Plum Perfect: How to Make Two Great Cocktails

You’ve heard of plum pudding, but have you tried toasting with plum brandy during your holiday celebrations? Slivovitz is made from plums in Eastern Europe and remains a popular spirit in Poland, the Czech Republic and Serbia among other countries in the Balkan Peninsula.

Slivovitz comes from the Proto-Slavic root word for plum, sliv, and was first produced in the 14th or 15th century. The brandy was primarily made by home brewers using the plums that were available in the region, which lends itself to some regional nuances. Now, the spirit is associated with Passover in some Jewish traditions since it’s not a grain-based liquor.

Slivovitz, while not yet a mainstay in the American bar scene, carries cultural significance. In 2022, the spirit was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, joining the ranks of the French baguette and Jamaican reggae music to name a few.

The plum brandy can also be made at home to enjoy during the holidays! With a couple plums, sugar, cinnamon sticks, lemon peels and vodka or grain alcohol, you can fashion your own slivovitz, which requires a resting period of 3.5 months before tasting, to toast to the holiday season and the new year. 

Slivowitz Cocktail
1 oz. cream
1 oz. coffee, cold
1 ½ oz. plum brandy
Coffee beans
Ice cubes

Fill a shaker with ice cubes. Add all ingredients. Shake and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with coffee beans. Recipe from Absolut

Plum Cobbler
2 oz. plum brandy
½ oz. fresh lemon juice
½ oz. simple syrup

Muddle berries in shaker. Add additional ingredients. Shake and strain over crushed ice. Garnish with mint and berries. Recipe from Rhine Hall Distillery

Proof Magazine is for Ohio spirit lovers and is produced by Great Lakes Publishing three times a year. Don’t miss an issue by subscribing to Ohio Magazine. View a digital version of the Proof Magazine Holiday 2024 edition here.