Posted in Cocktail magazine Edition No.47 December 2021
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Tasting Pisco is a challenge to our senses, as we have mentioned before. We concentrate on identifying, subjectively, the virtues or defects of our Pisco through its aroma and taste. We use our olfactory memory to recall different scents: "this aroma reminds me of pineapple, the countryside, fresh, dry, or damp herbs, etc." Some aromas may also remind us of the past, like those Sunday family lunches with good food, wine, and pisco, or those days spent in the countryside to the north of Lima in Santa Rosa de Quives or in some place in Azpitia, southern, surrounded by the scents of nature and the sound of the river. The partridges for the sauce (el tuco) came from there, to accompany the polenta. We can say that tasting not only brings back memories but also connects with our feelings.
Efficiency in tasting is achieved through constant practice, and as we get to know each of our senses, we will improve our work every day. I have the impression that these senses have been underestimated, as no one teaches us how to use them. We learn to value them over time; however, our ancestors used them to search for food, protect themselves from dangerous predators, detect spoiled food, or identify if something is wrong with our health. Our sense of smell & taste are directly connected to the brain. The nerve endings in the nose identify the odor, and the taste buds identify the sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami flavors. In addition to the pleasures they bring, they work for our safety and survival.
Let's go back to the tasters. There is a difference between a taster evaluating and a panel of tasters. With a group of trained tasters, we can evaluate Pisco more accurately. By having different opinions, we can work statistically, and the majority will define the characteristic of the Pisco with a result that is more adjusted to reality. A single taster offers us his or her personal appreciation, taste, but a panel of tasters offers us a range of opinions. This is why many producers seek the opinion of several tasters to know if their product is in excellent condition, if the alcohol has achieved the desired balance, or if it requires more rest to improve. A young Pisco (restless) is perceived in taste with a high alcohol sensation, prickling in different areas that come and go, which does not allow us to appreciate the distilled correctly.
Above all, Pisco should be perceived as balanced and round in the aromas & taste, regardless of its alcohol content. Tasters should be in constant evaluation, as tasting requires constant practice. If we do not use our senses, it will become increasingly difficult for us to differentiate aromas, tastes, virtues, or defects as time passes. I remember that at the end of the taster's course, we went through a sensory perception exam consisting of eight glasses with our eight Pisco grapes. "Can you identify them?" was the question. If one has prepared, they have a reference for each of the grapes. In my case, I initially identify the easiest ones, the Uvina, the only one with memories of olives, and the Italia, the most aromatic. Then, I move on to the Negra Criolla (Black Creole), with scents of fields, to the woody part of the vine, the Torontel with citrus aromas, the Albilla chamomile infusion aromas, the Quebranta fresh, with apple scents, the Mollar, which is similar to Quebranta, white fruits, pecans, raisins, and the Moscatel with that finish in taste that reminds me of yellow chili pepper (aji amarillo). Enjoy Pisco responsibly.
Til next time!
By Livio Pastorino Wagner
Sommelier, Specialist, and Pisco Taster
Registration: CRDO-PISCO 2020 RCO-034-2011
@elmagozurdo
Pisco & music
Spanish version
Posted in Cocktail magazine Edition No.47 December 12 / 2021
Translation assistance was provided by a language AI translation tool
December 2021
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