Zwack Hungarian Herbal Liqueur
Hungarian herbal liqueur first produced in 1790. Made
with a secret blend of 40 herbs and spices and remains a Zwack family
operation.
Zwack is rather well-known in the United States and is
often compared to Jagermeister, with Zwack often being considered a
gentler upgrade from Jagermeister's often notorious reputation. Zwack uses the
same base recipe as Unicum, with a few of the ingredients adjusted. Notably, it
is slightly sweeter, the bitters are reduced, and the citrus elements are
enhanced. It is a wonderful bouquet of herbs and the citrus finish is
rememberable.
Considered the national booze of Hungary since the late
18th century, Zwack is an herbal liqueur with a strong citrusy taste to it. But
rather than hyper-bitter like Fernet or cloying-bitter like Jäger, it's sweet
and herbaceous with a bitter finish. In its native Hungary Zwack is almost
always served as a shot. But we're having a lot of fun with it over here in
cocktail-world, where we'd place it in its own territory between an orange
liqueur and an amaro.
The story of Zwack is a long one, beginning in 1790 with
Dr. Jozsef Zwack and the ailing Emperor of Hungary, Joseph II. As with many
liqueurs that date back a few centuries, this recipe was Zwack's medicinal
remedy for the emperor and it was such a hit with the ruler that he reportedly
said, "Dr. Zwack, Das ist ein Unicum!," meaning unique. It soon led
to Budapest's first liquor producer, became a popular shot, and was known as
the national drink of Hungary.