Tyrolean Schnapps Route. Burning passion

A fine distillate - Tyrolean pleasure. Distilling schnapps is part of Tyrol's culinary tradition. Experience the fascination of refining fruit into fine distillates up close on the Tyrolean Schnapps Route. Austrian television ORF has also dedicated a special program in Österreich Bild to fine spirits and the Tyrolean Schnapps Route.

In rural Tyrol, it is a tradition for many farms to produce Tyrolean schnapps with great care, knowledge, time and love. Distilling is an important mainstay here. Around five million kilograms of fruit are processed into a wide variety of brandies in the farm distilleries every year.
International prizes and awards are testimony to the fact that Tyrolean fruit distillers are among the best in the world. Tyrol's guests appreciate this high level of quality awareness and the diversity of varieties. Combined with all the other delicacies produced by Tyrolean farmers in a small, regional structure, the result is a culinary picture that can only be enjoyed in this form in the Land im Gebirg'.

Distilling schnapps has been a tradition in Tirol for centuries. Of the approximately 4,000 distilleries in Tyrol today, around 2,500 have had the right to distil since Maria Theresa's time. The tradition and knowledge of these fine spirits have been passed down from generation to generation, refined and reinterpreted time and time again.

"All of the businesses on the Tyrolean Schnapps Route meet high quality standards," explains Ulrich Zeni, responsible for fruit processing at the Tyrolean Chamber of Agriculture. The key points here are that visitors can experience origin, processing and tasting. "The journey of the fruit from the orchard to the finished distillate - every step is explained and then a selection of distillates is tasted," says Zeni. All participating distilleries meet the high quality requirements with their distillates and take part in ongoing training events. These regular training courses in particular guarantee that visitors are given a professional and easy-to-understand explanation of the steps involved in refining and the fascination of distilling schnapps.

Agrarmarketing Tirol is an important partner in this project. For many years, its employees have been working to market Alpine culinary delights from Tyrol. The "Quality Tirol" seal of approval is a sign of genuine Tyrolean products that are 100% grown and processed in Tirol. They are characterized by regional production, short transport routes and therefore freshness.

Tyrolean brandies are undisputed international leaders in terms of their clarity, fruitiness and purity. The result of years of consistent development work can be found in these distillates. Investments in training and further education are the cornerstones of this success. Aromatic fruit, precise fermentation and the right distillery with bright copper are the most important milestones in achieving absolute top quality. Many rural Tyrolean schnapps distillers produce these outstanding schnapps year after year. Characteristic of Tyrol's rural distillers are the small batches that are matured by hand. This is their trademark, what sets them apart and makes them unique. Another special feature characterizes many fine spirits from Tyrol: the Tyrolean schnapps bottle. It is the uniform "tailor-made suit" for maximum enjoyment.