Pisco Sour Day in Peru: A National Brand in Every GlassIn Peru, there is a celebration that is celebrated twice a year. Both times, with a big scale, music, and, of course, abundant tastings. This is Pisco Sour Day — the day when the whole country raises their glasses to their main gastronomic symbol. This festival is not just a tribute to culinary tradition, but an act of national pride, established at the state level. How did this cocktail come about and why did it deserve a separate day on the calendar?Two Celebrations for One Cocktail: February and JulyThere are officially two dates in Peru dedicated to Pisco Sour. The first and main one is National Pisco Sour Day, which is celebrated on the first Saturday of February. This date was established in 2004 by the Ministry of Production of Peru (Resolution Ministerial N° 161-2004-PRODUCE) and has since become a major event in the country's culinary calendar.The second date is Pisco Sour Day in July, which is celebrated on the fourth Sunday of July. This day was officially established in May 1999. In essence, it is another occasion to celebrate the beloved cocktail, and it is also accompanied by mass festivities and tastings.Thus, Peruvians have two days a year to officially enjoy their national heritage. However, the February celebration is considered the main and more grandiose one.How Pisco Sour Was Born: A History in One BarThe history of the cocktail began in Lima at the beginning of the XX century. Its creator is considered to be Victor Vaughn Morris, an American immigrant who opened a bar in the center of Lima in 1916 called Morris Bar. The bar was located on Bosa Street, 847 (now Jiron de la Union) and quickly became a popular meeting place for intellectuals, travelers, and bohemian crowds.It is believed that Morris created Pisco Sour, inspired by the classic whiskey sour, but replacing the whiskey with the local grape brandy — pisco. However, the modern version of the cocktail — with egg white and Angostura b ... Read more