Why Quince Brandy is So Rare and Expensive?

For some people that plan to buy quince brandy in Germany, this fruit may be totally unknown, a brandy made out of it even more.  The fruit itself it’s very rare and it doesn’t grow everywhere, like apple or pear for instance. Quince is unique for other things like it’s taste, smell and the amount sugar and juice in it. This is the first reason why this brandy is so expensive.  There are a lot of varieties of this brandy on the Balkan market, but just a small percent of it is authentic and actually got from quince.

Over 90 percent of brandies, you will buy are yellow, very sweet and with strong quince scent. This might sound nice, but in reality is a total opposite of what this brandy should be. If the brandy is made just from quince it should be transparent, unless it was in an oak barrel for at least three years. Second, of all, the smell of it can’t be as hard as of the fruit. The source of the quince’s smell is in its crust which loses its essence when distilled. Sweet and the vivid taste are a clear sign for high sugar level or worse, artificial additives.

Now, let’s talk about the real deal! Real quince brandy can’t contain sugar, apples or yeast. The amount of quince needed for one pure brandy is somewhere around 20 kilos for 1 liter of brandy. Which is a lot! This comes from a lower natural level of sugar and juice in the fruit. In its nature quince is very dry and pungent. Thant’s why its smell can’t be too strong and taste too intense. The taste of real quince brandy should be a bit harsh, and a bit sour, with just a note of sweetness. Aroma of the real brandy is supposed to be floral, but just in traces.

Knowing all this think twice before you buy next bottle of quince brandy. The price should be the first indicator of quality. If you want a good spirit don’t spare a single penny on it.