Prinz Alte Marille - Mini

Volume: 0.02 litres | Alcohol content: 41% | Chill filtration: Yes | Colouring: No

Special Features:

Alte Marille from Prinz combines a matured apricot distillate with natural fruit extracts. Apricots, known as Marillen in Austria, provide its fruity foundation. After several years of maturation in fine-pored stoneware, the distillate receives a finish lasting several months in a Prinz wooden cask. Cask maturation also gives the spirit its golden-yellow colour.

For production, fully ripe apricots are pitted, destemmed and mashed. The mash ferments for around 18 days and is then distilled twice. Only after maturation is the spirit refined with natural fruit extracts. The miniature contains 0.02 litres at 41% alcohol and comes without gift packaging.

A stemmed schnapps glass is suitable for serving at 17 to 21 °C. This temperature range allows the fruit aromas to be appreciated; Alte Marille also makes a suitable digestif.

Tasting Notes:

• Nose: On the nose, an intense apricot aroma takes the lead, accompanied by light floral notes.
• Palate: Alte Marille feels full-bodied on the palate. Subtle sweetness combines with a delicate woody note.
• Finish: Apricot fruit remains present on the finish, which feels gentle and soft.

Distillery/Bottler:

Fein-Brennerei Prinz is based in Hörbranz on the Austrian shores of Lake Constance. Its history began in 1886, when Thomas Prinz I. founded a cider-making and cooperage business. In 1921, he registered the distilling business. Today, Thomas IV. and Maximilian Prinz run the family company in its fourth generation.

An important part of the work takes place at Obsthof Leiblachtal, which opened in 2013: there, Prinz processes fresh fruit into mash, fruit purée and juice. The fruit for Alte Marille comes from growing regions in the foothills of the Alps. On arrival, the team checks both its appearance and sensory quality before selecting it for further processing.

The company's technical developments include temperature-controlled fermentation tanks with cooling jackets, introduced in 2004. In these tanks, fruit purée with added yeast ferments at 16 to 18 °C while being stirred slowly. This controlled processing helps preserve the fruit aromas. In the same year, Prinz introduced vacuum distillation: reduced pressure lowers the boiling point by around 30 °C, helping protect the delicate fruit aromas during distillation.

Facts: