🥃 Slivovitz (šljivovica)

Slivovitz, or šljivovica, is a strong fruit spirit obtained by fermenting and distilling plums. In the EU, "slivovitz" is one of the legal names for a plum distillate, alongside "plum" and "quetsch". It falls under category 9 of Regulation 2019/787: a strength of at least 37.5% vol., with no added alcohol, flavourings or colourings.

The rules for plum are specific. Every distillation takes place below 86% vol., so that the aroma comes from the fruit; volatile aroma compounds must be at least 200 g per hectolitre of pure alcohol. For plum, methanol is allowed up to 1200 g/hl, hydrocyanic acid from the stones up to 7 g/hl, and sugar up to 18 g/l. In Bulgarian, Czech, Croatian, Polish, Slovak and Slovenian, the name may be formed from the name of the fruit with a suffix, which gives šljivovica, slivovice and śliwowica.

In Serbia, the 2015 law on spirit drinks requires the name of a fruit rakija to contain the word "rakija" and the name of the fruit, while for plum it also allows "šljivovica". In 2022 UNESCO inscribed the Serbian šljivovica tradition on the Representative List: plums from home orchards ferment for three to four weeks, are distilled in hand-made copper stills, and the stronger distillate of the second distillation is aged for at least a year, usually in an oak barrel.

The EU register protects Hrvatska stara šljivovica and Slavonska šljivovica (Croatia, 2012), Troyanska and Loveshka slivova rakya (Bulgaria, 2005), while the Polish Śliwowica łącka is awaiting registration. Plum distillates are also made in Hungary (three szilvapálinka) and Germany (Zwetschgenwasser).

Why it matters to you. "Slivovitz" guarantees plum, not a country: origin is confirmed only by a geographical indication. The golden colour comes from wood: caramel is allowed only after a year of ageing in it. The limits on methanol and hydrocyanic acid apply to all slivovitz sold in the EU. WHO: there is no safe level of alcohol consumption.