Pelinkovac


Pelinkovac is a bitter-sweet liqueur derived from wormwood. Pelinkovac is a liqueur with a noticeably bitter taste of wormwood, from which it is made, with the addition of 26 different medicinal herbs that enrich it with a specific aroma and pleasant scent. It contains up to 35% alcohol. It is drunk chilled without ice, as an aperitif before and digestif after meals.

History

Before commercialization, the liqueur was used as a home remedy for "cleansing the blood and settling the stomach". Wormwood was believed to stimulate digestion and appetite and to have antiparasitic and antibacterial properties.
Badel's Antique Pelinkovac, a Croatian brand, was created in 1862 by chemist Franjo Pokorny as a digestif. According to maker Antique Herbal Liqueur, it was the first bottled commercial version.

Description and serving

The taste is described as bittersweet and herbal, with a dominant flavour of anise, which is derived from wormwood. It is served neat, on ice, or in cocktails, sometimes garnished with orange.

Popularity

The drink is common throughout the Balkans. In 2021, USA Today named a Croatian brand, Badel’s Antique Pelinkovac, to its list of "15 must-try spirits, liqueurs and canned cocktails".

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