International Pisco Sour Day is a holiday observed annually on the first Saturday in February. It is a day that honors the national drink of Peru, the Pisco Sour. The name of this drink comes from the base alcohol of Pisco—an amber-colored brandy made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit—and lemon juice.

It’s one of the most popular drinks in Peru and is served at every celebration and in just about every bar and restaurant across the entire country. Its popularity has led to a whole holiday dedicated in its honor, a holiday that we intend on celebrating.

The History of International Pisco Sour Day

Although no one really knows who invented the Pisco Sour, many people attribute it to American bartender Victor Vaughen Morris—a bartender who also helped to popularize the drink. He was working at a railway company in Peru.

He was put in charge of the celebrations for the completion of a railway project and noticed that the guests had consumed all of the whiskey. This is when, as the story goes, he mixed Pisco into a cocktail. This would have been around the turn of the 20th century, and since that time, the Pisco Sour has gone on to become the most important drink in Peru.

As far as who invented International Pisco Sour Day, we simply can’t fathom it. We don’t know who invented this holiday, why they invented it, or when they invented it. We do know that this holiday has been around for a few years.

Some Quick Yet Amazing Facts About Pisco

When most people hear about the Pisco Sour, one of the first things they often ask is what Pisco is. While other forms of alcohol are well known around the world, Pisco is one that is only now gaining some notoriety outside of Peru. So let’s take a few moments and look at some amazing facts about this spirit.

• Pisco has been produced in Chile and Peru since the 16th century.
• Pisco is a type of brandy.
• The drink called Pisco Punch was loved by Mark Twain and Rudyard Kipling.

Observing International Pisco Sour Day

Enjoying a Pisco Sour is the quintessential way of observing this holiday. All a person really needs are the basics: some Pisco, lemon juice, Angostura bitters, simple syrup, and an egg white.

Of course, there are also variations on the basic recipe, so everyone interested in celebrating International Pisco Sour Day might want to check some of them out before deciding on how this day should be observed. Amateur bartenders can share their favorite Pisco Sour recipes on the internet using the hashtag #InternationalPiscoSourDay.