9. Fruit spirit

Fruit spirit is a spirit drink: produced exclusively by the alcoholic fermentation and distillation of fleshy fruit or must of such fruit, berries or vegetables, with or without stones, distilled at less than 86 % vol. so that the distillate has an aroma and taste derived from the raw materials distilled, having a quantity of volatile substances equal to or exceeding 200 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol, in the case of stone-fruit spirits, having a hydrocyanic acid content not exceeding 7 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol. The maximum methanol content of fruit spirit shall be 1000 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol. However for the following fruit spirits the maximum methanol content shall be: 1200 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol obtained from the following fruits or berries: plum (Prunus domestica L.), mirabelle (Prunus domestica L. subsp. syriaca (Borkh.) Janch. ex Mansf.), quetsch (Prunus domestica L.), apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), pear (Pyrus communis L.) except for Williams pears (Pyrus communis L. cv ‘Williams’), raspberries (Rubus idaeus L.), blackberries (Rubus fruticosus auct. aggr.), apricots (Prunus armeniaca L.), peaches (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch); 1350 grams per hectolitre of 100 % vol. alcohol obtained from the following fruits or berries: Williams pears (Pyrus communis L. cv ‘Williams’), redcurrants (Ribes rubrum L.), blackcurrants (Ribes nigrum L.), rowanberries (Sorbus aucuparia L.), elderberries (Sambucus nigra L.), quinces (Cydonia oblonga Mill.), juniper berries (Juniperus communis L. and/or Juniperus oxicedrus L.). The minimum alcoholic strength by volume of fruit spirit shall be 37,5 %. No addition of alcohol as defined in Annex I(5), diluted or not, shall take place. Fruit spirit shall not be flavoured. The sales denomination of fruit spirit shall be ‘spirit’ preceded by the name of the fruit, berry or vegetable, such as: cherry spirit or kirsch, plum spirit or slivovitz, mirabelle, peach, apple, pear, apricot, fig, citrus or grape spirit or other fruit spirits. It may also be called wasser, with the name of the fruit. The name of the fruit may replace ‘spirit’ preceded by the name of the fruit, solely in the case of the following fruits: mirabelle (Prunus domestica L. subsp. syriaca (Borkh.) Janch. ex Mansf.), plum (Prunus domestica L.), quetsch (Prunus domestica L.), fruit of arbutus (Arbutus unedo L.), ‘Golden Delicious’ apple. Should there be a risk that the final consumer does not easily understand one of these sales denominations, the labelling shall include the word ‘spirit’, possibly supplemented by an explanation. The name Williams may be used only to sell pear spirit produced solely from pears of the ‘Williams’ variety. Whenever two or more fruits, berries or vegetables are distilled together, the product shall be sold under the name ‘fruit spirit’ or ‘vegetable spirit’, as appropriate. The name may be supplemented by that of each fruit, berry or vegetable, in decreasing order of quantity used.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-11-08 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.