List of geographical designations for spirit drinks in the European Union
The geographical designations which may be applied to spirits are defined in Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 on the definition, description, presentation, labelling and the protection of geographical indications of spirit drinks, [1] which repealed the earlier Regulation (EEC) 1576/89. From June 2019, the provisions of Regulation (EC) No 110/2008 have been replaced by Regulation (EU) 2019/787, [2] with the remainder of the 2019 Regulations coming into force in May 2021.
Designations marked with an asterisk may be associated with qualifying phrases: see articles for more details.
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Irish Whiskey |  Ireland/ United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) |
| Scotch Whisky | United Kingdom (Scotland) |
| Whisky Breton / Whisky de Bretagne |  France |
| Whisky Alsacien / Whisky d'Alsace | France |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Korn/Kornbrand |  Germany,  Austria,  Belgium (German-speaking Community) |
| Münsterländer Korn/Kornbrand | Germany |
| Sendenhorster Korn/Kornbrand | Germany |
| Emsländer Korn/Kornbrand | Germany |
| Haselünner Korn/Kornbrand | Germany |
| Hasetaler Korn/Kornbrand | Germany |
| Samanė |  Lithuania |
| Cognac* | France |
| Eau-de-vie de Cognac* | France |
| Eau-de-vie des Charentes* | France |
| Fine Bordeaux | France |
| Fine de Bourgogne | France |
| Armagnac* | France |
| Eau-de-vie de vin de la Marne | France |
| Eau-de-vie de vin originaire du Bugey | France |
| Eau-de-vie-de vin originaire des Côtes-du-Rhone | France |
| Faugères/Eau-de-vie de Faugères | France |
| Eau-de-vie de vin originaire du Languedoc | France |
| Eau-de-vie de vin originaire d'Aquitaine | France |
| Aguardente de Vinho Douro |  Portugal |
| Aguardente de Vinho Ribatejo | Portugal |
| Aguardente de Vinho Alentejo | Portugal |
| Aguardente de Vinho da Região dos Vinhos Verdes | Portugal |
| Aguardente de Vinho Lourinhã | Portugal |
| Сунгурларска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Сунгурларе/ Sungurlarska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya from Sungurlare |  Bulgaria |
| Сливенска перла (Сливенска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Сливен)/ Slivenska perla (Slivenska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya from Sliven) | Bulgaria |
| Стралджанска Мускатова ракия/Мускатова ракия от Стралджа/ Straldjanska Muscatova rakya/Muscatova rakya from Straldja | Bulgaria |
| Поморийска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Поморие/ Pomoriyska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya from Pomorie | Bulgaria |
| Бургаска Мускатова ракия/Мускатова ракия от Бургас/ Bourgaska Muscatova rakya/Muscatova rakya from Bourgas | Bulgaria |
| Сухиндолска гроздова ракия/Гроздова ракия от Сухиндол/ Suhindolska grozdova rakya/Grozdova rakya from Suhindol | Bulgaria |
| Карловска гроздова ракия/Гроздова Ракия от Карлово/ Karlovska grozdova rakya/Grozdova Rakya from Karlovo | Bulgaria |
| Гроздова ракия от Търговище/Grozdova rakya ot Targovishte | Bulgaria |
| 'Карнобатска гроздова ракия'/'Гроздова ракия от Карнобат'/'Karnobatska grozdova rakya'/'Grozdova rakya ot Karnobat’ | Bulgaria |
| Vinars Târnave |  Romania |
| Vinars Vaslui | Romania |
| Vinars Murfatlar | Romania |
| Vinars Vrancea | Romania |
| Vinars Segarcea | Romania |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Brandy de Jerez |  Spain |
| Brandy del Penedés | Spain |
| Brandy italiano |  Italy |
| Deutscher Weinbrand | Germany |
| Wachauer Weinbrand | Austria |
| Pfälzer Weinbrand | Germany |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Svensk Vodka/Swedish Vodka |  Sweden |
| Suomalainen Vodka/Finsk Vodka/Vodka of Finland |  Finland |
| Polska Wódka/Polish Vodka |  Poland |
| Originali Lietuviška degtinė/ Original Lithuanian vodka | Lithuania |
| Estonian Vodka |  Estonia |
| Norsk Vodka/Norwegian Vodka |  Norway |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Schwarzwälder Himbeergeist | Germany |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Bayerischer Gebirgsenzian | Germany |
| Südtiroler Enzian/Genziana dell'Alto Adige | Italy |
| Genziana trentina/Genziana del Trentino | Italy |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Genièvre/Jenever/Genever | Belgium,  Netherlands, France (Nord and Pas-de-Calais), Germany (German Bundesländer Nordrhein-Westfalen and Niedersachsen) |
| Genièvre de grains/Graanjenever/Graangenever | Belgium, Netherlands, France (Nord and Pas-de-Calais) |
| Jonge jenever/jonge genever | Belgium, Netherlands |
| Oude jenever/oude genever | Belgium, Netherlands |
| Hasseltse jenever/Hasselt | Belgium (Hasselt, Zonhoven, Diepenbeek) |
| Balegemse jenever | Belgium (Balegem) |
| O' de Flander-Oost-Vlaamse Graanjenever | Belgium (East Flanders) |
| Peket-Pekêt/Pèket-Pèkèt de Wallonie | Belgium (Wallonia) |
| Genvièvre Flandres Artois | France |
| Ostfriesischer Korngenever | Germany |
| Steinhäger | Germany |
| Gin de Mahón | Spain |
| Vilniaus Džinas/Vilnius Gin | Lithuania |
| Spišská borovička |  Slovakia |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Svensk Aquavit/Svensk Akvavit/Swedish Aquavit | Sweden |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Anís Paloma Monforte del Cid | Spain |
| Hierbas de Mallorca | Spain |
| Hierbas Ibicencas | Spain |
| Chinchón | Spain |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Herbal vodka from the North Podlasie Lowland aromatised with an extract of bison grass/ Wódka ziołowa z Niziny Północnopodlaskiej aromatyzowana ekstraktem z trawy żubrowej | Poland |
| Polska Wódka/Polish Vodka | Poland |
| Originali lietuviška degtinė/Original Lithuanian vodka | Lithuania |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Cassis de Bourgogne | France |
| Cassis de Dijon | France |
| Cassis de Saintonge | France |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Pacharán Navarro | Spain |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Zadarski maraschino |  Croatia |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Nocino di Modena | Italy |
| Orehovec |  Slovenia |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Riga Black Balsam/Rīgas Melnais balzams | Latvia |
| Demänovka bylinná horká | Slovakia |
| Designation | Country |
|---|---|
| Pacharán navarro | Spain |
A liqueur is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond a resting period during production, when necessary, for their flavors to mingle.
Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavoured liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as white sambuca to differentiate it from other varieties that are deep blue or bright red. Like other anise-flavoured liqueurs, the ouzo effect is sometimes observed when combined with water.
Three European Union schemes of geographical indications and traditional specialties, known as protected designation of origin (PDO), protected geographical indication (PGI), and traditional speciality guaranteed (TSG), promote and protect names of agricultural products and foodstuffs. Products registered under one of the three schemes may be marked with the logo for that scheme to help identify those products. The schemes are based on the legal framework provided by the EU Regulation No 1151/2012 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 21 November 2012 on quality schemes for agricultural products and foodstuffs. This regulation applies within the EU as well as in Northern Ireland. Protection of the registered products is gradually expanded internationally via bilateral agreements between the EU and non-EU countries. It ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed to be identified as such in commerce. The legislation first came into force in 1992. The purpose of the law is to protect the reputation of the regional foods, promote rural and agricultural activity, help producers obtain a premium price for their authentic products, and eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products, which may be of inferior quality or of different flavour. Critics argue that many of the names, sought for protection by the EU, have become commonplace in trade and should not be protected.
Sloe gin is a British red liqueur made with gin and blackthorn fruits (sloes), which are the drupe fruit of the Prunus spinosa tree, which is a relative of the plum. As an alcoholic drink, sloe gin contains between 15 per cent and 30 per cent alcohol by volume (ABV); however, European Union regulations established 25 per cent ABV as the minimal alcoholic content for the blackthorn beverage to be a sloe gin. Historically, despite being a liqueur based upon gin, the EU included the colloquial name sloe gin to the legal definitions; thus, sloe gin is the only alcoholic beverage that legally uses the term gin without appending the liqueur suffix.
The following four classifications of wine constitute the Italian system of labelling and legally protecting Italian wine:
Beerenburg is a Dutch drink, made by adding herbs to jenever, with about 30% alcohol.
Jagertee is an alcoholic punch historically made by mixing "Inländer-Rum" with spiced black tea. It is served warm and is typically consumed during winter in the cold parts of Central Europe.
Grappa is an alcoholic beverage: a fragrant, grape-based pomace brandy of Italian origin that contains 35 to 60 percent alcohol by volume. Grappa is a protected name in the European Union.
Bryndza or brynza is a sheep milk cheese made across much of East-Central Europe, including in Ukraine and Slovakia. Bryndza cheese is creamy white in appearance, known for its characteristic strong smell and taste. The cheese is white, tangy, crumbly and slightly moist. It has characteristic odor and flavor with a notable taste of butyric acid. The overall flavor sensation begins slightly mild, then goes strong and finally fades to a salty finish. Recipes differ slightly across countries.
Liquor is an alcoholic drink produced by the distillation of grains, fruits, vegetables, or sugar that have already gone through alcoholic fermentation. Other terms for liquor include: spirit, distilled beverage, spirituous liquor or hard liquor. The distillation process concentrates the liquid to increase its alcohol by volume. As liquors contain significantly more alcohol (ethanol) than other alcoholic drinks, they are considered "harder." In North America, the term hard liquor is sometimes used to distinguish distilled alcoholic drinks from non-distilled ones, whereas the term spirits is more commonly used in the UK. Some examples of liquors include vodka, rum, gin, and tequila. Liquors are often aged in barrels, such as for the production of brandy and whiskey, or are infused with flavorings to form flavored liquors, such as absinthe.
Pálinka is a traditional fruit spirit with origins in the medieval Kingdom of Hungary, known under several names. Protected as a geographical indication of the European Union, only fruit spirits mashed, distilled, matured and bottled in Hungary and similar apricot spirits from four provinces of Austria can be called "pálinka", while "Tótpálinka" refers to wheat-derived beverages. Törkölypálinka, a different product in the legal sense, is a similarly protected pomace spirit that is commonly included with pálinka. While pálinka may be made of any locally grown fruit, the most common ones are plums, apricots, apples, pears, and cherries.
Table wine is a wine term with two different meanings: a style of wine and a quality level within wine classification.
Quality wines produced in specified regions is a quality indicator used within European Union wine regulations. The QWpsr category identifies wines with protected geographical indications and protected designations of origin. The European Union regulates and defines the status of "quality wines" according to production method, management, and geographical location. Its original, fundamental role is in differentiating quality wines from table wines, broadly in line with the system traditionally employed by the French government, amended to account for the preferences and methodology of Italian, German, and other growers in the EU.
Himbeergeist is a geist made from raspberries. It is produced mainly in Germany and the Alsace region of France.
The protected designation of origin (PDO) is a type of geographical indication of the European Union and the United Kingdom aimed at preserving the designations of origin of food-related products. The designation was created in 1992 and its main purpose is to designate products that have been produced, processed and developed in a specific geographical area, using the recognized know-how of local producers and ingredients from the region concerned.
Bierlikör, or beer liqueur, is a beer-flavored liqueur, traditionally produced in the German state of Bavaria. As the term is not legally protected, individual products vary. Bierlikör can be made at home, but is also available commercially.
Geist is a distilled beverage obtained by maceration of unfermented fruit or other raw materials in neutral spirits, followed by distillation. This differs from fruit brandy, where the alcohol comes from fermenting the fruit's naturally occurring sugars. As such, geist can be made from a much wider range of materials, as it is not limited to fruits with sufficient fermentable sugars.
