Badel Antique Pelinkovac Premium Herbal Liqueur

Badel Antique Pelinkovac is the older styled expression of Pelinkovac, the bittersweet wormwood herbal liqueur that is Croatia's answer to the herbal digestifs of central Europe, made by Badel 1862, the Zagreb house working since 1862. Wormwood gives it its bittersweet structure, with mint, anise, gentian and liquorice filling out a blend of mountain herbs and spices, bottled here 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 work, a bitter herbal backbone that cuts sweetness and lengthens a drink. A bar spoon stirred into a dark, spirit forward cocktail adds wormwood depth and a long, bitter finish, and it also takes well to tonic or cola as a long drink. Croatians take Pelinkovac neat and well chilled as a digestif after a heavy meal, which remains its natural home.