Just when you thought it was safe to put the old Pisco Wars to rest (you were fighting in the Pisco Wars, weren’t you?), Kappa comes along and dredges it back up again. You see, unlike the vast majority of modern Piscos, Kappa hails from Chile, not Peru, the latter of which has long claimed (and, for the most part, been accepted as) the true home of “real” Pisco.

Pisco, for those not in the know, is essentially an unaged brandy, and it’s available in nearly as many styles as whiskey is. Kappa is its own monster — made by Grand Marnier not from the traditional grapes of Peru but from Muscat. So far so good: Some of the best grappas tend to be Muscat-based, so why not Pisco?

You catch that unmistakeable citrus on the nose, plus Pisco’s equally unmistakeable funkiness. From there, the body takes you toward flowers — strong honeysuckle and a little rose petal, almost like a gin. That menthol, wood oil, and petrol character pervades, however, marring some of Kappa’s natural delicacy. The finish is pungent, and a bit rustic, a weird counterbalance to some of the lighter notes in the mid-palate.

Interesting stuff, but the crazy bottle design is more of a conversation piece.

85 proof.

B+ / $34 

Kappa Pisco

$34

8.5

Rating

8.5/10