If you are “BETWEEN PISCO AND NAZCA” you are happily inebriated.

It’s an old Peruvian saying and it refers to a small coastal town of Ica, which lies geographically between Pisco and Nazca, where its inhabitants are frequently to be discovered in the same state that the saying describes. It is one of the most productive region in the Ica Department where can be produce During the early part of the 17th century, wine production from Peru was so successful that exports to Spain began to threaten the local Iberian production. To avoid the threat of competition, King Felipe II of Spain placed a ban on trade of Peruvian wine.

Consequently, coastal landowners began to increase the production of “aguardiente”, a Peruvian grape liquor that had already been in local production for some time. This grape-based liquor soon became a popular beverage among travellers to the region, particularly for its high quality characteristics. It soon gained prestige throughout the world and exports departing from the port of Pisco increased considerably. It didn’t take long before this renowned product inherited the name from where it first originated and a new drinking culture was born for Pisco.