National Pálinkas of Excellence Program

The family business started in 2005 in Sáppuszta, which belongs to the picturesque community of Damak, and at the very same place, where a  building stands, that once was a noblemen’s castle. Beside respecting the traditions, innovation also plays an important role in the manufactory. At the beginning they only did contract distilling, but since 2012 they also own self-produced commercially distilled products. In order to guarantee the perfect quality they have had quince plantations since 2013 and wild plum and apricot plantations since 2016 as well. Using own-cultivated fruit, modern technology and the creativity of the master distiller, they strive to achieve the perfect quality. Pálinkas are made in limited numbers, packed with attention to detail and into unique packaging to delight the pálinka lovers.

The Schiszler Pálinka is a family business, where the respect and love towards the nature, grape and fruit growing were taught by the owners’ parents. With the foundation of the pálinka distillery the aim was to create a premium product, which represents their values about the once again popular drink, the pálinka. Pálinka distillation is a true love story next to the winemaking. The outstanding quality of the pálinka is not only due to the excellent quality of the soil, but also due to the endless work of the people, who live in the region, people, who created the flourishing fruit orchards. The window, which separates the distillery from the tasting room is certainly one of the highlights of the visit and raises the heartbeat of every pálinka lover. Modern distillery, one of the country’s best fruit growing region, several decades of experience and the drive to create a quality drink in every detail – this is the secret of the Schiszler Pálinkas!

The distillery produces its pálinkás with traditional small pot distillery equipment with the help of a 450-litre steam heated and a 300-litre traditional Pistorious plate, direct steam heated refining pot. These provide the good quality spirit, the excellent flavours and the aromas. The traditional small pot distilled pálinkas are crafted by attention to detail with the excellent fruit materials of the region. The message of the company is to preserve the traditions of the so called Kisüsti (small pot) distillation and to show the unique aromas and flavours from the fruits, produced in the region, and highlight them in the pálinkas. By visiting the distillery the whole process of the production can be observed from mashing to bottling and the great drinks can also be tasted.

At the Western foothills of Bakony, raising from the Small Plain the Somló mountain, some reckons it got its name from the reddish dogwood (“som” in Hungarian). The Somló Spirit Pálinka House was opened in 2014, with the aim to supplement the traditional winemaking of the region, through establishing the most modern technology, energy saving, environmentally sound methods to domesticate quality pálinka production. The pálinka distillery and the visitor centre are in complete harmony with the nature and their names have also been inspired by the dogwood, in Latin „cornus”. The excellent quality spirits come from the raw material of the Somló mountain and the close surroundings of the fruit grown areas around the Balaton Highlands. Their pálinka is produced with the aim of those who consume it, should get to know the region’s fruits, their scent and flavour, and be part of the enchantment as the spirit of the fruit becomes immortal in the pálinka.

The Szicsek Pálinka Distillery, based in the town of Tiszaföldvár, is one of the most significant sole proprietorships of the Jász-Nagykun-Szolnok county. The venture seeks high quality, constant and true values, as well as authenticity. From thirty different fruits, 80 products are made by the traditional small pot technique. Attached to their name The Hungarian Pálinka House (Magyar Pálinka Háza) opened first in 2003, in Budapest, then in Budaörs, Kecskemét, Gyula, Szolnok and Szeged. In the pálinka houses they offer 1200 products from 70 distilleries, hence they are significantly contributing to the publicity of the pálinka on the domestic market. They also play an important role on the foreign market by having agencies in Romania, Slovakia, England, Austria, Canada and the USA, as well as importer of a premium

The Szóráth Pot still Pálinka produces pálinka through the traditional double small pot distillation, a true Hungarikum. Family entrepreneurship with several decades of experience, which continues the pálinka distilling tradition in parts of the Unesco World Heritage region of Tokaj-Hegyalja and at area, which is under protected origin of Gönci apricot, Abaújszántó and Tállya. Grape and pomace pálinkas are virtually the iconic grape varieties of the historical demarcated wine region, the intensive Furmint, the characterful crisp Hárslevelű, the ripe and seductive Muscat Lunel and the prune aromatics of the aszú pomace with the distinct character of the terroir, the minerality. The Gönci apricot pálinka shares the marmalade like sweetness with sponge cake like character, aromatic and the long lasting fruit pálinkas show the typicity of the terroir.