What is Pálinka and Its History?
Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit and, while many forms of this drink are known all over the world, only Hungary and 4 Austrian provinces are allowed to use the name pálinka for such a drink. This was mandated by law LXXIII of 2004, often referred to as "pálinka law", which is based on the regulation of generic fruit spirits of the European Union.
Pálinka is traditionally made from plums, cherries, grapes, pears, apples and peaches but can actually be made out of any kind of fruit that grows in Hungary.
Its first mention in literature was in 1630 when it was derived from the Slovakian word “palenka”, which means distilled fruits, cereals and wine—at the same time. The first fruity pálinka was actually “born” in Hungary in 1658. In fact, archaeologists found several types of equipment that proved making pálinka was a separate industry in Hungary at the time. The word “pálinka” became part of the Hungarian language during this time as well.
Interestingly, “burnt-wine”(another term used for pálinka back then) bottles were found in Hungary and their age dates back to the 13th century. These bottles were found to be of Italian origin. In the next century, doctors in Hungary also became familiar with this “medicinal drink” because pálinka was used as a medicine for different maladies at that time. King Charles I, also known as Charles Robert (Hungarian: Károly Róbert) was also familiar with an alcoholic beverage that was very similar to pálinka. His wife, Queen Elisabeth suffered from arthritis and doctors used a rosemary-infused wine distillate to treat her illness.
This drink was called “Aqua vitae reginae Hungariae”, which means in Latin: the “Hungarian Queen’s water of life”.
By the 19th century there were over one thousand distilleries in Hungary which produced pálinka both for Hungary as well as for export to other neighboring countries. During World War II, stricter laws and rules were enacted which set new standards for the manufacture of pálinka. Starting in 1990, Hungarian pálinka manufacturing facilities were renovated due to outdated equipment and a shortage of ingredients necessary for production.
"We started this company with the goal of creating a platform to help pálinka to be appreciated in the United States."
Founder, APC
We sincerely believe pálinka to be one of the world’s most intriguing, expertly crafted liquors and want to dedicate this platform to sharing information about this unique spirit with the American public.
