Pelinkovac
Croatian bitter liqueur
title: "Pelinkovac" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["liqueurs", "bitters", "absinthe", "herbal-liqueurs", "bosnia-and-herzegovina-alcoholic-drinks", "croatian-distilled-drinks", "montenegrin-distilled-drinks", "serbian-distilled-drinks", "slovenian-distilled-drinks"] description: "Croatian bitter liqueur" topic_path: "general/liqueurs" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pelinkovac" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Croatian bitter liqueur ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox drink"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | Pelinkovac |
| image | Pelinkovac1.png |
| caption | Pelinkovac is a bitter-sweet liqueur based on wormwood. |
| type | Liqueur |
| abv | 28–35% |
| region | Balkans |
| :: |
| name = Pelinkovac | image = Pelinkovac1.png | caption = Pelinkovac is a bitter-sweet liqueur based on wormwood. | type = Liqueur | abv = 28–35% | region = Balkans
Pelinkovac is a bitter-sweet liqueur derived from wormwood. Pelinkovac is a liqueur with a noticeably bitter taste of wormwood, from which it is made, with the addition of 26 different medicinal herbs that enrich it with a specific aroma and pleasant scent. It contains up to 35% alcohol. It is drunk chilled without ice, as an aperitif before and digestif after meals.
History
Before commercialization, the liqueur was used as a home remedy for "cleansing the blood and settling the stomach". Wormwood was believed to stimulate digestion and appetite and to have antiparasitic and antibacterial properties.
Badel's Antique Pelinkovac, a Croatian brand, was created in 1862 by chemist Franjo Pokorny as a digestif. According to maker Antique Herbal Liqueur, it was the first bottled commercial version.
Description and serving
The taste is described as bittersweet and herbal, with a dominant flavour of anise, which is derived from wormwood. It is served neat, on ice, or in cocktails, sometimes garnished with orange.
Popularity
The drink is common throughout the Balkans. In 2021, USA Today named a Croatian brand, Badel’s Antique Pelinkovac, to its list of "15 must-try spirits, liqueurs and canned cocktails".
Similar liqueurs
- Piołunówka, a Polish wormwood liqueur
References
References
- Dara, Jillian. (7 March 2024). "A Renewed Interest in Herbal Liqueurs Is Driving Attention to Native Ingredients".
- (2021-11-18). "Croatian drink Pelinkovac declared one of the world’s most interesting by American magazine".
- (2024-03-28). "Rugged Boots, Croatian Liqueur and Pickleball".
- (2015-06-19). "“Centuries-old Tales” – The 150-Year Story of Pelinkovac".
- Rasin, Lara. (22 November 2021). "Croatian Pelinkovac proclaimed one of world's most interesting drinks".
- Homans, Charles. (2025-03-30). "On Minnesota’s Iron Range, Trump’s Tariffs Could Be Boom or Bust". [[The New York Times]].
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