🥃 Pelinkovac
Pelinkovac is a bittersweet liqueur in which wormwood dominates; the Croatian protected form Hrvatski pelinkovac has 27–31% ABV and 100–170 g/l of added sugar.
Pelinkovac is a dark, bittersweet liqueur in which wormwood (Artemisia absinthium) dominates the herbal flavouring; in Slovenian it is called pelinkovec. Its protected form is Hrvatski pelinkovac, a Croatian geographical indication for the liqueur category.
Specification. According to the technical file of Hrvatski pelinkovac (Croatian Ministry of Agriculture, November 2016), the drink is made by flavouring ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin with macerates of aromatic herbs, with wormwood dominant, and sweetening it. It has 27–31% ABV and 100–170 g of added sugar per litre. The colour runs from light to dark brown, the aroma is strong and grassy, and bitterness dominates the taste.
Making. The herbs are macerated in agricultural alcohol for 15 to 30 days; part of the macerate is distilled to 60–70% ABV and blended with the rest. Sugar and a water-alcohol solution are added, and the blend rests for at least seven days. Wormwood makes up about 20% of the herbs, with fennel, sage and peppermint up to 10% each; there is no single recipe.
Law and history. In EU law pelinkovac is a liqueur, which under Regulation (EU) 2019/787 has at least 15% ABV. The file dates the Croatian drink to 1862, when a Zagreb liqueur factory was founded and bought by Franjo Pokorny; an original bottle of that year is kept in the Museum of the City of Zagreb. The name may be supplemented with the word "Gorki".
Why it matters to you. Wormwood does not make pelinkovac a medicine: health claims on drinks above 1.2% ABV are banned in the EU. The sweetness masks about 30% ABV. The WHO points out that no level of alcohol consumption is safe.
Facts
| Raw material | ethyl alcohol of agricultural origin, wormwood macerate with fennel, sage, mint, sugar |
|---|---|
| Alcohol (% vol.) | 27–31% ABV (Hrvatski pelinkovac) |
How it connects to Spirits
🥃 Pelinkovac → kind of → 🍸 Liqueurs → kind of → 🥃 Spirits
Links
- Previous step
- 🥃 Wormwood
- What it affects
- 🍷 Alcohol and health, 🍷 Drunk driving
- Related to
- 🥃 Digestif, 🥃 Aperitif, 🌍 Balkans
- Part of
- 🍸 Liqueurs
- Similar and different
- 🥃 Hrvatski pelinkovac, 🥃 Amaro, 🥃 Absinthe, 🍸 Bitter (bitter-tasting spirit drink), 🥃 Orahovača, 🥃 Orahovača
Frequently asked questions
Does pelinkovac aid digestion?
No, this has not been proven. It is traditionally drunk after meals, but health claims on drinks above 1.2% ABV are banned in the EU.
How strong and how sweet is Hrvatski pelinkovac?
According to its technical file, 27–31% ABV with 100–170 g of added sugar per litre.
Which herbs are in pelinkovac?
Wormwood dominates (about 20% of the herbs), with fennel, sage and peppermint up to 10% each; other herbs vary by producer.
Is pelinkovac a liqueur or a bitter?
Under EU rules it is a liqueur: sweetened, with at least 15% ABV.
Does pelinkovac have a protected name?
Yes: Hrvatski pelinkovac is a Croatian geographical indication; the name may be supplemented with the word "Gorki".
What to read next
- 🍷 Alcohol and health — Alcohol in any drink is harmful in large amounts, and the risks grow with the quantity.
- 🍸 Bitter (bitter-tasting spirit drink) — Spirit drink with a predominantly bitter taste: flavoured alcohol or distillate from 15% vol.; EU category 30.
- 🥃 Aperitif — A light dry or bittersweet drink before a meal: vermouth, dry sherry, red bitters; from Latin aperire, “to open”. A custom rather than an EU category.
- 🌍 Balkans — A mountainous peninsula in southeastern Europe between the Adriatic, Aegean and Black Seas: sheep's cheeses and kiselo mlyako, olives and wine.
- 🥃 Absinthe — Spirit drink with wormwood and anise; the EU limits thujone to 35 mg/kg, the "Absinthe de Pontarlier" GI requires 45% vol. minimum and 20 mg/l thujone.
Similar
🥃 Génépi · 🥃 Orahovača · 🥃 Rosolio (Italian botanical liqueur) · 🥃 Kräuterlikör · 🥃 Centerbe · 🥃 Mirto
⚠️ 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
- Ministry of Agriculture of Croatia: Tehnička dokumentacija «Hrvatski pelinkovac» (technical file, November 2016) — liqueur, wormwood dominant, 27–31 % vol., 100–170 g/l added sugar, herbs, maceration 15–30 days, 1862, 'Gorki'
- Regulation (EC) No 110/2008, Annex III as at 31.01.2020 (legislation.gov.uk): Croatia — Hrvatski pelinkovac, cat. 32 liqueur
- Regulation (EU) 2019/787 on spirit drinks, Annex I (legislation.gov.uk): liqueur min. 15 %
- Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006 on nutrition and health claims, Art. 4(3): no health claims on beverages over 1.2 % vol.
- WHO/Europe: No level of alcohol consumption is safe for our health (04.01.2023)