Every year since 2011, every last Friday of August, Peruvians celebrate Pisco Punch Day, showcasing the first cocktail made with Pisco.
The Pisco Punch Association seeks to promote and spread worldwide the oldest pisco-based cocktail made, the Pisco Punch, since its founding in 2011. For its 2024 edition, it presents Pisco Punch – History, Art & Culture, with the main event taking place on Friday, August 23, showcasing a new image that transcends borders and a distinctive symbol of quality and expertise that will be shown in the best bars in Lima. We share a bit of its history, its recipe, and the schedule of activities for this year.
Beckie Rosales, Director of the Pisco Punch Foundation and event organizer, shares the activities surrounding this important date for Spirit of Peru. In coordination with the renowned writer of the novelistic chronicle “Alas de los Querubines,” they present a series of global activities to honor and promote the iconic Pisco Punch cocktail.
Pisco Punch is the first cocktail that combines Pisco, a grape-based spirit from Peru, with ingredients like pineapple, lemon, gum syrup, and water. It became a popular drink in San Francisco in the 1800s, particularly at the famous “Bank Exchange Saloon,” where its creator, Duncan Nicol, served it.
Suppose you are a cocktail enthusiast or enjoy trying new things. In that case, Pisco Punch is an excellent opportunity to enjoy this unique drink and discover the creative interpretations that local bars can offer. Cheers!
Activities
Pisco Punch Day – Celebration
- Date: Friday, August 23
- Locations: The best bars from Lima and Arequipa in Peru; Barcelona, Costa Blanca, and Madrid in Spain; Miami, and San Francisco in the US.
- Pisco regions such as the Azpitia Valley, Lunahuaná, Kilmana, Ica, Tacna, and Moquegua also celebrate.
Pisco Punch at Clase Maestra
- Date: August 26 – September 1
- Pisco Punch will sponsor Latin America’s beverage convention, Clase Maestra. A mobile bar will be opened to promote Pisco Punch, and activations will be held with its bartenders. Also, historian Guillermo Toro Lira will exhibit historical documentation for Pisco Punch.
Golden Punch Awards
- Date: Friday, August 29
- Location: Launch of Golden Punch Award to recognize the best Pisco Punches in Lima. We will tour the best bars in Lima, led by a specialized team from Clase Maestra, who will visit the most outstanding bars in Lima, taste the Pisco Punches, and then award the best, selecting the Top 10 Golden Punches.
Pisco Punch, History, Art & Culture
- Date: Saturday, August 31
- Location: Urban Coffee Perú, Miraflores, 340 Narciso de la Colina St. will host a presentation by Guillermo Toro Lira and his book “Alas de Los Querubines” with a gallery of historical documentation and photography of Pisco Punch
Pisco Punch Spring
- Date: September 27
- This festival aims to bring expatriates living in Peru closer to the world of Pisco and all the value it generates in local and global culture. The goal is to connect with people like no other event has done before. In addition to pisco brands and bars, we will invite key figures from the sector.
Pisco Punch Sunset Sessions
- Date: Summer 2025
- This event will take place at Peru’s renowned beach resorts. Venues include: Máncora, San Bartolo, and Asia.
Pisco Punch International
- After conquering Peruvian bars, Pisco Punch, History, Art & Culture is preparing for a world tour. Cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Turin, Lisbon, Miami, and San Francisco await, the latter being the final destination where it all began.
It’s important to highlight that on August 6, Beckie Rosales presented the new image of Pisco Punch in Madrid. The event was held at the Peruvian Restaurant Kechua, in Madrid. Carlos Oblitas, a cultural promoter of Pisco, prepared the Pisco Punches. Prominent local guests enjoyed the delicious Pisco Punch and its history.
