The ‘Voerdrupke mit Sjlieëkreke’ is a light aperitive gin of 22° which is distilled with the extract of blackthorn plums which are picked in Voeren.
The prickly blackthorn (prunus spinosa) is found in the Voer region along woods, gullies and along roads. It flowers very early in the year and therefore its tenderly white blossom provides numerous insects with the first food of the year. In autumn the bush produces the round, blue and terribly wry (”sleeuwe”) prunes, the “sjlieëkreek”. The Voeren dialect also has the expression “sjlieë täng”: the sensation your teeth produce after eating a sour apple, rhubarb or….sleeuwe prunes. The successful combination of Limburg gin and the outspoken Voeren fruit provides us with a true delicacy.
The Voeren blackthorn gin or sleedoornjenever can be bought in flasks of 20 cl and in decorative bottles or stone jars of 70 cl.
A tip !
Serve the “Voerdrupke” in a brandy glass with some ice cubes, as an aperitive, as hair of the dog, as just something in between or …..if you just feel like something ”delicious”!
The Voerdrupke is for sale at the Visitors’ Centre in ‘s-Gravenvoeren
