Slivovice: how to drink Czech plum brandy without regretting it

A glass of clear spirit arrives at the table with a knowing look from the host. In Czechia that is slivovice. It is stronger than wine, gentler than it looks, and tied up with weddings, farmhouses and winter.

What it is

Slivovice is a fruit brandy, distilled from fermented plums. The fruit, the still and the distiller shape the taste. Good ones smell strongly of plum and stone and taste smooth, a little sweet at the back. Cheap ones are rougher and burn more on the way down.

Czechia makes other fruit spirits: apricot (meruňkovice), pear (hruškovice), cherry (třešňovice) and apple (jablkovice). Plum is the best known, and Moravia, in the east, is the heartland of the tradition.

How strong

Slivovice is typically around 40 to 50 per cent alcohol by volume, though some producers make stronger ones. The label shows the figure. It looks like water and drinks like fire, so read the label before you pour.

How it is made

Plums are fermented into a mash, then distilled in a copper still. The spirit is usually kept in glass or steel to stay clear, though some are aged in wooden barrels and turn amber.

Fruit growers can have their harvest distilled in licensed distilleries (pálenice) under rules that set limits and taxes (as of 2026; check the official source with the Czech Customs Administration). That is why many families have a bottle with a handwritten label, made from their own trees.

How to drink it in company

It is served as an aperitif before a meal or a digestif after it, and it appears at weddings, funerals, harvests and Easter Monday visits. See Czech Easter food and traditions for the Easter side.

If a host offers a glass, it is polite to accept at least one, but a polite děkuji, ne is also accepted. Let the host pour, and if you want to stop after one, simply leave a little in the glass.

How to taste it

Treat a good glass like a small tasting. Hold it for a moment and smell it: a well-made plum brandy should smell of fruit and not just of alcohol. Take a small sip and let it sit on the tongue before you swallow. Notice the finish, the taste that stays after, which is where good bottles show their quality. A rough, harsh spirit tends to burn and then vanish. A well-made one stays fruity for a few seconds.

Reading the label

On a bottle in a shop, look for four things: the producer's name and address, the strength as a percentage by volume, the volume of the bottle, and the name of the spirit. A label that gives all four is a good sign. A label with a vague brand and no producer is not. Prices vary, and a very low price for a large bottle is usually a reason to ask questions, not a bargain.

Where to buy

Supermarkets and spirit shops sell labelled bottles from known producers. Specialist shops and producers' stands carry small-batch spirits. Souvenir shops in the centre sell gift bottles at higher prices.

Look for a printed label with the producer's name, address and strength. Bottles from a stall, with no label or a handwritten one, are a risk you do not need to take. In 2012 Czechia had a methanol poisoning crisis involving illegal spirits, and a temporary ban on strong spirits followed. Authorities tightened controls afterwards.

Other rules

The legal age for buying spirits is 18 (as of 2026; check the official source). Czechia applies a zero-tolerance rule to drivers (as of 2026; check the official source), so do not drive after drinking. Read about other spirits in Becherovka and Czech spirits explained.

Flavours to try

If you do not like plum, try apricot or pear. Their taste is lighter and more fragrant. Ask the staff which they recommend, and try a small measure before you commit to a bottle. A pear spirit with a slice of cheese is a gentler introduction than a plum brandy on an empty stomach.

Common mistakes

Treating it as a mixer is one: slivovice is meant to be sipped neat, and mixing it with cola misses the point. Another is drinking it quickly because it comes in a small glass. The glass is small because the spirit is strong. A third is bringing a bottle home without checking customs rules for your destination.

Frequently asked questions

How strong is slivovice?

Typically around 40 to 50 per cent alcohol by volume. Check the label.

Is it only made from plums?

Slivovice is plum brandy. Other fruit brandies include apricot, pear, cherry and apple.

Do I have to finish the glass?

No. Sip slowly, and a polite děkuji, ne is accepted. Leave a little if you do not want a refill.

Is it safe to buy from a stall?

Prefer labelled bottles from licensed sellers. Unlabelled spirits are a risk, after the methanol crisis of 2012.

Can I drive after one glass?

No. Czechia applies a zero-tolerance rule for drivers (as of 2026; check the official source).

Do this today

At the next pub or restaurant that offers fruit brandies, ask for the list, order one small measure of plum and one of apricot, and compare. Check the strength on the label before you leave with a bottle.