Hungarian moonlight is called házipálinka (pálinka is a ghost, házi means „homemade”). It is mainly produced in rural areas where ingredients, usually fruit, are readily available. In modern times, home distillation was illegal (since the Middle Ages it was a privilege of the nobility) as it amounted to tax evasion if not carried out in a licensed distillery, but it was and is quite widespread. Since 2010[9], it has been legal to produce small portions (up to 86 liters 42% ABV per year per person) házipálinka for personal use (i.e. for consumption by „the distiller, his family and guests”) for a small annual fee. There are also community distilleries operated by one or more villages to make the maintenance of the equipment profitable (but with the rented burning time, the personal quota is 50 liters). Ireland`s oldest spirit was forced to die in hiding in 1661 by the British Crown, which attempted to tax it to extinction. It was illegally distilled for over 300 years before being legalized in 1997. 51. Always provided that any person who commits an offence contrary to the provisions of this Act is illegal. The distillation, sale or storage of spirits or the removal of spirits is also subject to any penalty required by other applicable laws or laws relating to spirits and permitted in the same manner as if such person(s) were duly authorized as. distillers, rectifiers or preparers, distributors or retailers of spirit drinks; and the Excise Commissioners may, if they consider it appropriate, order that persons who commit an offence under this Act be prosecuted and prosecuted for the purpose of obtaining other penalties or penalties, forfeitures or forfeitures arising out of the provisions of other Acts relating to malt or spirits, instead of or in addition to the penalties or forfeitures imposed by this Act.

In Switzerland, absinthe was banned in 1910, but underground distillation continued throughout the 20th century. The Swiss constitutional ban on absinthe was repealed in 2000 during a general revision of the national constitution, but was enshrined in general law. Later, this law was also repealed, so that absinthe of 1. In March 2005, after nearly a century of prohibition, it was again legal in its home country. [31] Absinthe is now not only sold in Switzerland, but also distilled in its birthplace Val-de-Travers, with Kübler and La Clandestine being among the first new brands, albeit with an underground heritage. The variation in the alcohol content of this legal absinthe in its early years is interesting to note. While prior to 2005, smuggled absinthe was typically 65-70% alcohol (ABV), the first legal absinthes targeted the 42-45% ABV of other common household spirits such as fruit liqueur. This turned out to be a low flavor intensity for a drink that is usually diluted, and by 2010 most Swiss absinthes contained something like 54% ABV, some had returned to the pre-2005 strength of 65%, sometimes up to 72% ABV.

„The ban was lifted thanks to the intense lobbying of some forward-thinking people and some powerful conglomerates who wanted to revive the category,” Griallais said. Much of this hard work should be attributed to the owner of Bunratty Potcheen. Diageo was also involved in legalization to launch a brand called Hackler, which was later dropped. Due to the very high taxation of alcohol, moonlight production – mainly from potatoes and sugar – remains a popular, albeit illegal, activity in most parts of the country. [ref. needed] Moonlight occurs mostly in the central and northern regions of Norway and in rural areas in general. Norwegian moonshine is called „hjemmebrent” or „heimebrent” (which translates into English as „homemade burnt”), sometimes also „heimkok” / „himkok” (meaning „homemade”) or „heimert” / „himert” (slang), „blank vara” or „blank fløte” (meaning „clear stuff” or „light cream”) and porridge is called „satis”. In rural eastern Norway, it is also called „ni-seks” (meaning „nine-six”, based on alcohol content, 96% ABV), because a common variant of moonlight is rectified spirits made from potatoes. In Telemark County, Maish is also known as „bæs”. A more contemporary name is „Sputnik” after Soviet satellites, a joke that the force of alcohol could send you into orbit. In the past, in Finnskogen, puree was called Skogens vin („forest wine”), a name used by poorer people who did not have access to distillation equipment.