What is palinka in Hungary?

What is pálinka in Hungary?

Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit (or fruit brandy) in Eastern and Central Europe with origins in Hungary, more exactly known under several names, and invented in the Middle Ages.

Is pálinka a wine?

Each winery has its own If you visit a Hungarian winery, you are quite likely to be poured one or more pálinkas at the end of the wine tasting. They use either grape or marc, but one thing is sure: pálinka is cherished as much as their wines.

What alcohol is in pálinka?

fruit brandy
For any celebration, event or gathering – any excuse would do, actually – Hungarians bring out their most revered beverage: pálinka. This grappa-like fruit brandy – with an alcohol content ranging from 37-86% – is a staple in any Hungarian household, and its history is entwined with that of the country itself.

Can you get pálinka in the US?

Pálinka can only be manufactured in Hungary due, primarily, to legal reasons. Although this liquor was first invented in Hungary in the Middle Ages, only this century it was awarded Protected Domestic Origin by the European Union.

Is rakija a pálinka?

Also known as pálinka in Hungary and Romania, rakija is typically made from fermented and distilled fruit like grapes, plums, apricots, pears, cherries or raspberries. Sometimes it’s also infused with other flavors like honey, walnuts or rose.

What does palinka taste like?

To the gentle palate of a white wine drinker, palinka tastes sort of like a slap in the face — rubbing alcohol with a hint of apricot, plum or whatever fruit it was made out of. Given that it is often half-pure alcohol — or more — it is probably best consumed far from an open flame.

What is the best palinka?

Palinka lovers say that the finest and most delicious palinka is made from the plum variety called ‘Besztercei’. Its heavenly taste and nice acidity make it the perfect palinka of all time.

Is pálinka a Romanian?

In Romania, palinca refers to the strong, twice-distilled plum brandy made in Transylvania, as opposed to the weaker plum spirit called tuica, manufactured in the south of the country.