There are many reasons people drink šljivovica. Some laugh, some cry, some celebrate and some mourn. A glass is often poured before a meal and often after it, because that is how it is done. Plum rakija, popularly šljivovica, is present at almost every Serbian feast.
Made in the stills of the “old masters”, it is one of the best-known drinks in Serbia, used to toast, to celebrate or simply to enjoy the moment. It is a strong spirit with a unique aroma and taste, often served in the small glass called a čokanjčić. Serbia’s best-known brand, alongside Novak Đoković: if you visit Serbia, do not leave without trying plum rakija.
How plum rakija is made
Čačanska lepotica, Požegača and Čačanska rodna are the plum varieties most often used for rakija in Serbia.
Of the roughly 450,000 tonnes of plums Serbia grows each year, about 70% goes into plum rakija. Most village households make it to recipes handed down from generation to generation, much of it for their own use. Many store it in oak casks and serve it on special occasions such as the slava or birthdays. The longer rakija rests in the cask, the better it becomes, and rakija decades old, kept for the most important events, is no rarity.
Šljivovica is made by distilling the fermented mash, or juice, of plums, with at least 25% alcohol. The first distillation gives soft rakija; a second distillation gives strong rakija of 40–50%, often called prepečenica. Simply put, the steps are: picking, washing, fine cutting or crushing, fermentation, distillation and, finally, maturing.
Zlatna šljiva and Akademska šljiva
Plum rakija from these parts needs little introduction: its quality speaks for itself. Akademska šljiva is a blend of varieties from central Serbia: the native Moravka, Čačanska rodna, Čačanska lepotica and Požegača. It is known for an intense barrique taste that does not leave even seasoned connoisseurs indifferent.
Zlatna šljiva, the second premium rakija of Akademska rakija, comes from a careful choice of the best plums of our native varieties. After maturing it is bottled with flakes of 23-carat gold. It is a blend of Požegača, Čačanska rodna, Čačanska lepotica and the native Moravka, with an intense barrique taste and aroma and notes of vanilla and dried plum from its time in the oak cask.
