🥃 Nagykunság quince pálinka (Nagykunsági birspálinka)

Nagykunság quince pálinka (Nagykunsági birspálinka) is a Hungarian EU geographical indication for pálinka from quinces from 47 municipalities of Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county east of the Tisza. At least half of the drink consists of distillates of the local Mezőtúr quince variety, which gives rose notes; the strength is from 40 % vol.

The application was submitted on 18 October 2016, the main requirements were published on 12 May 2021 (OJ C 184), and the name was registered in 2021 (OJ L 305, 31.08.2021). The mother tree of the Mezőtúr quince was found in 1955 in Mezőtúr by Sándor Brozik; the variety has been in the national variety catalogue since 1995. The area is the same as for Nagykunság plum pálinka: over 2350 hours of sunshine and an average of 12 °C a year.

The quinces are taken ripe, with dry matter of 12 % or more, and pureed. Fermentation at 18–22 °C lasts 10–30 days, and distillation is double fractional in a still with a copper surface or equivalent. The designation «érlelt» means at least 3 months in barrels of up to 1000 l or a year in larger ones, «ágyas» at least 3 months on a bed of 10 kg of fresh or 5 kg of dried local quinces per 100 l.

The requirements are stricter than for the plum pálinka of the region: methanol up to 1100 g/hl, volatile substances from 400 g/hl, hydrocyanic acid up to 3 g/hl of pure alcohol. Young pálinka is colourless and dry, with citrus notes and light tannins; aged pálinka is straw or golden. The container is glass or ceramic of up to 2 l.

Why this matters to you. On the label look for the name and, separately, the words «földrajzi árujelző»; «érlelt» or «ágyas» is added only under the conditions of the file. Madaras quince pálinka is a different name, from a different county. The WHO reminds us that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.