Pisco: controlled and guaranteed denomination of origin

The Peruvian Institute for the Defense of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property (Indecopi), informs of recent operation set up to verify the use of the term ‘pisco’.

INDECOPI conducted an operation in the city Chincha (Ica region) where it visited 21 shops to verify the use of the denomination of origin ‘pisco’ in alcoholic beverages. Through the Directorate of Distinctive Signs together with the staff of the national customs and tax administration (SUNAT), they seized more than 500 bottles filled with alcohol which were using the said DO despite not having the respective authorization.


In 2011 INDECOPI awarded to the National Association of Producers of Pisco, the authorization to operate as the Regulator of the said DO. The Regulatory Council guides, monitors and control the production and processing of Pisco. Besides, if a manufacturer wants to use a DO, it needs to be authorized by the Directorate of Distinctive Signs at INDECOPI.

A triviality (or not, especially for the EU market)
In 2013, the EU registered Pisco as a DO from Peru. However, there is a note which acknowledged a previous (2002) Trade Agreement between Chile and the EU in which Pisco was recognized as a DO from Chile. The note clarifies that the protection granted to "Pisco" as a DO to Peru does not hinder the use of that name for products originating in Chile.