How many kilograms of fruit are needed for one litre of pálinka?

It depends on the fruit. A litre of pálinka made from apricots, plums or grape marc will typically require around 9 to 10 kilograms of fruit, while up to 45 kilograms of sloe or dogwood berries might be needed to produce the same quantity.

What is the permitted alcohol content of pálinka?

According to current law, pálinka muct be at least 37.5 percent alcohol by volume and not more that 86 per cent. Most pálinkas on the market contain between 40 and 50 per cent.

Can sugar be added to the fruit before fermentation?

Absolutely not. This is not permitted by excise law and also diminishes the quality of the resulting drink. Although the sugar boosts the alcohol content, the flavour of the fruit is diluted and the resulting alcohol is likely to cause headaches. See

Do ethnic Hungarians in Transylvania make pálinka?

Although pálinka can only be produced and marketed in Hungary, ethnic Hungarians living in Slovákia, Serbia and Transylvania all have rich traditions of making, and drinking, pálinka.

Should pálinka be served chilled?

No, when pálinka is chilled it loses many of its subtle flavours. To really appreciated good pálinka, it must be served at between 18 and 20 ºC.

What should a pálinka glass be like?

The ideal pálinka glass is stemmed and has a tulip-shaped bowl to allow the intense bouquet of the fruit to be enjoyed.

What percentage of the price of bottle of pálinka is excise duty?

As with all alcoholic drinks, excise duty is dependent on the quantity of alcohol in the product. In Hungary, the excise payable on every litre of pure alcohol is Ft 2,360 (approx. €9.40).

For example, tax on a 0.7 litre bottle of 50% pálinka is:

Ft 2,360 x 0.7 (liters) x 0.5 (alcohol content) = Ft 826 (€3.30)

How much should a bottle of good pálinka cost?

The price of pálinka depends on a number of factors, but if a half litre bottle of pálinka is priced in a store at less than Ft 3,000 (€12) a bottle, question marks should be raised about its quality.

Is it legal to distil pálinka at home?

No, because spirits are subject to excise duty and require a license to produce. (Nonetheless, there are people who ignore this law.) 

Can I have my fruit distilled for me?

Although home-distilling is illegal, many people take their fruit to a local licensed distiller to have it turned into pálinka legally, up to a limit of 86 litres per household and strictly for personal consumption. The customer pays for the service rather than the pálinka itself.

Is there such a thing as "mézes pálinka" ("honey pálinka")?

Although the addition of sweetening pálinka with honey is common, the term "mézes pálinka" cannot be used on labelling as no additives of any kind are permitted.

I have heard of "walnut pálinka" ("dió pálinka"). Is there such a thing?

Technically, no, as walnuts do not contain sufficient sugar to allow fermentation. However, there is a tradition in Hungary of making "Diópálinka" by soaking green walnuts in pálinka, such as törköly, lending it a walnut flavour and colour.

What is a "kisüsti" pálinka?

A pálinka is "kisüsti" if it is distilled at least twice using the traditional pot still with

• a copper base
• capacity not exceeding 1,000 liters

What is an "ágyas pálinka" ("bedded pálinka")?

Current EU law allows the use of a fresh or dried fruit if the same variety to add flavour. The sugar in the fruit is not able to ferment and therefore sweetens the pálinka. These products are known as "ágyas pálinka". 

What is "törköly pálinka"?

Similarly to grappa, "törköly pálinka" is made from marc remaining after the grapes have been pressed and takes advantage of a by-product of winemaking.

What is "seprő pálinka"?

"Seprő" is the sediment that develops in the wine during production. There is no category for this type of "pálinka" in EU law, so the name cannot currently be used.

Are there international pálinka competitions?

As pálinka is a Hungarian speciality, international competitions are not possible, although many pálinkas have won awards in international competitions, such as the Destillata (Vienna), World Spirits Award (Klagenfurt), IWSC (London) and the  Concours Mondial (Brussels). National and local pálinka competitions do exist however, most notably the annual HunDeszt and Gyula National Pálinka and International Distillate Competitions.

I have seen bottles labelled "gold medal winner". How does the system of awarding medals work?

When a pálinka receives a gold medal, it is not necessarily because it is the best, but because it has scored a certain number of points according to various criteria. At the HunDeszt National Pálinka and International Distillate Competition, this threshold is set at 14 out of 20 points for a bronze medal, 16 for a silver and 18 for a gold. The jury judges the products according to their technological correctness, fruit properties, clean taste and harmony. For each pálinka category, the jury also selects one Champion from the pool of gold medal winners.