Singani: distilling the spirit of Bolivia

Singani is Bolivia’s signature spirit but, as Bolivian sommelier Darren Armstrong suggests, this clear brandy is more than just a spirit made in Bolivia – it actually captures the spirit of Bolivian terroir. Although it shares many qualities with Peruvian Pisco, Singani has its own long history and identity which starts hundreds of years ago…

 

The story of Singani – the Pisco of Bolivia

The history of Singani goes back to a small village in Potosí, Sinkani, where some of the first grapevines were planted by the missionaries. Life in the colonies in the Andean highlands was harsh: brutal high-altitude sunshine, lower levels of oxygen and extremely cold nights made life challenging, and the risk of vicious attacks from rival towns was constant. Singani was a strong, warming spirit that helped take the edge off this difficult way of life. 

As the population of these mining cities grew, more and more wine and Singani was sent to them — especially to Potosí. Many of the miners would also give offerings to El Tío, a spirit believed to be the lord of the underworld, often depicted as a devil-like creature. Miners would typically have a statue of El Tío in the mines and would make offerings of coca, cigars and Singani in order to ask for protection while working underground. 

The oldest and most well-known Singani producer is San Pedro, their vineyards were first planted about 500 years ago under the name San Pedro Mártir and this distillery has now been producing Singani continuously, making it one of the oldest in the Americas. Today there are numerous big brands and small artisanal producers making waves both locally and internationally. Some top brands that export include Rujero, Casa Real and Los Parrales, and San Francisco de la Horca and Tierra Alta are top boutique, cult productions.

 

The Singani process and DO

Singani at its simplest is an 80% ABV, un-aged brandy distilled from wine made from Moscatel de Alejandría. Most Singanis go through a double distillation process in order to achieve purity in the product without stripping the spirit of the characteristic Muscat aromas of orange blossom, jasmine, passionfruit, guava, citrus fruit, grapes and green herbs. It’s generally very aromatic, and smooth, elegant, and balanced on the palate.

In 1992, the Bolivian government created a Denomination of Origin for Singani and defined the area of production to include specific provinces in the regions of Potosí, Tarija, Chuquisaca, and La Paz (although Singani continues to be widely made around Bolivia). The highest designation of Singani is Singani de Altura, or high-altitude Singani; a spirit distilled from wine made 100% from Moscatel de Alejandría grapes grown at altitudes of no less than 1,600 metres, and fermented, distilled, aged and bottled in the same region in which the fruit was grown. Singani de Primera and Singani de Segunda are made from the pomace left over from winemaking, resembling Italian Grappa or French Marc. 

Most Singanis were traditionally distilled in what is called a Falca, a direct fire still which is simply a vessel or pot containing Moscatel wine set directly over an oven or fire. As the alcohol begins to evaporate through a straight tube or arm, it passes through a water tank which cools and condenses the alcohol into a liquid. Falca Singanis are much simpler, less purified and more intense. Many modern producers have since moved to using higher quality copper alambique stills, which make a more perfumed, cleaner and delicate Singani. But most small artisanal producers still use Falcas that have been in their families for generations, in order to make rich, powerful Singanis that help ease the anguishes of life — just as their forefathers did.

 

How is Pisco different to Singani?

Put most simply, Pisco and Singani go through mostly the same process of production. The large difference is that Pisco can be made from several different grape varieties whereas Singani is only permitted from Moscatel de Alejandria. 

It can be argued that this gives Singani a greater purity in expression, and it certainly is more focused on the fresh floral and fruit character. Whereas Peruvian Pisco typically has slightly more earthy expressions and a rounder mouthfeel. 

 

 

 

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