distilled from one variety of grape, I found its smoothness balanced nicely with the tart citrus. The acholado, on the other hand, brought a more complex and somewhat different flavor to the party.

What kind of glassware and garnish are used?

A rocks glass or coupe is the best fit for this drink. A coupe, because of its design, will also spotlight the aromas of your cocktail. Garnish with a thin slice of lemon peel or a wedge of pineapple.

What is pineapple gomme syrup?

Gomme syrup (or gum syrup) is basically a sugar syrup with added gum arabic, which acts as a thickener. Pineapple gomme is the main mixer in this drink and also lends a hand at helping the flavors stick around a little longer on your taste buds.

Similar drinks to the Pisco Punch

If you enjoyed the Pisco Punch and are wondering what similar drinks might be out there, wonder no more! Twist & Toast has a few suitably enticing suggestions that should be just what you’re looking for.

• Pisco Sour – Try that Peruvian spirit in this frothy and tart mixed drink.
• Maracuyá Sour – Pisco teams up with passion fruit juice in this delicious dram.
• Picon Punch – If it’s more punch variations you’re looking for, try this one next.
• Buena Vista Irish Coffee – Another tasty beverage with links to San Francisco.