Pacharan from Spain

Pacharan, Basque from "baso aran", wild plum, is a sloe flavored liqueur commonly drunk in Navarra, in the Basque Country and in the rest of Spain. It is essentially sloe gin.

Pacharan is made by soaking sloe berries, collected from the blackthorn, in an anise flavored spirit, anisette, with a small number of coffee beans and a vanilla pod for several months. It results in a light reddish brown sweet liquid, between 25 and 30 percent alcohol. It is served cold or on ice as a digestif.

Pacharan was essentially a home made liqueur of rural Navarra, but became popular in the late 19th century. Pacharan was commercialized in the 1950s and became very popular outside Navarra. One theory holds that young Navarrans took bottles with them on National Service, popularising patxaran in the rest of Spain. There are now moves to ensure that the name is protected to ensure its quality, tradition and Navarrese identity. The regulator of Patxaran of Navarra insists that no colorings or flavorings are added, that the maceration is between one and eight months and on the amount of sloes used.

The oldest commercial brand is Zoco, first sold in 1956, founded by the family of Ambrosio Velasco, who had been producing Pacharan in the Viana area since 1816 and now owned by Pernod Ricard. Other brands include Etxeko, Baranano Atxa and Baines. Seven million litres a year are commercially produced.

It is said in the valleys of Navarre that to eat the sloe berries after maceration can cause madness or lifelong aversion to patxaran.