Nati Gordillo de PiscoLogía recibe premio como “destiladora artesana del año” por Craft Spirits Berlín

Gordillo fue seleccionada como la mejor del mundo entre un grupo de destiladoras de productos artesanales, sostenibles y de origen regional


La Maestra Destiladora y socia de PiscoLogía, Nati Gordillo, fue designada “destiladora artesana del año” por Craft Spirits Berlín, el principal evento de Europa para destilados artesanales. Destacando el terruño único de Azpitia, Perú, y los meticulosos métodos artesanales de Nati, Craft Spirits Berlín declaró: “Esto tiene que ser el paraíso: laderas verdes y fértiles con vides en la parte superior, un microclima suave, protegido por las altas montañas que se abren directamente detrás ellas… ..Desde el cultivo de la vid hasta la vendimia, el prensado de la uva, posteriormente la destilación y el embotellado y etiquetado, la responsabilidad es de Nati Gordillo ”.


“Para mí, la elaboración de pisco es una forma de vida. El concepto de artesanía comienza en el viñedo y termina cuando se consume PiscoLogía. Es increíble ser reconocida por la atención especial que le doy a cada lote de PiscoLogía y estar más conectado con la comunidad mundial de quienes comparten los mismos valores y principios que yo ”, afirmó la Sra. Gordillo.


La directora de educación de la marca, la socia Kami Kenna, comentó: “El premio no sólo reconoció el fenomenal trabajo de Nati como Maestra Destiladora, sino que también enfatizó el “poder de las mujeres” detrás del producto. Ha llegado el momento de que la fuerza de las mujeres productoras, especialmente de las minorías, sea reconocida en la industria de las bebidas espirituosas. Estamos muy orgullosas de Nati y del increíble pisco que hace. ¡Este hito es un paso adelante para todas las mujeres!

El concurso anual Craft Spirits Berlín, el concurso de destilados artesanales más famoso de Europa, permite a los productores exhibir sus destilados artesanales, vinos fortificados, refrescos y jarabes hechos a mano en el escenario mundial. Para obtener más información, visite:


Sobre PiscoLogía

PiscoLogía Quebranta, un pisco peruano monovarietal, ganó una medalla de oro en los premios Women’s Wine and Spirits Awards en Londres en 2019. PiscoLogía Acholado, una mezcla de piscos Italia y Quebranta, recibió una medalla de oro en los Premios SIP en California. Ambos piscos son elaborados en la Denominación de Origen de Lima (Azpitia) por la Maestra Destiladora, Nati Gordillo.

PiscoLogía está disponible en EE. UU. A través de Craft Distillers, en Canadá a través de Unknown Agency y en Japón a través de The Blue Habu Trade Group.

PiscoLogía’s Nati Gordillo Awarded Female Craft Distiller of the Year by Craft Spirits Berlin

Gordillo was selected as the best in the world among a pool of distillers of artisanal, sustainable and regionally- sourced spirits.

PiscoLogía’s Master Distiller and partner, Nati Gordillo, was designated Female Craft Distiller of the Year by Craft Spirits Berlin, Europe’s premier event for handcrafted spirits. Highlighting the unique terroir of Azpitia, Peru, and Nati’s meticulous artisanal methods, Craft Spirits Berlin declared: “This has to be paradise: green, fertile slopes with grapevines on top, a gentle microclimate, protected by the high mountains that open up directly behind them…..From the cultivation of the vines to the harvest, the pressing of the grapes, later the distillation and the bottling and labeling, the responsibility lies with Nati Gordillo”.

“For me, pisco production is a way of life. The concept of craft starts in the vineyard and ends when PiscoLogía is consumed. It is incredible to be recognized for the special attention I give to each batch of PiscoLogía and to be further connected to the worldwide community of those who share the same values and principles as I”, stated Ms. Gordillo.

Head of education for the brand, partner Kami Kenna commented: “Not only did the award recognize Nati’s phenomenal work as Master Distiller, but it also emphasized the “women power” behind the product. Now is the time for the strength of women producers, especially minorities, to be recognized in the spirits industry. We are so proud of Nati and the incredible pisco she makes. This milestone is a step in the right direction for all women!

The most renowned contest for craft spirits in Europe, the annual Craft Spirits Berlin allows producers to showcase their handcrafted spirits, fortified wines, handmade soft drinks, fillers and syrups on the worldwide stage. For more information, please visit:




PiscoLogía’s Pisco Certificate Course Recognized as a Top Trend in the Spirits Industry in 2021

Spirits Trends 2021



PiscoLogía’s certificate course was recognized as a “cocktail trend to watch in 2021” by the Spirits Business, the only international trade magazine and website in the world solely dedicated to the spirits industry. Highlighting innovative educational trends in the on-trade in 2021, the article states: While bartenders can now undertake specialist spirits education programmes, including an online course dedicated to pisco, venues looking to increase their revenue streams have also embraced the opportunity to educate consumers through cocktail‐ making masterclasses”.





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Myth #12- Acholado piscos must be made from a mix of aromatic and non-aromatic grapes

This is the 12th in a series mythbusters to clarify misconceptions about Peruvian pisco!


Acholados can be made from a blend of any of the 8 grapes permitted by the D.O. in Peru. The blend does not need to contain both aromatic and non-aromatic grapes.


Another myth about pisco that requires clarification is the notion that an acholado must be made from a blend of at least one aromatic grape and one non-aromatic grape. To address this myth, we turned to Pepe Moquillaza, Liquid Story Teller, brand Ambassador and maestro pisquero, who stated: “traditionally an acholado was made from Quebranta and a mix of aromatic grapes. However, this wasn’t enforced in the legislation of the Denomination of Origin, so that requirement is no longer. Now you can mix grapes, fermented must or piscos of any of the 8 grape types permitted by the D.O.”

Here are the D.O. rules for acholados:

4.3 Pisco acholado is obtained from a mix of:

  • Pisco grapes, aromatic and non-aromatic
  • Musts of aromatic and non-aromatic pisco grapes
  • Completely fermented fresh musts (wine) of aromatic and non-aromatic pisco grapes.
  • Piscos made from aromatic and non-aromatic pisco grapes.


And just a reminder, those pisco grapes are: Quebranta, Negra Criolla, Mollar, Uvina (non-aromatic) and Albilla, Italia, Torontel and Moscatel (aromatic).

So there you have it- one can find all types of acholado piscos in Peru, and blends made from solely non-aromatic or aromatic grapes are permitted. The end result in the bottle comes down to the vineyard and the preferences of the master distiller.

Piuchiu, the Pre-Columbian Peruvian Distillate

Pisco came to existence after King Philip IV prohibited the importation of Peruvian wine in Spain in 1641, forcing locals to distill their fermented grape juice into clear brandy. In “Pisco: its Name, its History”, Gonzalo Gutiérrez highlights how pisco production increased after this restriction. According to Gutiérrez, the Jesuit Order was largely responsible for the significant brandy production in Peru, especially in Pisco and Nazca (51). Since that time, our favorite distilled spirit has become one of Peru’s most significant cultural symbols.

However, while the Jesuits and colonizers are responsible for pisco’s growth, distillation existed long before the arrival of foreigners to Peru. According to T. Fairley in The Early History of Distillation, Peruvians were distilling native materials before colonization. He states: “In the 16th century, the Spaniards found the Peruvians using an apparatus of this kind…It is probable that the Peruvians used this apparatus long before the date of the Spanish conquest. ”(560).  The image below depicts the still described by Fairley (561):

pre columbian still, peru distillation

So what were native Peruvians distilling with this fascinating contraption? According to Fairley, piuchiu was the spirit of choice, made from fermented corn or yuca (known as chicha). Chicha is heavily consumed in Peru, especially in the Andes, where chicherías provide locals with endless supplies of the tangy corn ferment. A red plastic bag tied to a stick marks the entrance of a chichería, typically inside someone’s adobe home.

While fermented chicha is ubiquitous now, oddly you won’t find piuchiu in Peru. Somehow this distilling custom went out of practice. So how was piuchiu made? After fermenting the corn or yuca, the native Peruvians placed the fermented liquor, “into a deep earthen pot, having a hole in the side near the top, through which passes a wooden gutter of the form shown, connecting the receiver. Over the top a pan, filled with cold water and luted to the pot with clay, is placed. This acts as the condenser and the spirit flows along the groove into the bottle or receiver” (561).

piuchiu, distillation peru, pisco history Chart depicting ancient distilled spirits in various countries. Maize and manioc were the fermented base used to make Puichiu.

Another more rudimentary variation of a still was documented by Édouard Charton and illustrated by Édouard Riou in Le Tour Du Monde: Nouveau Journal Des Voyages. As seen below, the fermented liquid was boiled in a ceramic urn. Sheepskins were then hung over the boiling pot to catch the vapors. Once wet, the sheepskins were wrung out to extract the alcohol as it accumulated.


Ancient distillation Peru

In summary, while colonizers should receive credit for widespread distillation in Peru’s pisco-making history, T. Fairley’s research demonstrates Peruvians were distilling native ingredients before their arrival. In the end, this information is further proof of Peru’s diverse history, culture and delightful culinary portfolio.



Works Consulted:

Charton, Edouard, 1807-1890. Le Tour Du Monde: Nouveau Journal Des Voyages. Paris: Libraire de L. Hachette,

Fairley, T. The Early History of Distillation. Harrison and Sons, 1907.

Gutiérrez, Gonzalo. Pisco: Its Name, Its History. Editorial Académica Española, 2020.


Press Release






The article can be found at the following link:

Pisco Certificate Course-Misleading Name of Pisco Elqui

Misleading Name of Pisco Elqui


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