What people drink in East Slovakia at Christmas

After the huge success of our Beer Tour, we bring readers an up-to-date overview of the drinks enjoyed in Eastern Slovakia during Christmas. As the holiday season approaches, almost every East Slovak sits down at the Christmas Eve table on December 24th, where—besides non-alcoholic drinks—traditional alcoholic toasts never fail to appear. Across Slovakia, many believe that alcohol consumption is higher in the East than in the West, so we and our foreign readers were curious to find out which drinks dominate Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day.

We conducted a mini-survey among people from Košice, East Slovaks, and members of our editorial team, and we relied on data from online alcohol retailers. Some findings surprised us—for example, the growing interest in newly emerging spirits. In the article, we also recommend drinks that tourists can buy in Slovakia as original gifts or high-quality souvenirs. Foreign travellers are increasingly interested in distillery tours, where they can learn about alcohol production and taste regional spirits from the East.

Traditional and New Spirits by Local Producers Take the Lead

“I have always mulled over wine at Christmas, and at my grandparents’ place east of Košice we still drink our own homemade pálenica,” says Jakub G. from Košice. Blanka M. defends the drinking of pear brandy: “It’s our regular Christmas Eve toast,” says the proud East Slovak.

Peter Jaco, Marketing Manager of Fusion Group Ltd. —which includes four facilities in the centre of Prešov and the bar The Cuba Libre Rum & Cigar House at Kováčska 9 in Košice—confirms customers’ growing interest in high-quality Slivovica (plum brandy) and apricot brandy. “More demanding customers in our establishments order East Slovak apricot and pear brandy with 50–52% alcohol. These premium spirits are supplied by the local producer Grič Distillery from the Brezovica village near Sabinov,” Jaco explains. Their Slivovica won second place at the prestigious Craft Spirits Berlin 2024 competition.

A perfect Slovak gift is the Tatranská Hruškovica 42% produced by the Kežmarok-based company Karloff Ltd., which also produces the popular herbal liqueurs Tatratea. These are extremely popular in Eastern Slovakia—both Slovaks and foreign visitors drink them neat or with hot tea. That’s why they appear not only at Christmas tables but also accompany tourists on winter hikes in the Tatras. For an original gift we recommend the 0.7 l Tatra Tea Folklór Edition 52%, decorated by patterns of North Slovak ceramics.

A current specialty of the Frucona Košice joint-stock company is its beloved peppermint liqueur shaped like a glass Christmas tree (28%). The company also produces Gazdovská slivovica extra (52%), one of the most traditional Christmas drinks in Slovak households—often purchased by foreign visitors as a natural “remedy” and souvenir.

Among Slovak homemakers, “Tuzemský um” remains very popular. It is an essential ingredient in Christmas pastries and sweets. It tastes more natural than synthetic aromas and serves as a base for homemade egg, caramel, and chocolate Christmas liqueurs.

According to online data, the most sold real rums in Slovakia at Christmas are La Maison Du Rhum, Rum Eminente, and Rum Canerock. All of these can be tasted in one place—The Cuba Libre Rum & Cigar House at Jarková 40 in Prešov. “This bar also offers a wide selection of cognacs,” says the Marketing Manager of Fusion Group. Survey results confirm that wealthier East Slovaks enjoy the luxury cognac Hennessy at Christmas.

A Century of Tradition: The Spirits of Stará Ľubovňa

Spišská palenica a.s. (The Spiš Distillery joint-stock company) in Stará Ľubovňa continues more than a century of distilling tradition. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Morgenbesser family expanded local distilleries by establishing a liqueur factory in Stará Ľubovňa. They produced borovička, herbal liqueurs, egg and chocolate liqueurs, rum, and slivovica. Their exceptional recipes have been preserved and remain the foundation of production today.

The company launched a high-quality borovička under the brand Spišská borovička Kosher, loved not only by Slovaks but also by visitors from Israel. The original brand Spišská KOSHER, including Original Spišská Borovička KOSHER, received the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) award from the European Commission in 2008.

The distillery also offers an original gift set of five kosher miniatures (50 ml): slivovica, pear brandy, raspberry brandy, apricot brandy, and borovička—an excellent Christmas present.

The company uses modern distillation technologies: spirits mature in 300-liter oak barrels, with a total storage capacity of 150,000 liters. Five French oak tanks have capacities of up to 35,000 liters. Here the spirits mature, harmonize, and develop their flavour. Every connoisseur finds something to enjoy, and the secrets of production can be discovered during a specialised guided tour in the traditional Spišská Krčma (Spiš Pub), where visitors can taste unique regional spirits. Tours can be booked at prehliadky@spisskapalenica.sk.

A tour and tasting of whisky and craft beer is also offered by Nestville Distillery in Hniezdne near Stará Ľubovňa, which—together with Spišská pálenica—belongs to GAS Familia Ltd.. Nestville Distillery has a wide portfolio of whisky types and flavours, with annual revenues exceeding 14 million euros. In the tasting room, whose interior displays historic documents and maps of Slovakia’s oldest distillery from 1746 visitors can taste the sample of the special Nestville Whisky Christmas Edition (40%), also available via e-shop. There is also a gift pack of the six-year-old award-winning Nestville Whisky Blended 6yo 40% with two branded glasses. A Christmas favourite is the Nestville Beer Honey Lager 14%.

The atmosphere is enhanced by lodging in the stylish Nestville Apartments, with loft apartments located directly above the Nestville Chocolate factory. During Christmas, visitors can enjoy the big Christmas tree, illuminated grounds, and a popular ice rink for children in the Nestville Park.

Vodkas and Liqueurs Survived Socialism – and They’re Still “In”

GAS Familia Ltd. also produces Goral Vodka Master. Thanks to multi-stage distillation and seven-fold filtration, this vodka regularly wins international awards; in 2011, it received two gold medals among 700 beverages at the United Vodka competition in Cannes. It also won a Gold Trophy in China for its market potential in Asia. Its elegant design makes this 40% vodka a great souvenir, and its base is high-quality six-row spring grain.

“At home we traditionally toast with Jemná Vodka on Christmas Eve,” says Viera T. from Humenné. Extra Jemná Vodka from the long-established company St. Nicolaus has been one of Slovakia’s best-selling vodkas since socialist times. A 0.7 l bottle (38% or 40%) costs around €7.90–10.90. A small 0.2 l version makes a perfect souvenir. For foreign tourists, the half-liter Pure Star vodka (37.5%), sold in the TESCO chain for €4.80, is a bargain.

Since 1967, St. Nicolaus company has produced the traditional liqueur Demänovka, sold in three varieties—bitter (38%), sweet (33%), and cranberry (33%). From herb blending to extract production, maturation, and bottling, the process takes at least six months. At Christmas, Demänovka with honey is also popular among East Slovaks. The company regularly offers egg liqueur, especially loved by women.

“What Paris Sets in Fashion, Šariš Sets in Beer”

At Christmas, many Slovaks treat themselves to beer – 40% of respondents associate the holidays with a light lager, which surprised marketing researchers. Based on supermarket availability and online reviews, Zlatý Bažant sells very well in the East, even though on Košice’s Main Street only one pub offers it on tap. The producer launches a Christmas campaign every year for Zlatý Bažant 73. At TESCO you can find a premium gift pack of seven 0.5 l bottles of Krušovice Bohém with a stylish glass for around 9 euros.

In the East—especially around Prešov and the countryside—people traditionally toast with Šariš, and Smädný mních is also popular for its price and lightness. East Slovaks still remember the Šariš slogan: “What Paris sets in fashion, Šariš sets in beer.”

A tourist wandering into Slovakia’s third largest city can taste Šariš 12° and Gambrinus 10° on tap at Staré dobré Mexiko at Jarková 63 in Prešov. Tourists also love the tank-served Plzeň at Pilsnerka Novum in the Novum Shopping Centre at Námestie legionárov 1 in Prešov. Market surveys show that families wishing to add a touch of elegance to Christmas Eve often reach for bottled Plzeň, specially purchased for festive moments.

Local patriots enjoy beers from craft breweries. At Christmas, fans of the Herrenwald Brewery in Malá Ida near Košice drink the semi-dark lager Jantár 13°, with a richer body and caramel-fruit notes—perfect for cold weather. Special beers include Sun on Taj Mahal 14°, available also in some Kaufland stores, or stronger IPAs.

From the Humenné brewery Medveď, suitable Christmas beers include Medveď 12°, Grizly 11°, Medveď Ležiak 12°, and the light refreshing Macko 10°, also available in selected Kaufland stores. Special honey or lavender beers can be ordered directly from the Medveď pub on Hlavná 54 in Košice, with delivery options available.

East Slovaks Sweeten Christmas with Tokaj and Mead—While Dreaming of Devín and Dunaj

Mead is an inseparable part of Christmas markets and the holidays. Visitors know both the light and dark Old Slovak Mead by Apimed, made from honeydew and forest honey using a traditional recipe. The company also offers a gift set of 0.25 l mead, honey, and herbal tea for about €11. The mead by Arnika has received the Regional Product of the Košice Region award.

This award also went to the wines Dunaj and Dunaj Neronet. Award recipients include Pivnica Orechová, and for Dunaj rosé, Vínna Pivnica Lesná Ltd.. The Dunaj variety was bred in 1958 by the renowned Slovak vine breeder Dorota Pospíšilová and her research team at the Viticulture and Winemaking Research Institute in Bratislava. It is a cross of Muškát Bouchet × Oporto × Svätovavrinecké, characterized by a dark colour and flavours of forest fruit and bitter chocolate.

These award-winning wines are available in better wine shops in Košice. The owner of Cassovia Vínotéka & Alkotéka at Trieda SNP 88 in Košice explained the Christmas preferences of East Slovaks: “They especially buy Tokaj wines for Christmas Eve—usually 2, or 3 puttonyos. As gifts for the Czech Republic and abroad, tourists prefer Tokaj dessert wines with more puttonyos. Slovaks come during the Christmas season to fill up barrel wine Furmint; in our wine shop it costs €3.45 per liter.” Online reviews show that tourists appreciate this barrel-drawn wine, taking it away in their own bottles or in carafes from the shop.

Foreign visitors often want to give Devín and Dunaj wine as exotic Slovak gifts, since these varieties are unavailable in other countries. At Christmas, Slovaks also often drink white wines. People in the East appreciate the good prices of wines from Pivnica Tibava, also distributed by LIDL. Thanks to this chain, Tibava wines are enjoyed at Christmas by Czechs, Poles, and Bulgarians. Pivnica Tibava produces world-renowned varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Veltlínske zelené, and Pálava, as well as Slovak varieties like Devín, which won an international award in 2022. “Recently I quickly grabbed a Tibava Cabernet Sauvignon in the supermarket for a great price. My Czech friends loved it,” says one of our editorial contributors.

On New Year’s Eve, Slovak and Czech Sparkling Wines Flow—Russkoje Igristoje Adding the Sparkle

To conclude, we reveal our editorial team’s own Christmas drinking traditions:

Men prefer red wines like Primitivo or Port on Christmas Eve, light Plzeň, or whisky, while the magazine management toasts with Jägermeister. Women in the editorial team enjoy Baileys Irish Cream or its cheaper alternative – the Irish cream liqueur De Luxe, available in the chain LIDL only once a year in December.

We usually celebrate the end of the year with Slovakia’s oldest sparkling wine Hubert, with Czech Bohemia Sekt, or with the Russian classic Russkoje igristoje.

So all that remains is to wish our readers “Cheers!”—whether on Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve. In times of consolidation, East Slovaks prefer to toast in the circle of family and friends. They rely on proven brands and they like to support local East Slovak production. Only then will all locals—and the foreigners visiting Eastern Slovakia—remain “East Slovaks at Heart.”

Author: Daniela Capcarová ©