🥃 Gönc apricot pálinka (Gönci Barackpálinka)
Apricot pálinka from the Gönc area of north-eastern Hungary — only from apricots with the PGI «Gönci kajszibarack»; strength from 37.5 % vol.
Gönc apricot pálinka (Gönci Barackpálinka) is a Hungarian EU geographical indication for pálinka from apricots that themselves have a protected name, «Gönci kajszibarack». The fruit grows in the Gönc area of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, and fermentation, distillation, ageing and bottling are carried out only in the 46 municipalities of this area.
The name has been protected in the EU since 13 February 2008 (PGI-HU-02052). The list of municipalities includes Gönc, Encs, Szikszó, Miskolc, Szerencs, Tállya and others. According to the technical file, after phylloxera orchards replaced the vineyards of the former Abaúj county; in 1871 Gönc was already famous for its apricots. The local variety Magyar kajszi C 235 was provisionally recognised in 1960 and finally in 1976.
The permitted varieties are Gönci magyar kajszi, Magyar kajszi C 235, Mandulakajszi, Bergeron, Ceglédi Piroska, Ceglédi bíborkajszi, Ceglédi arany, Ceglédi óriás and Pannónia; fruit refraction is 15 % or more and diameter 30 mm or more. The stones are removed, the mash ferments for 6–14 days at 18–22 °C, distillation is double fractional or equivalent, resting is in stainless steel, and ageing is in wood.
The minimum strength is 37.5 % vol., as is general for fruit distillates; methanol up to 1200 g/hl, hydrocyanic acid up to 7 g/hl of pure alcohol, copper up to 10 mg/kg. Flavourings, colourings and sugar are prohibited. Averages over 50 years: 1800–1900 hours of sunshine, 19 °C in July, 500–600 mm of rainfall. It is sold only in bottles of up to 1 l, not in bulk.
Why this matters to you. «Gönci» means double protection: both the fruit and the pálinka have their own name. The minimum strength here is lower than for Kecskeméti (37.5 against 40 % vol.), so check the label. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| EU category | 9 — fruit distillate; PGI-HU-02052, protected since 13.02.2008 |
|---|---|
| Raw material | apricots with the PGI «Gönci kajszibarack», 9 varieties; refraction from 15 %, diameter from 30 mm |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | from 37.5 % vol. |
| Minimum maturation | not compulsory; resting in stainless steel, ageing in wood |
| Distillation method | double fractional distillation or equivalent equipment |
| Legal basis | technical file Ares(2017)2563907; Reg. (EU) 2019/787, Art. 37; Hungarian Act LXXIII of 2008 |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Gönc apricot pálinka (Gönci Barackpálinka) → kind of → 🍎 Fruit brandies → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation, 🍷 Yeast
- Packed in
- 🍷 Oak barrel, 🍷 Glass
- Made from
- 🧪 Water
- What it contains
- 🍷 Ethanol
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Part of
- 🍎 Fruit brandies, 🥃 Pálinka
- Related to
- 📍 Tokaj, 🌍 Central Europe
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Fruit spirit, 🥃 Kecskemét apricot pálinka (Kecskeméti Barackpálinka), 🥃 Kecskemét apricot pálinka (Kecskeméti Barackpálinka)
Frequently asked questions
What is Gönc apricot pálinka?
An EU-protected name (category 9) for pálinka from apricots with the PGI «Gönci kajszibarack» from the Gönc area; it is distilled and bottled only in the 46 municipalities listed in the technical file.
Is it true that Gönci and Kecskeméti are the same pálinka?
No. They are two separate names with different areas (the north-east of the country and the Kiskunság), different lists of varieties and a different minimum strength — 37.5 % against 40 % vol.
What is «Gönci kajszibarack»?
A protected geographical indication for the apricots themselves (HU-PGI-0005-0388), registered under Regulation (EU) No 1151/2012. Gönci pálinka may be made only from such apricots.
What strength does Gönc pálinka have?
From 37.5 % vol. Methanol is permitted up to 1200 g/hl and hydrocyanic acid up to 7 g/hl of pure alcohol.
Where does the Hungarian word kajszi come from?
According to the technical file, the word «kajszi-baraczk» (apricot) first appeared in 1667 in a work by János Lippai; Hungarian apricots were known in Europe as early as the 16th century.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Alcoholic fermentation — Yeast eats the sugar in the must and releases alcohol and carbon dioxide.
- 🍷 Oak barrel — A wooden barrel of oak staves in which wine matures and breathes.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🧪 Water — ~87% of milk.
Similar
🥃 Kecskemét apricot pálinka (Kecskeméti Barackpálinka) · 🥃 Szabolcs apple pálinka (Szabolcsi Almapálinka) · 🥃 Újfehértó sour cherry pálinka (Újfehértói meggypálinka) · 🥃 Homokhátság peach pálinka (Homokháti őszibarack pálinka) · 🥃 Madaras quince pálinka (Madarasi birspálinka) · 🥃 Nagykunság quince pálinka (Nagykunsági birspálinka)
⚠️ Spirit drinks contain alcohol and are for adults only. Alcohol harms health. Do not drink during pregnancy or before driving; check the label for ingredients and possible allergens.
Sources
- eAmbrosia: technical file «Gönci Barackpálinka» (transmission of an established GI), Ares(2017)2563907 — EN version
- eAmbrosia (EU register of geographical indications): Gönci Barackpálinka, PGI-HU-02052 (EUGI00000014163)
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019): Annex I cat. 9 (fruit spirit), Art. 37
- 2008. évi LXXIII. törvény a pálinkáról, a törkölypálinkáról és a Pálinka Nemzeti Tanácsról (Hungary, Act LXXIII of 2008)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)