🥃 Pálinka

If you know slivovitz, kirsch or poire Williams, pálinka is the Hungarian answer to them: a fruit spirit whose name has been an EU geographical indication, shared by Hungary and Austria, since 2008. In Hungary it may be made only from fruit grown there, with mashing, distillation, ageing and bottling also done there. Minimum strength is 37.5% ABV, as for all fruit spirits.

Hungary's Act LXXIII of 2008 on pálinka is stricter than the general EU rules. The regulation allows a fruit spirit up to 18 g/l of sugar, but pálinka may not be sweetened even to round off the taste; it may not be flavoured or coloured either. Pomace or lees enriched with beet, cane or fruit sugar may not be used. The Austrian part of the name applies only to apricot spirits from several federal provinces.

The law also describes ageing. “Érlelt” means at least 3 months in vessels of up to 1000 l or 6 months in wooden casks of 1000 l and above. “Ó” (ópálinka) means at least a year in vessels of up to 1000 l or two years in casks of 1000 l and above. A spirit made from Hungarian grape pomace is called törkölypálinka.

Besides the shared Pálinka, the EU register lists 14 more Hungarian names in category 9: three plum (Szatmári, Békési, Nagykunsági szilvapálinka), two apricot (Kecskeméti, Gönci barackpálinka), two quince, apple, sour cherry, sweet cherry, peach, wild pear, blackthorn and Borzag pálinka from dwarf elder berries (2023).

Why it matters to you. The word “pálinka” on a label guarantees Hungarian fruit and Hungarian production, or Austrian apricot. Pálinka cannot contain sugar. “Érlelt” and “ó” mean minimum ageing, and a place name is a separate protected indication. WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.