La Caravedo
Pisco
Ica Valley, Peru
Luxury piscos produced in the oldest distillery in the Americas, est. 1684
Created by
Bill & Brent Kallup, with the help of pisco guru Johnny Schuler
Johnny
The Origin Story
Taking expert advice
Although the Hacienda la Caravedo has been in operation for over three hundred years, Caravedo as a brand is a far more recent project. It came to life when Bill & Brent Kallup sought out pisco expert, Johnny Schuler, to begin producing craft piscos for exportation. Johnny has dedicated most of his life to the pisco industry, travelling the world to educate industry professionals and the public about the history and fabrication of pisco.
A lifetime of pisco
Johnny’s passion for pisco began in 1977, when he was asked to judge a pisco competition. After tasting eighty different piscos, he was amazed by the variety and depth of the beverages. He went on to become a renowned expert in the field, including having his own pisco-themed TV show Por las Rutas del Pisco, and is the person responsible for tasting and verifying the authenticity of any spirit aiming to be officially designated as a Peruvian pisco.
An intelligent setup
Every part of Caravedo’s pisco comes from the hacienda itself. Its position on the banks of a river means that the soil is ideal for growing grapes. Each field is dedicated to a specific variety, and all harvesting is done gently by hand. The grapes are pressed in a traditional wooden usillo, and the “must” (extracted grape juice) is macerated for 24 hours. The Hacienda la Caravedo is cleverly set up to allow gravity to help with the process – the macerated must flows downwards from the puntaya (saturation basin) to the fermentation tanks, where natural yeast turns the sugar content to alcohol.
The secret sauce
Pure pisco
Pisco is a highly regulated designation. Among other criteria, it must be made from one or more of eight specific grape varieties, be produced in one of five coastal regions of Peru, be single-distilled to proof, and cannot be aged in wood. In accordance with these rules, Caravedo’s piscos are single-distilled in a 100% copper still, never diluted, and rested for six months to a year in glass-lined concrete containers. This lets the piscos evolve their flavours and aromas in a non-reactive environment, resulting in an intensely pure sensory experience.
Perfect beauty
Caravedo’s attention to detail, and relentless insistence on quality control upon every step of the journey, results in flawlessly perfect piscos. Each variety has its own unique qualities, but they all share the intensely precise standard that Johnny Schuler’s years of expertise has lent to the production process. Caravedo honours the land and heritage of Peru by upholding traditional standards for pristine quality, and producing exceptional, impeccable pisco.