🥃 Pacharán
EU category 32 spirit drink: sloes macerated in alcohol, with natural anise extracts allowed; at least 25% ABV, at least 125 g of sloes and 80–250 g of sugar per litre.
Pacharán (Basque patxaran) is a sweet red drink in which blackthorn sloes are macerated in alcohol, usually with anise. Under EU law it is a separate category 32, 'sloe-aromatised spirit drink or pacharán': at least 25% ABV, 125 g of sloes and between 80 and 250 g of sugar per litre. The homeland of pacharán is Navarre in northern Spain.
Category rules. The colour and taste must come only from sloe fruit (Prunus spinosa) and, if wished, natural anise extracts; the sloe taste must predominate. The legal name 'pacharán' may be used only for drinks made in Spain. In other countries it may only supplement the name 'sloe-aromatised spirit drink', together with 'produced in' and the name of the country.
How it is made. Sloes are macerated in agricultural alcohol for one to eight months; the liquid is then strained, sweetened and adjusted to the required strength. The best-known type is Pacharán navarro, a protected EU name: 25–30% ABV and 125–300 g of sloes per litre.
History. According to the Navarre specification, the name comes from the Basque words pattar, 'liquor', and aran, 'blackthorn'. According to the Oxford Companion, pacharán was long made at home, and commercial brands from the 1950s spread it beyond Navarre. Its closest relative is English sloe gin, but that is made on gin and without anise.
Why this matters to you. The sweet berry taste hides a strength of at least 25% ABV and up to 250 g of sugar per litre. Drinking pacharán after a meal as a digestif is a tradition, not a proven benefit. The WHO reminds us that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.
Facts
| EU category | category 32 of Regulation (EU) 2019/787 — sloe-aromatised spirit drink or pacharán |
|---|---|
| Raw material | sloes (Prunus spinosa) from 125 g/l; agricultural spirit; natural anise extracts; sugar |
| Alcohol (% vol.) | at least 25% ABV; sugar 80–250 g/l |
| Legal basis | Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I, cat. 32; the name 'pacharán' only for drinks from Spain |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Pacharán → similar → 🌿 Anise spirits → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Next step
- 🍷 Maceration
- Made from
- 🍷 Ethanol, 🥃 Anise
- What it contains
- 🍬 Sugar
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Digestif, 📍 Navarre
- Traditions
- 🧑🤝🧑 Spaniards
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Pacharán navarro, 🥃 Sloe gin, 🥃 Palo de Mallorca, 🌿 Anise spirits
Frequently asked questions
Is pacharán a liqueur?
Not quite. Pacharán is sweet like a liqueur, but Regulation (EU) 2019/787 places it in its own category 32, 'sloe-aromatised spirit drink or pacharán'.
How many sloes must pacharán contain?
Under EU rules, at least 125 g of sloe fruit per litre of the finished drink.
What is the strength of pacharán?
At least 25% ABV; Pacharán navarro, a protected name, is 25–30% ABV.
Can a drink not made in Spain be called pacharán?
Not as its legal name. Outside Spain, 'pacharán' may only supplement the name 'sloe-aromatised spirit drink', together with the country of production.
How does pacharán differ from sloe gin?
Pacharán is made on neutral spirit with anise, while sloe gin is made on gin and without anise; both are sloe drinks.
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍷 Ethanol — The alcohol formed during fermentation that makes you drunk.
- 🍷 Maceration — Steeping the juice with the skins to extract colour, tannins and aroma.
- 🌿 Anise spirits — Drinks with anise, star anise or fennel: from 15% vol.; pastis, ouzo and sambuca are separate EU categories.
- 🥃 Digestif — A small serving of brandy, grappa, amaro or liqueur at the end of a meal; French digestif, Italian digestivo. A custom, not an EU category.
Similar
🥃 Patxaran · 🍸 Berenburg · 🌿 Pastis de Marseille · 🌿 Pastis · 🍓 Geist · 🥃 Mamajuana
⚠️ 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
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks (OJ L 130, 17.5.2019), Annex I: category 32 — sloe-aromatised spirit drink or pacharán: maceration of sloes (Prunus spinosa), possibly with natural anise extracts; min. 25 % vol.; min. 125 g sloes per litre; sweetening 80–250 g/l; colour and taste only from the fruit and anise; 'pacharán' as legal name only for products made in Spain
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787, Annex I as adopted (legislation.gov.uk): category 32 sloe-aromatised spirit drink or pacharán — min. 25 % vol., at least 125 g of sloe fruit per litre, 80–250 g/l sweetening, predominantly sloe taste; outside Spain 'pacharán' only as a supplement with 'produced in …'
- The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (F. Monti), entry 'pacharán (patxaran)': sloe liqueur and digestive from northern Spain, close relative of sloe gin; sloes macerated in a sweetened, anise-flavoured distillate; Navarra PGI since 1988; commercial brands from the 1950s
- Foods & Wines from Spain (ICEX), 30.12.2021: Pacharán — sloes of the blackthorn, Basque 'patxaran', made in Navarre since the Middle Ages, maceration one to eight months, served as a digestif during sobremesa
- MAPA (Spain): Pliego de Condiciones de la IG 'Pacharán Navarro' (Resolución 106/2020) — 25–30 % vol., 125–300 g sloes per litre, maceration 1–8 months, Basque patxaran (pattar + aran)
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)