Yebiga Bela Slivovitz 700ML

Yebiga Bela Slivovitz 700ML is a 40% ABV Serbian plum brandy double-distilled from heritage plum varieties grown on the slopes of Mount Goč. This expression earned a Double Gold Medal at the 2021 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, placing it among the most recognized slivovitz bottlings available internationally. Its combination of high-altitude fruit sourcing, spontaneous fermentation, and small-batch copper pot distillation gives Bela a character that stands apart from industrial plum brandies.

Quick Facts: ABV: 40%  |  Origin: Kraljevo, Central Serbia  |  Unaged Plum Brandy (Slivovitz)  |  Distillery: Yebiga, Mount Goč

Production & Heritage

Yebiga operates from the mountain of Goč near Kraljevo in central Serbia, where its plum orchards sit at roughly 800 meters (2,600 feet) elevation, surrounded by pine forests that shape the local microclimate. The Bela expression uses a 50-50 blend of two Serbian heritage cultivars — čačanska rodna and čačanska lepotica — fermented spontaneously with wild yeast only, a practice tied to the distillery's kosher certification. Each batch is double-distilled through copper pot stills in 500-liter runs, keeping production deliberately small-scale and allowing the distillers close control over cut points that preserve delicate fruit aromatics.

Tasting Notes

Aroma: Green plum and cherry pith arrive first, followed by layers of stewed stone fruit, dried apricot, and leafy herbal tones. A distinctive pine resinousness — a signature of the Goč terroir — threads through the floral top notes.

Taste: The entry is rounded and gentle, expanding at mid-palate into muscat grape sweetness, dried herbs, and a touch of dill. Fresh plum fruit reasserts itself as the palate develops, balanced by a subtle grape-must richness that keeps things grounded rather than overtly sweet.

Finish: Long, dry, and fruit-driven, with lingering floral echoes and a faint herbal bitterness that invites another sip. The dryness is clean rather than austere, closing on a persistent fresh-plum note.

How to Drink Bela Slivovitz

Bela rewards neat service at cool room temperature, where its aromatic complexity has room to open up; a few drops of water can amplify the floral and pine dimensions. It also brings unexpected depth to cocktails:

• Slivovitz Sour — the dry plum character balances egg white and citrus without becoming cloying.
• Improved Plum Old Fashioned — Bela's herbal undertones stand up to bitters and a raw sugar cube, creating a fruit-forward riff on the classic template.
• Paloma variation — substituted for tequila, it pairs with grapefruit soda and lime to produce a surprisingly bright, Eastern European twist on the Mexican staple.

Best For

• Introducing friends to the slivovitz category through a critically acclaimed example
• Gifting a spirits enthusiast who values terroir-driven, small-batch production
• Building a brandy collection that extends beyond French and South American distillates
• After-dinner sipping alongside dried fruit, cheese, or dark chocolate

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Bela Slivovitz taste like? Bela Slivovitz leads with bright plum fruit and floral aromatics, moving through dried herbs and muscat grape on the palate before finishing long and dry with persistent stone-fruit character.

How does Bela Slivovitz compare to Zwack Slivovitz? Zwack is a widely distributed Hungarian slivovitz that tends toward a simpler, more straightforwardly fruity profile at a lower price point. Yebiga Bela distinguishes itself with wild-yeast fermentation, small-batch copper-pot distillation, and a more layered aromatic range, reflected in its 2021 SFWSC Double Gold Medal.

Is Bela Slivovitz good for sipping neat? Yes — its rounded mouthfeel, moderate 40% ABV, and complex fruit-and-herb profile make it well suited to neat service, and it was evaluated neat in every major competition where it medaled.

Where is Bela Slivovitz made? Bela Slivovitz is produced by Yebiga on the mountain of Goč near Kraljevo in central Serbia, where the distillery's plum orchards grow at approximately 800 meters elevation in a pine-forested microclimate.

What foods pair well with Bela Slivovitz? Aged hard cheeses like Manchego complement the dry fruit notes. Dark chocolate intensifies the herbal and pine undertones. Charcuterie boards with cured meats echo the savory, dried-herb character. Walnut pastries or strudel mirror the stone-fruit aromatics. Dried apricots and figs create a natural bridge to the brandy's own dried-fruit qualities.

What sizes does Bela Slivovitz come in? Yebiga Bela Slivovitz is available in the standard 700ml bottle format.

Is Bela Slivovitz worth the price? Bela positions as a premium craft slivovitz within a category that ranges from inexpensive mass-market bottles to high-end aged expressions. Its Double Gold pedigree, wild-yeast fermentation, and small-batch production justify a step up from entry-level plum brandies for drinkers seeking complexity and provenance.

Why Bela Slivovitz?

Slivovitz is the national spirit of Serbia, yet few producers export expressions with this level of traceability — from named plum cultivars to verified elevation, wild-yeast fermentation, and 500-liter copper-pot batch sizes. The 2021 Double Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, followed by medals at the New York International Spirits Competition and the International Wine & Spirit Competition, confirms that Bela competes on a global stage. For drinkers exploring brandy beyond Cognac and pisco, it represents a direct connection to Serbian terroir and traditional distilling technique bottled at a clean, approachable 40% ABV.