🥃 Borovička

If you like gin, borovička is the Slovak juniper drink to know, though legally it is not gin. It is made from alcohol flavoured with a distillate and berries of juniper. EU law has no separate “borovička” category: it is a juniper-flavoured spirit drink of category 19 (30% ABV or more). Two Slovak names are protected: Spišská borovička and Trenčianska borovička “Juniperus”. ²³⁴

Spišská borovička is a geographical indication protected in the EU since 23 September 2003. According to the technical file (2016), it is made in the historic region of Spiš, in the districts of Spišská Nová Ves, Stará Ľubovňa, Poprad, Levoča, Kežmarok and Gelnica, from grain alcohol, juniper distillate, juniper infusion, liquid invert sugar and water. The strength is 40% ABV. ¹²

For the juniper distillate, the berries are ground, covered with warm water, nutrients and yeast are added, and the mash is fermented. The mash is then distilled together with purified alcohol in a batch still fitted with a trap for juniper oil. The finished mixture rests for at least 14 days. About five dried berries or a sprig of juniper are placed in each bottle by hand, giving a slightly yellowish colour. ¹

According to the technical file, Spišská borovička is a clear liquid without sediment, slightly yellowish, with a mild juniper taste and aroma. Its strength may range from 39.7 to 40.3 % vol. The taste comes above all from a defined share of juniper distillate; the berries may be not only common juniper but also Juniperus oxycedrus. ¹

Trenčianska borovička «Juniperus» differs: it is a clear, colourless drink of 42 % vol. that may take on a golden tint when aged. Its basis is aged juniper distillate from a two-step distillation of a fermented mash of common and prickly juniper berries, blended with neutral spirit and a little liquid sugar. The taste is full, with a long, spicy aftertaste. The specification contrasts this method with maceration, distillation through a juniper filter and natural flavourings. ⁶

The technical file traces the drink to the second half of the 18th century: a map of 1773 shows a distillery near Stará Ľubovňa castle, and in Spišská Belá borovička has been made since 1778. The name “Spišská borovička” was already protected by Czechoslovakia’s agreements with Switzerland (1976) and Austria (1981). The second GI, Trenčianska borovička “Juniperus”, was registered on 8 May 2024. ¹³

Why it matters to you. The word “borovička” alone does not guarantee origin, while “Spišská” or “Trenčianska” mean the rules of their own specification. The minimum for category 19 is only 30% ABV, so check the strength on the label. Spišská borovička always has juniper berries or a sprig in the bottle. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe dose of alcohol. ¹⁴⁵