Spanish term for the press residue (pomace) independent of the fruit (grapes or olives). However, the term "Aguardientes de Orujo" for the pomace brandy is often reduced to the short form Orujo. This has mainly been produced in the northern Spanish region of Galicia since the 17th century. At that time, only the monasteries possessed the necessary knowledge. In 1989, the "Denominación Específica (D.E.) de Orujo de Galicia" seal of quality was created.
The picture on the left shows a glass of "Orujo de hierbas", a herb liqueur made from orujo. The picture on the right shows a "pota" or "alquitara" (still). Alquitara refers to "al-gattara" (Arabic for "she who distils"); pota refers to the lower part of the still, a large vessel made of clay or copper in which the distillate is heated.
Production
The grape marc is first fermented and then distilled. Many master distillers (poteiros) still master the art of distilling over an open fire, whereby a controlled, slow and constant supply of heat has a decisive influence on the quality. Today, however, this is mostly carried out using modern distillation equipment. The alcohol content is between 37 and 50% vol. There are the quality classes "Orujo" or "Orujo seco" (crystal clear colour), the "Orujo envejecido", which is amber-coloured after two years of ageing in oak barrels, and the "Orujo de hierbas", which is mixed with herbs. Queimada" is the name given to the hot mixed drink made from marc spirit and sugar. An annual orujo festival is celebrated in Portomarín.
Designation in other countries
Pomace brandies in other countries are called Bagaceira (Portugal), Grappa (Italy), Marc (France), Törkölypálinka (Hungary), Tresterbrand (German-speaking countries), Tsipouro or Tsikoudia (Greece) and Zivania (Cyprus).
Further information
For the production of alcoholic beverages, see Champagne (sparkling wines), Distillation (distillates), Speciality wines, Spirits (types), Winemaking (wines and wine types) and Wine law (wine law issues).
Image left: by MollySVH - derivative work: Saibo, Orujo de hierbas, CC BY 2.0, Link
Image on the right: by BigSus - Own work, CC BY 2.5, Link
Source: WIKIPEDIA Orujo
