Made in Bulgaria

Strong alcohol Pliska and Slnchev Bryag (Sunny Beach) were very popular in the CMEA countries, and the name “bell pepper” steadily entered the gastronomic dictionary of the inhabitants of Eastern Europe.

Many Bulgarians call Pliska “cognac”, and Slnchev Bryag (Sunny Beach) brandy.

The manufacturing company Vinex Preslav was founded in 1948. "Slanchev Bryag" is a Bulgarian brandy that first appeared on the alcohol market in 1976, but is still popular today. The drink is produced on the basis of selected alcohols obtained from Dimyat, Uni Blanc and Rkatsiteli grape varieties, which mature in small oak barrels for at least 3 years.

Pliska brandy first appeared on the market in 1953. In the USSR, the drink became a popular brand and received 45 medals for high quality. The drink is produced using classic cognac technology. For the distillate, three varieties of white grapes are used: Dimiat (an autochthonous Bulgarian variety), Trebbiano (aka Ugni Blanc, Saint-Emilion), Rkatsiteli (Georgian variety).

bell pepper

During the CMEA era, Bulgaria not only supplied sweet peppers to the USSR as a product, but also as seeds of high-yielding varieties. The phrase “bell pepper” or “paprika” has acquired a stable meaning, although this type of pepper was bred in Mexico and cultivated in Spain. Wine, cigarettes, toothpaste, cosmetics and perfumes, and fruits and vegetables came from Bulgaria to the USSR and CMEA markets.

A funny story is connected with the supply to the USSR of a manual electric angle grinder, which was produced at an enterprise in Bulgaria, and therefore received the popular name “grinder” in the Soviet Union, which is still used today.

Bulgaria was the best agricultural country in the socialist community.

Bulgarian rose oil

In 2018, the Bulgarian oilseed damask rose (Rosa damascena), along with its processing methods and associated trades, was declared part of the world's intangible and cultural heritage by UNESCO. One of the rarest products of the Bulgarian economy, rose oil brings world fame to the country. The raw material for rose oil is the rose species Rosa Damascena, which blooms with dark pink flowers. It is one of the few known roses among the 25,000 species that can be used for industrial purposes. Since the 17th century, roses have been common in the “Rose Valley” region, which is located south of the Balkan Mountains (Karlovo-Kazanlak region). In the vicinity of Kazanlak there are huge plantations of roses, which are grown and collected by residents of nearby villages. The conditions here are ideal for roses; the area is protected from the cold northern winds by the Balkan Mountains. In the past, rose oil was used mainly in the perfume and cosmetics industry. Currently, rose oil is increasingly used in pharmacology and medicine, in particular in dentistry.