Rudolf Jelínek Distillery

The Czech Republic is not only the land of beer. In East Moravia, there are other alcoholic beverage with a centuries-long tradition: fruit brandies, especially those made with plums. The most famous fruit distillery is that of Rudolf Jelínek in Vizovice, which has roots dating back to the 16th century, though the company was not officially founded until 1894. Today, the distillery is one of the largest producers of distilled fruit beverages in the Czech Republic, and they make such specialty products as kosher plum brandy, and raspberry, serviceberry, or red rowanberry liquor.

A Tour with the Aroma and Taste of Spirits

In Vizovice in East Moravia, they welcome visitors with open arms. You can take a tour of Distillery Land where you will learn about the tradition of making plum brandy in Wallachia, as this region is called, as well as about the history and current state of the distillery.
During the tour, you will see the industrial distillation equipment where the world-famous fruit drinks are made, and you will learn about the principles of the distillation process. You will also see the areas where the products mature, especially barrels of Gold Cock, one of the few Czech whisky brands, and one that has been reviewed as very tasty and high-quality. Tastings are possible during the tour for visitors 18 years and older. Distillery Land also includes a shop where you can purchase the whole line of R. Jelínek products.

The Past and Present of the Distillery

The traditional alcohols of Moravia are wine and fruit brandies, and traditions of making these at home have been alive since the Middle Ages. Villagers still ferment their own fruit, but distillation is only permitted under supervision in specialised distilleries. At the end of the 19th century, Rudolf Jelínek founded one such distillery and in 1930s he began to export his brandy all over the world. He specialised in kosher plum brandy, a brandy made from local plums, and one which the company still makes today and exports around the world, including to the United States. The distillery owns hundreds of hectares of orchards, mainly in the Czech Republic – where they grow plums, apricots, and cherries – but also abroad, for example in Chile, their source of Williams pears.