Bird Valley Distillery
The Bird Valley Distillery (Pálenica vo Vtáčom údoli) is the birthplace of delicious spirits. The distillery is located in Porúbka, an unusually picturesque village set amid the majestic Vyhorlat volcanic mountain range. Its products are not the cheapest, but the highest quality has to have a relevant price.
The distillery offers an impressive range of products. At the top of the list there is an excellent Borovička, which is, according to BVD’s owner, the first Slovak distillate to be made in a traditional way, in contrast to Borovičkas from other producers, who have for many years just flavoured the distillate with juniper oil. Today, large-scale producers only add juniper flavour, while BVD Borovička is an authentic juniper distillate. The juniper fruits used in production come from the slopes of the mountains of the Slovenský Kras National Park and the Slovak Paradise National Park, and are harvested in late autumn when the fruits pass through the first frosts. The whole production process is manual.
Apart from Borovička, BVD also offers distillates made of plum, pear, cherry, rowan, apple, apricot, grape, quince, cornelian cherry, blackthorn, raspberry, and one distilled from a cuvee of three varieties of Tokaj wine: Furmint, Lipovina and Yellow Muscat. All products are prepared according to various old recipes, relevant for each type of fruit. This is no longer the ordinary production of booze. It is alchemy!
The distillery was founded in 2010, and since then it has gained a large group of enthusiasts for its natural superb products. BVD is a supplier for many prestigious hotels and restaurants in Slovakia and abroad. Distillates can be purchased onsite, but also in an online store (see the BVD website).
The producer has taken a lot of care in the design of packaging for its spirits. The distinctive, slender, square shape of the bottle, and a finely-drawn but evocative trademark emphasize the premium quality of the products. This is by no means a deceptive idea of the designers. Visit BVD and try for yourself the flavours of Slovak forests and orchards captured in bottles.
