Veinimäe is a grape growing company in the village of Sulbi, Võrumaa, Estonia. The company produces its wine in Tartu. There, the company also produces apple cider using traditional methods. This cider is also used for a spirit drink, which is distilled in Jelgava, Latvia. After distillation the distill is  apparently matured in oak barrels or mixed with something, as the colour is light brown. The spirit drink can be purchased at least from Veinimäe’s own online store www.veinimae.ee and from a few selected stores in Tallinn and Tartu. A 35 cl bottle cost €20 when purchased directly from the winery.

The distillate is a light brown color in the glass and there are small flakes, probably from apple juice or cider. The aroma is very similar to the apple cider produced by Veinimäe winery. It smells exactly like cider with a strong distillate added. The taste is smooth, apple-like, slightly honey-sweet. There’s a hint of cider yeastiness in the taste, but not in a way that’s disturbing. The aftertaste has slightly sour apple cider and the taste lingers in the mouth for a long time. The drink is really a sprit drink or schnapps, the product is different from pure apple cider distillate. It’s probably more of a mixture of apple cider, distillate and apple juice. In any case, the drink is well made, easy to sip and a nice artisanal product. I recommend checking it out if you come across this on your travels in southern Estonia.

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