A sweet liqueur made from the prickly pears that grow on Malta’s dry-stone rubble walls. The cactus was brought from the Americas and has naturalised across every field boundary on the islands.
It is a commercial liqueur built on a distilled spirit that cannot be made without a licence, and the fruit itself is covered in glochids — fine barbed spines that lodge in skin — and is handled with equipment.
What goes into it
- prickly pear fruit
- a neutral spirit
- sugar
- water
How it is made
The fruit is picked with thick gloves, peeled of its spined skin and pressed or macerated in spirit, then the extract is strained, sweetened and diluted to bottling strength. The colour comes entirely from the fruit, which is why it ranges from pink to deep magenta depending on the year.
How long it takes: weeks of maceration, then blending
How it is eaten
Ice cold in a small glass after dinner, or over ice on a hot afternoon.
History
Distilled from the prickly pear, brought from the Americas and now naturalised across Malta’s dry-stone walls and field boundaries.
Frequently asked questions
What is Bajtra?
Bajtra is a wine & spirit from Malta: sweet liqueur made from prickly pears that grow on rubble walls. Distilled from the prickly pear, brought from the Americas and now naturalised across Malta’s dry-stone walls and field boundaries.
How is Bajtra made?
The fruit is picked with thick gloves, peeled of its spined skin and pressed or macerated in spirit, then the extract is strained, sweetened and diluted to bottling strength. The colour comes entirely from the fruit, which is why it ranges from pink to deep magenta depending on the year. It takes weeks of maceration, then blending.
Can I make Bajtra at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a commercial liqueur built on a distilled spirit that cannot be made without a licence, and the fruit itself is covered in glochids — fine barbed spines that lodge in skin — and is handled with equipment.
What goes into Bajtra?
Prickly pear fruit, a neutral spirit, sugar, water.
How is Bajtra eaten?
Ice cold in a small glass after dinner, or over ice on a hot afternoon.
