The Peruvian Embassy in Thailand sought to deepen its cultural ties with Thailand by ramping up the promotion of pisco in the country, most recently by hosting a Pisco Sour Night in Bangkok to showcase the versatility of Peru's traditional tipple.
According to Cecilia Galarreta, Peruvian ambassador to Thailand, pisco has been around since at least the 16th century, when the Spaniards conquered Peru and made it a part of its colonial possession.
Distilled from grapes, pisco typically contains 38-48% alcohol by volume, making it a suitable ingredient for cocktails. Like other grape-based beverages, the flavour of the finished product depends on the terrain on which the grapes were grown, the ambassador said.
The spirit is perhaps best known for being a key part in Pisco Sour, a classic cocktail made of pisco, Angostura bitters, lime, simple syrup and egg white foam.
Beyond its use in the bar, she said, pisco can also be used in cooking, for example, as a part of a marinade.
"The big advantage [pisco has] over other spirits is that you can use and mix it in any way you want," she said.
Erick Aponte, director of the Commercial Office of Peru in Bangkok, said he hoped Thais will grow to like pisco as they learn more about the spirit.