Fruit Brandy

Fruit Brandy – Spirits Distilled from Ripe Fruit

Discover our carefully selected collection of fruit brandy, including Hungarian apricot brandy, plum brandy, cherry brandy and premium grape-pomace spirits. Unlike a fruit-flavoured liqueur, genuine fruit brandy is produced by fermenting ripe fruit and distilling the resulting fruit mash, capturing its natural fragrance and flavour in a concentrated, expressive spirit.

Our collection is dedicated to Hungarian pálinka: Hungary’s protected form of fruit brandy and one of the country’s most treasured traditional drinks. The range lets you compare several classic fruits, discover complex oak-aged styles, or choose a miniature selection as an introduction or gift.

Agárdi Fruit Brandy from Lake Velence

Every fruit brandy in this collection is produced by Agárdi Pálinka Distillery, one of Hungary’s leading premium distilleries. Founded near Lake Velence in 2002, Agárdi combines traditional knowledge with modern distillation technology, careful fruit selection and close attention to every stage of production.

Best of Hungary co-founder Zoltan Kopacsi visited the Agárdi farm and distillery to understand where the fruit comes from and how the spirits are made. The estate grows much of its own fruit in the favourable surroundings of Lake Velence and works with trusted local growers for the remainder.

After seeing the provenance and the team’s dedication to quality, Zoltan selected examples that best communicate the traditional flavours of apricot, plum and cherry. Each offers a different introduction to fruit brandy, ranging from perfumed and generous to rich, floral or brightly aromatic.

Up to 10kg of Hand-Picked Fruit per Bottle

Premium fruit brandy demands an exceptional quantity of raw fruit. It takes approximately 8 to 10 kilograms of perfectly ripe, hand-picked orchard fruit to distil a single 500ml bottle of Agárdi fruit brandy.

Distillation reduces this generous quantity of fresh fruit to a comparatively small volume of finished spirit. It carefully captures only the finest volatile aromas and flavour compounds, creating an extraordinarily concentrated expression of the original harvest. This fruit-to-bottle ratio is central to Agárdi’s quality and helps distinguish genuine artisan fruit brandy from cheaper flavoured spirits.

No Added Sugar, Syrups or Artificial Sweeteners

Agárdi’s pure fruit brandies are dry distilled spirits made without added sugar, sugar syrup, artificial sweeteners or synthetic fruit flavourings. Their apparent sweetness comes entirely from the aroma and character of ripe fruit rather than sweetening after distillation.

This creates a clean, fruit-led spirit very different from a sweet fruit liqueur. Although made from naturally sweet orchard fruit, the fruit sugars are consumed during fermentation and do not pass through the distillation process in the same way as its aromatic compounds.

Apricot, Plum and Cherry Brandy

Apricot brandy is one of Hungary’s most celebrated spirit styles. Agárdi Barack Pálinka captures the opulent fragrance and soft stone-fruit character of ripe apricots, producing an aromatic spirit with a lingering finish.

Our collection includes two interpretations of Hungarian plum brandy. Traditional Szilva Pálinka highlights concentrated plum, floral and subtle marzipan notes, while Premium Aged Plum Brandy gains additional depth, golden colour and warming spice through oak maturation.

Cherry Brandy offers a vibrant alternative, expressing the fragrance and fruit character of ripe cherries in a clean, dry spirit. These pure fruit distillates should not be confused with sweet cherry, plum or apricot liqueurs.

Premium Pomace Brandy

Pomace brandy is made differently from conventional orchard-fruit brandy. Instead of whole fruit, it uses the grape skins, seeds and other material remaining after winemaking. Known as törkölypálinka in Hungary, it is the country’s traditional counterpart to premium Italian Grappa or French Marc.

Our Aszú Törköly Pálinka is produced from Aszú grape material from Tokaj and matured for at least 12 months in previously used Hungarian oak barrels. Its raisin, walnut, crushed grape-seed and oak character makes it a distinctive choice for collectors and connoisseurs, while its elegant glass bottle provides a suitably premium presentation.

Fruit Brandy Gifts

The Fruit Brandy Selection Gift Set contains three miniature bottles—apricot, plum and aromatic Irsai Olivér grape brandy—allowing the recipient to compare different fruit expressions. It makes an unusual present for someone with Hungarian connections or an accessible introduction for anyone curious about traditional European fruit spirits.

For a complete presentation, our pálinka glass gift box contains two elegant tulip-shaped glasses. Their wider bowl and narrowing rim help gather and concentrate the fruit aromas the spirit releases.

How to Drink Fruit Brandy

Serve premium fruit brandy neat at about 16–18°C in a tulip-shaped glass. Serving it lightly cool rather than ice-cold keeps its fruit aromas expressive. Enjoy it as an aperitif, as a welcoming drink, or slowly as a digestif after dinner.

Clear, fruit-led spirits can also bring aromatic depth to carefully balanced cocktails or be used sparingly with desserts. Premium aged plum and Aszú pomace brandies are best appreciated slowly on their own.

Buy Fruit Brandy Online in the UK

Explore apricot, plum and cherry brandy, premium pomace brandy and fruit-spirit gift sets selected for their provenance and authentic flavour. Order online from Best of Hungary for fast UK delivery, browse our specialist Hungarian pálinka collection, or visit our separate Hungarian spirits collection for whisky, gin, vodka and herbal liqueurs.