Nalewka is a traditional Polish category of alcoholic tincture. The alcoholic beverage is usually 40 to 45% strong and is made by maceration of various ingredients in alcohol, usually vodka or spirit. Among the ingredients often used are fruits, herbs, spice, sugar or molasses. The name is also misleadingly used for a variety of alcoholic cocktails sold in Poland, usually of low quality and low content of alcohol (not greater than 18%). The name nalewka is currently being registered for national apellation within the European Union. Contrary to ordinary liqueurs, nalewkas are usually aged.

Most of the nalewkas have their proper names derived either from the main ingredient or the name of the traditional place of manufacture. The recipies for nalewkas were at times kept in secret by some of the szlachta families and were only given away to the senior children upon the death of the father.

Among the common main ingredients are haw (głogówka), lily-of-the-valley (konwaliówka), Cornus alba (dereniówka), juniper (jałowcówka)Technically gin is also a nalewka , ginger (imbirówka), green Persian walnut (orzechówka), cherries (wiśniówka), wormwood (piołunówka), anise (anyżówka), apricots (morelówka) and many more. Among the nalewkas are also mixtures of alcohol with other liquids, such as honey-based krupnik, coffee-based kawówka and porterówka made of Porter beer.

Notes and references

See also

• Count Pulaski Nalevka

Vodkas | liqueurs | Polish cuisine

Nalewka