Alto del Carmen Pisco Reservado

Chilean winemakers are known for opening their arms to forgotten European grape varieties, nursing them back to health, and then releasing them back to the rest of the world - and we can’t thank them enough for it. Chile’s friendly, delicious Carmenères are the best example, but Chile is generally one of the most consistent sources of delicious, ready-to-drink, approachable wines.

Referred to a "Puro Pisco," Alto del Carmen Reservado is a 100% natural brandy double distilled in small batches from Muscat grapes and pristine spring water drawn from the nearby mountains. After distillation, the young brandy is aged six to eight months in 200-liter American white oak barrels.

Made of 100% Muscat grapes delicately aged six to eight months in 200-liter American oaks casks, resulting in a golden color, aging for up to eight months and slowly distilled with the crystal-clear water from the high Andes, giving this brandy a higher quality of flavor and a transparent spirit with a delicate bouquet. A sweet aroma with a banana-maple like flavor gives this liquor a stand-alone taste.

Smooth with a lime tone and medium body, this delectable brandy is made in northern Chile just outside of Vicuna in the strikingly beautiful Elqui Valley. It is pressed from Rosa Moscatel grapes, double distilled to remove any sharpness and then aged in barrels made of American oak. A true Chilean tradition from the Cooperativa Agrícola Pisquera Elqui Limitada.

Pisco is the oldest spirit made in the Americas. Spanish Conquistadors brought the first wine-producing grapes to the continent some 500 years ago. While pisco can be distilled from one or a blend of 8 varietals, the prevalent grape is white Muscat, a hardy, golden-yellow variety with succulent aromatics and a gentle flavor. Stringent production regulations by the Chilean government assure the highest possible quality of their country's national spirit. Few illustrate this better than Alto del Carmen Pisco Reservado.

Alto del Carmen is a sublime treat. The light, golden hued brandy has a satiny body and a generous floral, vegetal, and citrus bouquet. The longer the pisco is allowed to breath, the more of its aromatics are released. It has a smooth, gentle entry and barely raises any heat as it bathes the palate with lightly spiced fruit flavors. The lingering finish is warm and laced with notes of black cherries, plums, vanilla and toffee.

Tasting Notes:

Color: Medium and bright amber. The legs are thin and delicate.

Aromas: Medium intensity of muscat, with balanced notes of caramel and nuts.

Flavor: Sweet, round, muscat, toasted wood. Medium persistence

Alto del Carmen is bottled with 400 years of tradition in every drop. Alto del Carmen are enjoyed straight and, on the rocks, before, during and after dinner.