Grand Marnier to launch prestige pisco in UK

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Pisco is having something of a moment in London. No longer the preserve of South Americans, who like to mix it with Coke into a "Piscola", the Peruvian food boom in London last year also brought Chile and Peru's national drink over to the capital in the form of the refreshing Pisco Sour. 

Spotting London's growing thirst for the grape-based spirit, Charles de Bournet, a seventh generation member of the Marnier Lapostolle family, makers of orange-flavoured brandy liqueur Grand Marnier, has decided to strike while the iron is hot and launch his super-premium pisco – Kappa – in the UK.

Made from 100% Muscat grapes grown in the cool climate Elqui Valley in Chile, Kappa takes its name from a star cluster within the Southern Cross Constellation visible at night in the Elqui Valley. Nicknamed the “Jewel Box”, Kappa Crucis is considered one of the most beautiful star clusters in the Southern Hemisphere.                     

de Bournet has capitalised on his family’s Cognac making expertise, bringing a cutting edge copper alambic skill from Cognac to Chile in which to make the pisco. Unlike many piscos, Kappa is double distilled in the Cognac model in order to heighten the complexity of flavours and aromas in the spirit.

He believes the quality of the Muscat grapes from Elqui and the company’s distilling knowledge both play a critical role in the pisco’s quality. “It has the soul of Cognac, the versatility of vodka, the complexity of gin and the smoothness of Tequila,” de Bournet told the drinks business, adding, “I’m a big pisco fan and wanted to bring something new to the market and create a new super-premium category.

Just 5,000 cases of the spirit are currently made, but de Bournet has ambitious expansion plans for the brand, with a barrel-aged variant in the pipeline.