Sljivovica plum brandy has been produced and consumed by hand in Serbia for centuries, a custom that has been passed on from generation to generation. The drink has become part of the national identity.
It has now been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Later this month, the UN cultural organization UNESCO is expected to decide whether to include “social practices and knowledge associated with the processing and use” of spirits in its list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
The sociologist and editor of the blog “Rakia, Mostly,” Ilija Malovic, says that Sljivovica is a typical Serbian product based on widely grown locally grown fruits — plums — that is produced and consumed in families and local communities.
The“The popularity of sljivovica (plum brandy) is due to the popularity of the fruits used to make Sljivovica. Plum is very important in Serbian ethnology and the sociology of everyday life, in Serbian history. There is no other fruit that Serbs are so closely associated with the plum,” he says.
“Once upon a time, before a house was built, the plum tree was planted first to see if it would bear fruit, and if so, it meant that the soil was clean, healthy, sometimes even sacred. And then people would start building their own houses there.”
To improve the quality, Sljivovica is sometimes kept in oak barrels, which give it a yellowish, whiskey-like color and a slightly bitter taste.
TheThe precious drink for celebrations
Serbs drink Sljivovica when they’re celebrating or mourning, welcoming guests or celebrating important events, explains Malovic.
People always have their best bottle of Sljivovica stowed away for weddings or christenings, but also funerals, Malovic adds.
“It (sljivovica) has always been closely connected with the family,” he says.
“Sljivovica is part of people’s lives from start to finish and has always been part of this nation’s identity.” Today, Sljivovica is also a major Serbian export and a local attraction for a growing number of tourists visiting the Balkan country.
In recent years, small companies have emerged that produce Sljivovica and other fruit brandy known as Rakia and offer modern packaging with traditional designs.
“We’ve found that in our grandparents’ cellars, in villages, we have something that stimulates the senses that is on the same level as cognac, single malt whiskey, or bourbon,” says Malovic.
Now the nation is waiting to see if UNESCO agrees that this drink is something special.
Making “Rakia” at home
It is a drink that is so popular here that entire stores are dedicated to it. And despite the boom of modern distilleries and brands, there are some who are happy to produce it themselves, particularly in rural areas.
In the central Serbian village of Rozanci, Miroslav Milosevic makes his own Sljivovica. He uses plums from the family’s orchard and a technique that his father and grandfather used before him.
A look into Milosevic’s backyard shed shows a distillery that includes metal barrels, wood stoves, and white cotton cloths through which the end product is filtered.
Milosevic says he makes a pure, high-quality spirit.
“Rakia (brandy) can be bought everywhere, but you can’t always buy pure and beautiful (rakia) schnapps. We brew rakia (brandy) exclusively from prunes. Some people do all kinds of things. We make pure rakia (brandy) for our own use, and what’s left over can be given away to friends or sold,” he says.
As he measures the alcohol content of his Sljivovica, he thinks about the stories that have been passed down about it.
“Our older people used to say it was like a medicine. You drink a small glass and it’s a cure. “He is smiling. It’s certainly something his friends love to drink with him.
Sljivovica plum brandy has been produced and consumed by hand in Serbia for centuries, a custom that has been passed on from generation to generation. The drink has become part of the national identity.
It has now been added to UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage.
Later this month, the UN cultural organization UNESCO is expected to decide whether to include “social practices and knowledge associated with the processing and use” of spirits in its list of the world’s intangible cultural heritage.
The sociologist and editor of the blog “Rakia, Mostly,” Ilija Malovic, says that Sljivovica is a typical Serbian product based on widely grown locally grown fruits — plums — that is produced and consumed in families and local communities.
The“The popularity of sljivovica (plum brandy) is due to the popularity of the fruits used to make Sljivovica. Plum is very important in Serbian ethnology and the sociology of everyday life, in Serbian history. There is no other fruit that Serbs are so closely associated with the plum,” he says.
“Once upon a time, before a house was built, the plum tree was planted first to see if it would bear fruit, and if so, it meant that the soil was clean, healthy, sometimes even sacred. And then people would start building their own houses there.”
To improve the quality, Sljivovica is sometimes kept in oak barrels, which give it a yellowish, whiskey-like color and a slightly bitter taste.
TheThe precious drink for celebrations
Serbs drink Sljivovica when they’re celebrating or mourning, welcoming guests or celebrating important events, explains Malovic.
People always have their best bottle of Sljivovica stowed away for weddings or christenings, but also funerals, Malovic adds.
“It (sljivovica) has always been closely connected with the family,” he says.
“Sljivovica is part of people’s lives from start to finish and has always been part of this nation’s identity.” Today, Sljivovica is also a major Serbian export and a local attraction for a growing number of tourists visiting the Balkan country.
In recent years, small companies have emerged that produce Sljivovica and other fruit brandy known as Rakia and offer modern packaging with traditional designs.
“We’ve found that in our grandparents’ cellars, in villages, we have something that stimulates the senses that is on the same level as cognac, single malt whiskey, or bourbon,” says Malovic.
Now the nation is waiting to see if UNESCO agrees that this drink is something special.
Making “Rakia” at home
It is a drink that is so popular here that entire stores are dedicated to it. And despite the boom of modern distilleries and brands, there are some who are happy to produce it themselves, particularly in rural areas.
In the central Serbian village of Rozanci, Miroslav Milosevic makes his own Sljivovica. He uses plums from the family’s orchard and a technique that his father and grandfather used before him.
A look into Milosevic’s backyard shed shows a distillery that includes metal barrels, wood stoves, and white cotton cloths through which the end product is filtered.
Milosevic says he makes a pure, high-quality spirit.
“Rakia (brandy) can be bought everywhere, but you can’t always buy pure and beautiful (rakia) schnapps. We brew rakia (brandy) exclusively from prunes. Some people do all kinds of things. We make pure rakia (brandy) for our own use, and what’s left over can be given away to friends or sold,” he says.
As he measures the alcohol content of his Sljivovica, he thinks about the stories that have been passed down about it.
“Our older people used to say it was like a medicine. You drink a small glass and it’s a cure. “He is smiling. It’s certainly something his friends love to drink with him.