Badel Hrvatska Stara Sljivovica Plum Brandy -

Molly Amoli Shinhat reviewed this wine as follows:

A classic Croatian spirit, Badel Sljivovica Plum Brandy pours a very pale gold. Swirling round the glass, on the nose it gives a heady mix of menthol, plum, vanilla, and cedar. On the palate, big plum notes with hints of lemon and clove-spiked orange, combine with the spicy notes from ageing. Traditional to the region, this high quality rakija is made with Bistrica plums and distilled and aged in Slavonian oak barrels.

Serve chilled as an aperitif or after supper with prunes or nuts.

For a fruity, spicy after supper cocktail, try my "Lockdown Crown" cocktail in an old fashioned glass. One shot of plum brandy, 1/3 shot of Tawny Port. (Use whatever you have on hand. I used Ferreira's Dona Antonia Reserva Tawny Port.) Stir. Garnish with a blood orange wedge. The port takes the edge off the brandy, and its plum and fruit notes marry beautifully with the brandy's flavours and aromas. Perfect on a cool fall evening with a cat in your lap or a dog snoozing nearby, and a murder mystery.

Andrea Shapiro rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Delicate and fragrant elements of stone fruit, apricot and plums alongside an array of toasted nuts and woody spices. Would be good as an after dinner digestive, as per tradition with prunes - or sipping cozily in the evening. Pairs well with putting on a sweater and sitting outside after raking the leaves. Tasted September 2020 - cheers!

Jane Staples rated this wine as 90/100 with the following review:

Sljivovica Plum Brandy is Croatia’s favourite and most famous brandy, made from the native Bistrica plum variety. Fragrant, velvety smooth and bursting with ripe plum flavours, it feels lighter in the mouth than many other brandies. Enjoy it neat, on ice or in cocktails. It has achieved a cult status and is as popular in Croatia as whisky is in Scotland.
I'd love to try this added to a mug of hot apple cider with a splash of fresh lemon juice and a cinnamon stick for a fragrant fall sipper. Zivjeli! Cheers!
Tasted Sept. 2020

Craig Haynes rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Badel’s Stara sljivovica was pleasingly light and approachable in my glass. Crafted from the Bistrica variety of plum, this rakija revealed discreet, clean, fresh scents and flavours of plum, lemon zest and spice. Gold in colour and aged in Slavonian oak. Consume this Croatian sljivovica as an aperitif or in a cocktail, but serve it chilled in order to maximize its aromas and flavours. Enjoy.

Reviewed on September 12, 2020