For many decades, pálinka was not considered an elegant spirit because it was primarily the drink of the common folk. True, the beverage always had a lot of potential to be enjoyed in more prestigious circles, but a market for it needed to be developed first.
In 2002, a regulation was introduced that stated that distillations could only be called ‘pálinka’ if they were made of fruits grown and processed in Hungary (without the addition of sugar and artificial flavorings). And so two years later, in 2004, the European Union acknowledged pálinka as a Hungaricum.
Pálinka consumption has definitely changed over the years; now, the younger generation tends to enjoy drinking pálinka as a high-quality beverage. However, for some people, pálinka still evokes memories of downing the spirit in order to get drunk, not caring about the taste. But pálinka deserves better.
Agárdi Pálinkafőzde (Agárd Pálinka Distillary) is one of the pioneering distilleries keen to inspire a profound change in the pálinka market in order to improve the drink’s image and sometimes negative connotations. Tibor Vértes, the managing director and co-owner of Agárdi Pálinkafőzde helped us to understand the conquest of pálinka in recent years.
Agárdi Pálinkafőzde offers premium-quality pálinka, with prices ranging from 4,000 to 10,000 HUF per bottle (the more expensive products come in 0.35 liter bottles). “Due to their costly ingredients, the world market price of fruit distillates is much higher than that of ethanol,” explains Tibor Vértes. “Out of 100 kg fruit, you only get 3.5-4 liters of distillate! What’s more, to produce a first-rate spirit, you not only need top-quality fruit but also modern fermentation and distillation techniques as well as expertise. And they are all expensive. However, if one of them is missing, it is of serious detriment to the quality”.
In addition, in contrast with spirits distilled from fermented grain, such as whisky and vodka, pálinka-making is highly seasonal, as ripe and succulent fruits are not available all-year-round. “Also, similarly to wine, it is crucial where the fruit comes from, what variety it is and in which year the pálinka was produced,” adds Tibor Vértes. Accordingly, Agárdi was the first distillery to give vintage years to its products. Finally, the managing director notes that in order to raise Pálinka’s prestige, patriotism would be essential when choosing a drink.
Agárdi Pálinkafőzde
2484 Agárd, Sreiner tanya
Tel.: +36.22.579.164
E-mail: agardi@agardi.hu