03 Mar Startup Stories Of Spirits Entrepreneurs: Encanto Pisco
This post originally appeared on FoodableTV.com Encanto Pisco, started in 2010, is a brand made “from the heart” by three seasoned industry friends: award-winning distiller Carlos Ruben Romero-Gamero, bar owner Duggan McDonnell, and sommelier Walter Moore. The three men first met at McDonnell’s bar, Cantina, in San Francisco and with their knowledge in various aspects of the business (distillation, cocktail creation and wholesale), they created Encanto Pisco. Moore first experienced pisco in Peru in 2009. “I had already begun to do some consulting with spirits brands, but hadn’t yet experienced pisco. It was a revelation for me. I wanted to get my hands into pisco and the beautiful grapes behind it.”Early Lessons Learned // Favorite Cocktail
The biggest lesson the team at Encanto Pisco experienced in their first year was “a truly positive one,” says Moore. They realized how supportive the spirits community is. “It’s been an incredible experience and lesson for us.”
When asked which cocktail is his favorite to feature Encanto’s spirits in, Moore found it challenging to select just one. “This is kind of like being asked about your favorite child,” he says. But if he had to choose one, it would be the crowd-pleasing Pisco Punch. “The drink is beautiful with simple ingredients and an amazing history and connection to the Bay Area,” he says. It’s a San Francisco original, as it was created at San Francisco’s bygone Bank Exchange Saloon in the mid-19th century.
McDonnell, Moore and Romero, the team behind Encanto, are leading the movement to return the Pisco Punch to its rightful place as a classic cocktail with deep roots in San Francisco’s Barbary Coast history. The team released Encanto’s Original Bank Exchange Pineapple Cordial, a pineapple gomme syrup that is a quintessential component of the Pineapple Punch, making Encanto the first pisco brand to craft and release a “mixer” for pisco.
Pisco Punch
- 2 oz. Campo de Encanto ‘Grand & Noble’ Pisco
- 1 oz. Pisco Punch Pineapple Gomme Cordial
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- .5 oz. Lillet Rouge, or your favorite red wine
- 1 dash Aromatic Bitters
Shake, fine-strain into an old cocktail goblet and express an orange peel over the glass.
Moore adds an extra touch to his Pisco Punch. “Mine has sparkling wine in it, so what’s not to love?” He tops this drink with .5 ounces of bubbles, preferably Spanish Cava. There is a nice synergy in the drink as the grapes in Peru came from Spain more than 500 years ago.
Another favorite drink is the Pisco Sour. Inspired by International Pisco Sour Day, the first Saturday of February, the Encanto team created the “What’s in Your Sour?” campaign. Consumers and bartenders from around the country send recipes year-round, highlighting new twists on the original cocktail. Moore says, “We’re in the middle of winter citrus season — a perfect time to experiment! We decided to encourage people to try Pisco Sours and share their experiences on social media to really have some fun with it! We’ve seen Sours made with Cara Cara and blood oranges, Rangpur and key limes, Meyer lemons. Beautiful!”
Moore finds so much inspiration in pisco. “For me, it is my love for making good wine and the creative process behind it. I love being able to take something with so much character and put our own spin on it. It is about taking something unique from the land, making history and heralding pisco in a way that’s never been done before.”
His advice for others looking to work in the spirits industry?
“Be all in. It’s an industry that really demands your full passion and participation,” says Moore. “If you aren’t passionate about this industry, look elsewhere. If you’re truly wanting to be here, you’ll find great camaraderie and support — and some of the best friends you’ll ever make.”
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