A clear plum eau-de-vie distilled from damson-type quetsch plums along the Luxembourg Moselle and in the Éislek. It is protected alongside the country’s other fruit spirits and drunk very cold.
Distilling is illegal without a licence, and plum mashes in particular yield methanol that only a correct cut removes.
What goes into it
- ripe quetsch plums
- nothing else
How it is made
Ripe plums are crushed with or without their stones and fermented on their own sugars for two to four weeks, then distilled twice in a copper pot still. Only the heart of the second run is kept, and the spirit rests in glass so it stays colourless.
How long it takes: weeks to ferment, then months resting
How it is eaten
Ice cold in a small glass after a meal, or poured over a sorbet.
History
Distilled along the Luxembourg Moselle and in the Éislek, protected alongside the country’s other fruit spirits.
Frequently asked questions
What is Quetsch?
Quetsch is a wine & spirit from Luxembourg: clear plum eau-de-vie distilled from damson-type quetsch plums. Distilled along the Luxembourg Moselle and in the Éislek, protected alongside the country’s other fruit spirits.
How is Quetsch made?
Ripe plums are crushed with or without their stones and fermented on their own sugars for two to four weeks, then distilled twice in a copper pot still. Only the heart of the second run is kept, and the spirit rests in glass so it stays colourless. It takes weeks to ferment, then months resting.
Can I make Quetsch at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. Distilling is illegal without a licence, and plum mashes in particular yield methanol that only a correct cut removes.
What goes into Quetsch?
Ripe quetsch plums, nothing else.
How is Quetsch eaten?
Ice cold in a small glass after a meal, or poured over a sorbet.
