Slivovitz

Slivovitz is a fruit brandy distilled from damson plums, also called plum brandy or plum spirit, produced across Central and Southeastern Europe, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine. Regional names for closely related plum and fruit brandies include rakia in the Balkans, palinka in Hungary and palenka in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, and the spirit typically ranges from about 40 to 70 percent alcohol by volume, clear to pale yellow in color. Serbia regards it as its national drink, with the plum tree treated as a national symbol, and in 2022 UNESCO added the tradition of slivovitz making to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It plays a central role in Serbian hospitality and is offered at major life events and celebrations.