Badel Antique Pelinkovac Premium Herbal Liqueur (Gift Box)

Badel Antique Pelinkovac, here in gift box presentation, is the older styled expression of Pelinkovac, the bittersweet wormwood herbal liqueur that stands among central Europe's herbal digestifs, made by Badel 1862, the Croatian house working since 1862. Wormwood gives it its bittersweet structure, with mint, anise, gentian and liquorice rounding a blend of mountain herbs and spices, bottled at 35%.

The nose is spicy and herbal, the palate aromatic with notes of spices and herbs, the finish long and spicy. This is a herbal liqueur rather than an amaro, and behind the bar it does the same job, a bitter herbal backbone that cuts sweetness and lengthens a drink. A bar spoon stirred into a dark, spirit forward cocktail brings wormwood depth and a long, bitter finish, and it lengthens just as well with tonic or cola. Croatians take Pelinkovac neat and well chilled as a digestif after a meal, which is where it shows best.