Chilcano recipe
Pisco, lime, ginger ale, and bitters make Peru's easygoing, fragrant answer to the mule.
Method: Build ·
Glass: Highball glass ·
Time: 2 min ·
Difficulty: Beginner ·
Family: The Highball Family
Ingredients
- 2 oz Pisco
- 1/2 oz Fresh Lime Juice
- 3 oz Ginger Ale
- 2 dashes Angostura Bitters
How to make a Chilcano
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Add pisco and fresh lime juice.
- Top with cold ginger ale.
- Add bitters and stir once gently.
- Garnish with lime and ginger.
Garnish
Lime wheel and a thin slice of fresh ginger.
Pro tip
Pisco varies from floral and grapey to earthy. Choose a gentle, aromatic one here and keep the ginger ale cold and freshly opened.
History of the Chilcano
The Chilcano is a popular Peruvian highball, often described as a pisco take on the long Italian ginger drinks that arrived with immigrants. It is a standard warm-weather order in Lima.
Flavour profile
Ginger, Citrus, Floral, Refreshing
Variations
- Chilcano de Maracuyá — Add 1/2 oz passionfruit purée before topping with ginger ale.
- Spicy Chilcano — Add two thin jalapeño slices and use ginger beer.
- Chilcano Seco — Use dry ginger beer and add a bar spoon of simple syrup only if needed.
Practise making the Chilcano in the free Virtual Bar game.