Everything you wanted to know about the Hungarian pálinka!
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Pálinka is one of the most well-known Hungarian alcoholic drinks, and in recent years, its popularity has been growing both in Hungary and around the globe. Thanks to the government’s lenient rules on making pálinka, many people try to make their own at home, but it can have its risks, so if you want to taste the best pálinka and have a great experience, choose from the offer of one of the well-established distilleries such as 1 Csepp Pálinka, Rézangyal Pálinka, Agárdi, Panyolai etc.
What is pálinka?
Pálinka is a traditional Hungarian fruit distillate. “Its official description stipulates that pálinka must be fermented from fleshy pitted fruits, fruits without pits, or from berries (and from the pulp of these), distilled and bottled in Hungary. Mashing, fermenting, distilling, ageing, and bottling must all take place in Hungary,” according to the Collection of Hungarikums.
Grape marc is usually mentioned together with other pálinka, although it is legally different. “Grape marc pálinka is a pomace brandy made of grape pomace, produced and bottled in Hungary. It is made exclusively from grape pomace produced in Hungary, with fermentation, distillation, maturation, conditioning, and bottling all performed in Hungary,” says the Collection of Hungarikums. It is usually clear, but some varieties that use blue grape can have a slight colouration. Pálinka, grape marc pálinka, and certain local variants are under protected designation of origin in the European Union; the term “pálinka” can only be used by Hungary and four Austrian provinces. Pălincă is a legally protected Romanian fruit distillate that is legally independent of Hungarian pálinka.
According to Magyarországom, the most common fruit pálinka is distilled from plum, pear, apple, apricot, sour cherry, cherry, grape marc, or strawberries, but they can be made from any fruit grown in Hungary (only apricots in the Austrian provinces).
Prior to the 20th century, pálinka was predominantly made from plums.
The modern meaning of the term pálinka was consolidated in the 21st century, after its protected designation of origin status. At first, the Hungarian word pálinka simply meant spirits after its appearance in the 17th century, but in the 20th century, Hungarian pálinka was mostly made from fruit, pomace, wine, or wine lees. However, the historical Hungarian pálinka included distillates made from rye, wheat, corn, buckwheat, potatoes, and less often even beets, sweet roots, or peas. The term was used collectively until the introduction of the fine spirit industry in the first half of the 20th century.
