Ever tried pisco? The grape-distilled spirit is the national drink of Peru and its taking on vodka and gin as the next big white spirit in Australia following a competition to find the country’s best pisco cocktail.

Depending on the style of pisco it can be best enjoyed drunk either neat or in a cocktail. Aromatic piscos are bright, floral, with a distinct grape character whereas piscos that are made primarily with non-aromatic varieties are more earth and spice-driven.

Alicia Clarke from Double Deuce Lounge just won the first-ever Aussie Pisco Chilcano Competition, an initiative from PROMPERÚ (the Commission for the Promotion of Peruvian Exports and Tourism) to promote the spirit to bartenders and at-home mixologists.

The competition challenged bartenders to craft a ‘down-under’ version of the classic pisco cocktail, a refreshing drink that brings together ginger ale, lime, bitters and of course, Pisco.

Clarke won the takes the top prize for her original Aussie Chilcano recipe – the ‘Queensland Yacht Club’, which mixes pisco with mango and pineapple cordial and Stone’s Ginger Wine.

Chilcano Chief Judge Mike Bennie​, with the help of ​Continental Deli’s Michael Nicolian​, selected the ‘Queensland Yacht Club’ as the top Chilcano creation as it showcased both the Pisco and classic Australian ingredients in one delicious drink.

“This was such a great celebration of Pisco with a seriously excellent collection of cocktails submitted,” he said. “While there were so many creative and delicious drinks entered into this competition, the best offerings showed not only inventiveness but consideration for the ‘Australia-themed’ criteria.

“So many fun, tasty, original cocktails and the best-of-the-best was a close affair – the top entry a sunshiney, Aussie-fruit forward, super well-balanced cocktail that put Pisco on show with a medley oftropical fruits, citrusy freshness and a hit of ginger spice. Far out, bonza, awesome stuff.”

The second-place cocktail was the Chilca-Yeah-Nah created by Atlanta Pahulu from Bulletin Place.

“Thank you to all of the bartenders who submitted their Aussie Chilcano recipes,” said Mario Vargas, Trade Commissioner of Peru. “It was great to see such a diverse range of creative recipes that put a spin on the classic Chilcano and promoting our national spirit Pisco within the Australian bar scene.

Here’s the recipe for the winning pisco cocktail:

Queensland Yacht Club

45ml Barsol Quebranta Pisco

25ml Mango and Pineapple Cordial

10ml Stone’s Ginger Wine

10ml lime juice

5ml sugar syrup

METHOD: Add all ingredients to a tin and shake hard.S ingle strain into a frozen coupe and garnish with a pineapple leaf.

Clarke will be hosting a live virtual cocktail making event from the Double Deuce Lounge Instagram page, ​@doubledeucelounge​, to show exactly how she made the trophy-winning creation on ​Tuesday, February 16, at 6PM AEDT​.

The top five Aussie pisco cocktail recipes are available to view and recreate on the PROMPERÚ website at ​https://www.peruaustraliatrade.com/pisco-spirit-of-pe​ru