Tasting

What is slivovitz, and how does it taste? Good slivovice smells of ripe plum, marzipan and pit shell, with a hint of smoke or dried fruit behind it. On the palate it's dry, not sweet, with a long, warm finish. Those expecting plum jam will be surprised: the brandy tastes of fruit, but not of marmalade.

Examples from the region: Rudolf Jelínek from Vizovice with its clear slivovice and aged bottlings, and the Bošácka pálenica from Bošáca in Slovakia, whose slivovica is based on the Bystrica variety. Between these houses lies a difference in style shaped by aging time and the degree of pit character in the aroma.

The right glass is a nosing glass or a small tulip glass, where the aromas can gather. A small shot glass is traditional, but a narrow opening lets you smell more. Hold the glass too close to your nose and you'll only pick up alcohol; better to keep it a hand's width away, letting the fruit come through.

The ideal serving temperature is room temperature or slightly below. Too cold, and the delicate notes disappear; too warm, and the alcohol overwhelms everything. A few drops of water often open up a 50 percent brandy noticeably.

The label states the alcohol content in percent by volume, at least 37.5 percent for fruit brandy. There's no EU designation of origin for these brandies, so the producer and the place of origin matter most. And as a brandy, slivovice is meant to be sipped in small amounts, not drunk.