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Papua New GuineaFlavors · Budapest
Bitter herbal liqueur, dark, produced by the Zwack family in Budapest with a secret recipe of more than 40 herbs and spices, aged in oak casks. The round bottle with a cross on the label is recognised throughout the country.
Traditional drink from Budapest, Budapest
Also known as: Zwack Unicum
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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Unicum — Budapest, Hungary
Unicum is a bitter herbal liqueur made by the Zwack family company in Budapest. The recipe combines more than 40 herbs and spices and is kept secret; the liqueur is aged in oak casks. It is drunk in small doses, as an aperitif before meals or a digestif afterwards.
Family tradition says that in 1790 the court physician Dr. Zwack offered the drink to Emperor Joseph II for his stomach, and the emperor reportedly exclaimed, “Das ist ein Unikum!” — that is, “this is unique.” That is said to be the origin of the name. The story is presented as a brand legend. The company was founded in Pest in 1840 by József Zwack, and the name Unicum was registered in 1883, already using the round bottle and cross on the label.
In the 20th century the distillery was destroyed in the war and later nationalised, and the family left Hungary. For several decades the liqueur was produced in the country by a state-owned company, while the Zwacks made it abroad. The family resumed production in Budapest after 1989 at the headquarters on the banks of the Danube in the Ferencváros district, which also houses the company museum.
Unicum was inscribed in 2015 on the Collection of Hungarikumok, the official list of national values. Besides the classic version, the company has launched variations, such as an aged one with dried plums.
Budapest , Budapest
Unicum is produced in Budapest by the Zwack family company, founded in Pest in 1840, which maintains its headquarters and museum there.
More than 40 herbs and spices, secret recipe; distilled and macerated; aged in oak casks.
In a small measure, neat, as an aperitif before a meal or a digestif afterwards.
An everyday drink, offered at gatherings, celebrations and after hearty meals.
Your questions
A Hungarian bitter herbal liqueur made by the Zwack family in Budapest with a secret recipe of more than 40 herbs and spices and aged in oak casks.
According to Zwack family tradition, Emperor Joseph II reportedly said “Das ist ein Unikum!” (this is unique) when tasting the drink in 1790. The story is told as a brand legend.
In a small measure, neat, as an aperitif before a meal or a digestif afterwards.
Flavors of Hungary
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Beef soup with plenty of broth, onion, paprika, diced potato and csipetke, a pinched noodle that cooks in the pot. It is made without thickening with flour. The name comes from the gulyás, the herdsmen of the Great Plain.
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