Bulgarian brandy Pliska is a spirit made from local wine grapes. The brand is named after the first capital of Bulgaria. The brandy is produced using a traditional method, aged for five years in small oak barrels that previously held sherry, giving it its characteristic golden color. In the case of Pliska, it is a VSOP (very special old pale) brandy. It has already received 45 awards and medals from various international exhibitions.
You may be wondering what the difference is between brandy and cognac. Brandy is a distillate of wine grapes, literally meaning “burnt wine” in translation. Cognac, on the other hand, is a brandy originating from the area around the French town of Cognac, made from specific grape varieties, double-distilled, and aged for at least two years in French barrels.
The color is amber, with vanilla and honey notes in the aroma. In Bulgaria, it is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages. Brandy Pliska contains 36% alcohol.
I had the opportunity to taste Pliska in a restaurant in the small town of Balchik on the Black Sea coast. One 5 cl shot cost approximately 2.40 EUR.
Cheers and drink responsibly!
