The Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism has called on bartenders to give their nation’s traditional Chilcano de Pisco cocktail an Aussie twist.

The Aussie Pisco Chilcano Competition asks bartenders to enhance the famed Peruvian cocktail using Australian ingredients and Pisco to create a new drink inspired by the original recipe.

This promotion marks the second iteration of a cocktail competition and event promoted by PROMPERÚ, which held the Pisco Shakedown in 2019. 

“We are very excited to invite the Australian bartending community to our cocktail making competition, celebrating the traditional Chilcano with an Australian twist and our national spirit – Pisco,” Mario Vargas, Trade Commissioner of Peru to Australia and New Zealand said. 

To enter, bartenders are asked to submit their original Aussie Chilcano recipe using one of a number of premium Piscos available in the market, including Pucara, Del Carral, Del Parral and Barsol, as well as a minimum of one quintessentially Australian ingredient. They must also submit an image of their finished creation along with a 60-second video of themselves creating the cocktail and talking about the inspiration and ingredients behind their original creation. 

Judging the competition will be respected Australian drinks journalist and P&V Wine + Liquor Merchants Proprietor Mike Bennie. 

“Having long been a fan of Pisco and actively exploring its history and application, this is a really exciting and fun thing to participate in,” Bennie said. “What a versatile but keenly individual drink it is!

“I’m keen to see how Pisco can work in the modern context of Australian drinks and looking forward to seeing the results of this unique and original competition.”

Judging will take place on January 18, where finalists will be selected, and their recipe recreated and tasted, to determine which new cocktail will be named the winner.

The creator of the winning cocktail will then be invited to host an Instagram live cocktail making event where PROMPERÚ will deliver cocktail making kits to select media to join in the session. This will be an opportunity to not only showcase the winning cocktail but the bartender and venue behind its creation. 

Entries close on January 16 at 11:59pm. For more information and to enter, visit https://bit.ly/aussie-chilcano.