●ATLAS

RECORD badel-pelinkovac · EVIDENCE GRADE A · UNCLAIMED · LAST VERIFIED 2026-07-09

Badel Pelinkovac

Zagreb · Croatia · 45.815, 15.982

REGION: central europeTRADITION: BalsamWEBSITE ↗

ZONE 01 — VERIFIED FACTS

Founded
1862, Zagreb, by Franjo Pokorny, who purchased and expanded the original Mihić and Sabljić beverage factoryA·1
Legal entity
Badel 1862 d.d., headquartered at Ulica grada Gospića 7, Zagreb, CroatiaA·1
Early recognition
Pokorny's Gorki Pelinkovac won a Silver Medal at the 1867 Paris World ExhibitionA·1
Export history
By 1910, demand for Pokorny Pelinkovac grew in export markets, particularly South AmericaA·1
Antique Pelinkovac still
Distilled on an A. Ziemann copper still in continuous use since 1921, still bearing crystallised plant residue from over a century of productionA·3
Antique Pelinkovac launch
Launched 2007 to mark Badel's 145th anniversary; each bottle individually serial-numberedA·3
Gorki Pelinkovac ABV
31%, wormwood-dominant maceration of a proprietary herb blend, no artificial aromasA·2
Antique Pelinkovac ABV
35%, macerated from 40+ indigenous Mediterranean plants and oak-agedA·3

ZONE 02 — AI-COLLATED SUMMARY

AI-ASSISTED · FROM GRADED PUBLIC SOURCES

Badel Pelinkovac is the flagship wormwood bitter liqueur of Badel 1862 d.d., a Zagreb producer tracing to Franjo Pokorny's 1862 factory. The core range spans the classic Gorki Pelinkovac (31% ABV, secret-recipe herb maceration) and the premium oak-aged Antique Pelinkovac (35% ABV, 40+ Mediterranean botanicals, distilled on a century-old copper still). Both are wormwood-dominant, bitter, herb-forward liqueurs squarely within the Balkan/Central European balsam-style bitter liqueur tradition, with a documented history of international recognition dating to an 1867 Paris Exhibition medal.

AI-collated from the graded sources below; operator review pending

ZONE 03 — PRODUCER-SUBMITTED NOTES

This record is unclaimed. This space opens to the producer when they claim it. Producer claiming is coming soon.

PRODUCTS ON RECORD

Badel Pelinkovac Gorki

31% ABV · 700ML

BOTTLE IMAGE
ADDED BY THE PRODUCER

SUBCATEGORY bitterRING coreTRADITION BalsamSELF-IDENTIFIED “herbal liqueur (bitter, wormwood-based)”

The original and best-selling Pelinkovac, sold in Croatia since Franjo Pokorny's Zagreb factory won Silver at the 1867 Paris World Exhibition. Made by traditional maceration of a proprietary blend of herbs crowned with wormwood, following a secret recipe with no artificial aromas. Sweetly bitter, dark in colour, with a strong invigorating aroma.

BOTANICAL MATRIX — 2 GRADED EDGES

  • wormwood · dominant bittering agentA·2
  • selected herbs (proprietary blend, undisclosed) · aromatic baseA·2

DESCRIPTORS

  • sweetly bitter ▮▮▮▮▮A·2
  • herbal ▮▮▮▮▮A·2
  • dark and invigorating ▮▮▮▮▮A·2

Antique Pelinkovac

35% ABV · 700ML

BOTTLE IMAGE
ADDED BY THE PRODUCER

SUBCATEGORY bitterRING coreTRADITION BalsamSELF-IDENTIFIED “premium herbal liqueur (bitter, wormwood-based, oak-aged)”

Launched in 2007 for Badel's 145th anniversary, Antique Pelinkovac is a premium wormwood-dominant liqueur macerated from more than 40 aromatic indigenous Mediterranean plants, then aged in oak barrels. Distilled using an A. Ziemann copper still that has been in continuous use since 1921. Each bottle is individually serial-numbered. No artificial flavours, preservatives or flavour enhancers.

BOTANICAL MATRIX — 2 GRADED EDGES

  • wormwood · dominant bittering agentA·3
  • Mediterranean indigenous plants (40+, undisclosed blend) · aromatic baseA·3

DESCRIPTORS

  • bitter ▮▮▮▮▮A·3
  • oak-aged / woody ▮▮▮▮▮A·3
  • aromatic ▮▮▮▮▮A·3

SERVES

On the rocks with lemon

producer
  • · Badel Pelinkovac Gorki
  • · ice
  • · lemon slice

Serve well chilled (ideal 2°C) with an ice cube and a slice of lemon.A·2

Pelinkovac and cola

producer
  • · Badel Pelinkovac Gorki
  • · cola or tonic or cranberry juice with lime

Mix Pelinkovac Gorki with cola, tonic, or cranberry and lime juice over ice.A·2

On the rocks with orange

producer
  • · Antique Pelinkovac
  • · ice
  • · orange slice

Serve well chilled (ideal 2°C) with one or two ice cubes and a slice of orange; also taken neat or with coffee.A·3

ZONE 04 — COMMUNITY TASTING NOTES

RESERVED — community notes open in V2 with moderation and bias handling. The contributions ledger is already recording.

ZONE 05 — ASTERLEY EDITORIAL NOTE

COMMON QUESTIONS

Where is Badel Pelinkovac made?
Badel Pelinkovac is made in Zagreb, Croatia.
What style of amaro is Badel Pelinkovac?
On The Amaro Atlas, Badel Pelinkovac Gorki is recorded in the core ring, bitter subcategory, within the Balsam tradition. The producer describes it as "herbal liqueur (bitter, wormwood-based)".

SOURCES — A–D GRADED (5)

  1. [1]ACompany History · Badel 1862 d.d. · producer-official · accessed 2026-07-09Founding year, founder Franjo Pokorny, HQ address, 1867 Paris Exhibition medal, 1910 export expansion, 2007 Antique Pelinkovac launch.
  2. [2]ABadel Pelinkovac Gorki product page · Badel 1862 d.d. · producer-official · accessed 2026-07-09ABV, botanicals, tasting notes, description, bottle sizes, serving suggestions.
  3. [3]AAntique Pelinkovac product page · Badel 1862 d.d. · producer-official · accessed 2026-07-09ABV, botanicals, oak-ageing detail, 1921 still, serial numbering, serving suggestions, history.
  4. [4]ABadel Pelinkovac Orange product page · Badel 1862 d.d. · producer-official · accessed 2026-07-09Flagged variant, not included as a core conforming product this pass; citrus-forward copy, ABV 25%, ITQI 2014 award.
  5. [5]CPelinkovac · Wikipedia · database · accessed 2026-07-09Secondary corroboration of the Pelinkovac category and Badel's role; not used for any fact not already confirmed by producer-official sources.

A producer-official / regulatory · B reputable published · C secondary · D community/unverified