Unicum

This herbal liqueur is produced with a combination of 40 carefully selected herbs and spices, including ginger, angelica root, lemongrass, and orange peel. The blend is aged in oak casks for six months until it achieves its herbal, bittersweet flavor.

Originally invented as a stomach remedy, Unicum was first produced in 1790 by Dr. József Zwack. The mass production of the liqueur started in 1840 when the doctor founded the first Zwack Company, followed by the central distillery in 1892. In the aftermath of the Second World War, the company was overtaken by state, while the Zwack family fled the country, taking with them the original recipe.

With the end of Communism, the family bought back the company in 1989 and continued the production according to the original recipe, which is still kept secret. Nowadays, the drink is regarded as the iconic Hungarian liqueur that is served well-chilled or lukewarm, preferably in a shot glass or over ice.