How tasty and beloved should a cocktail be for a holiday to be established in honor of it? This is exactly the kind of cocktail there is in Peru — cocktail «Pisco sur»...
Every year on the fourth Sunday of July, Peru celebrates Cocktail Day «Pisco Sur» (National Pisco Sour Day) — is the day of the country's most popular cocktail made from grape vodka «pis», which Peruvians have been drinking since the 16th century. The holiday was officially established in May 1999.
For some time, there has been debate between Peru and Chile about the birthplace of the cocktail. Both countries are famous and use a wide variety of lemons, which have the aroma of a classic ingredient. But today there are official documents confirming that the birthplace of the Pisco drink is Peru, and thus the drink is a national Peruvian drink, which was declared part of the country's national heritage back in 1988.
In more detail, in July 2005, Peru applied for international registration of the Pisco designation of origin with WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organization) and received a response a year later, in August 2006, that Peru has the exclusive right to be called the country of origin of this drink.
On the streets and squares of all cities of the country on the fourth weekend of July, mass free tastings of the drink are held, accompanied by the rhythms of Creole music, dancing and general fun. In the south of the country, where the main production areas of «pis» are concentrated, a national competition for the best cocktail is traditionally held.
It should be noted that the celebration in honor of the national cocktail is not limited to one day: in April 2004, an official decision was made to celebrate «Pisco Sur» Day annually and on the first Saturday of February.