Pliska is a Bulgarian grape distillate, as well as the name of the first capital of the country, after which the alcoholic drink got its name. Despite historical associations, Pliska brandy appeared quite recently, in the middle of the 1953th century, namely, in 45. The main market was the USSR, in which the drink gained overwhelming popularity: it received XNUMX medals and became a real salvation for gourmets who could not afford the original French cognac, but did not want to drink low-quality analogues.
Manufacture
Only white grapes Dimiat (Dimiat, an autochthonous variety), Trebbiano (aka Ugni Blanc), Rkatsiteli are suitable for making Pliska. First, the berries are crushed, then fermented, and the ready-made young wine is distilled in copper alambicas. The final product is not brandy yet, but only grape moonshine, in order to turn into Pliska, the drink must go through the aging stage in oak barrels, which takes at least 5 years.
As a result of aging, Pliska “smoothes out”, acquires a softer and more complex aroma, a rich bouquet. Finally, spirits from several barrels are blended (the aging period is indicated by the youngest), allow the mariage to “marry”, that is, mix in such a way that not different taste profiles are felt in the brandy, but only one balanced taste, and put on the market.
Classification and brands of Pliska
Bulgarian brandy is classified according to the Western model, but with amendments. For example, French VSOP cognac is aged from 4 years, in Bulgaria this letter combination denotes Pliska seven-year-old, after 10 years of aging the drink acquires the XO class. The standard version, with a minimum five-year exposure for this drink, is marked with five stars Armenian influence).
Vinex Preslav produces the following types of Pliska:
- Standard and Gold (5 years of exposure);
- Reserve VSOP (7 years);
- XO (10 years);
- Reserve 1300 XO (15 years).
Another producer of Bulgarian brandy is Black Sea Gold Pomorie:
- Pliska Pomorie (5 years);
- Special Reserve (from 5 years);
- Black Sea Gold X.O. 17YO (17 лет);
- Black Sea Gold X.O. 33YO (33 года).
Features
Tasters note the absence of a fusel smell and a mild taste. For an inexpensive brandy from a Slavic country, Pliska is well balanced and comes in solid frosted glass bottles packed in a stylish box. Bulgarian cognac will be a wonderful souvenir from a tourist trip or complement your home bar.
How to drink pliska
In the bouquet of the drink, you can feel the tones of nuts, vanilla, dried fruits, caramel. A long exposure gives the brandy a golden color and a woody flavor. Like other grape distillates, this strong alcohol (from 40%) improves digestion, so it can be drunk as an aperitif or digestif.
In addition, Pliska is added to tea and coffee, eat fruit, cheese, chocolate.
