Entrepreneur David Herrera, 41, registered the name Pedro Piscal in 2023 and began selling the spirit in shops and restaurants. He said: “We tried a few names and Pedro Piscal stuck,” adding that he was surprised to receive legal correspondence from the actor’s representatives.

Pascal, who was born in Chile, has applied to take control of the brand, citing similarities with his name and public profile. While he did not attend a recent hearing, his legal team pointed to early successes, including rulings transferring ownership of two web domains to the actor and the registration of his name as a trademark.

Herrera claims he and his cousins were always fond of a piscola – pisco and Coca-Cola poured over ice – and that they would call it a “piscal”. As for ‘Pedro’, he says that comes from the Pedro Ximénez grape variety from which the liquor is distilled.

Herrera maintains the brand does not trade on Pascal’s image or likeness. “We don’t use [Pascal’s] face or his likeness anywhere. We’re just selling a good product,” he said.

A decision in the case is expected later this year.