a curated collection of

hedonisms

Quittenbranntwein

a Quince Brandy made by Z'Graggen in Schwyz, Switzerland

Z'Graggen

Founded in 1948 and now, with 400 000 litres spirits produced annually, one of the biggest distilleries in Switzerland.

Quittenbranntwein

According to Daniel Z'Graggen quince is one of the most difficult fruits to work with when it comes to making brandy:

(i) The fruit is very dry, which makes the mash woody and prone to clogging

(ii) the fruit doesn't have much sugar (100 kilograms fruit yield 7 litres of spirit)

(iii) the fruit has tiny hairs on the surface that need removing with a pressure cleaner lest the spirit develop a rancid flavour.

The result, however, is clear and fresh, devoid of cooked cider notes that can be found in apple or pear brandies.

Purchased by the author at the producer's website

Pairs with