"Whisky and Pálinka stores open to warm you up as long and cold winter nights approach.As the winter is finally within sight, traditional summer drinks, such as beer and "fröccs" (the mixture of wine and carbonated water) are more and more frequently replaced with drinks that warm you up. These are, in most cases, quality shots, that are available according to each and every taste. The seasonal trend is even more visible, when one hears the news of two shot-focused stores opening at the same time.
Whiskynet Kft threw a decent ceremony at the launch of its WhiskyShop, a store in downtown Budapest focusing, not at all surprisingly, on the golden beverage of anglo-saxon origin, and offering an extremely wide selection of whiskies, way beyond people's everyday expectations, and the obvious choices of supermarkets chains.
Meanwhile Rézangyal, the coolest brand amongst traditional Hungarian Pálinkas, opened up its brand-focused Rézangyal Bistro only a few streets away from WhiskyShop, to make sure that the decision between Veress Pálné street and the nearby Madách square will not be an easy choice any more.
Since October, 2008, says Whiskynet, whisky fans no longer have to fly to Scotland to get those rarities they could taste only abroad, and could have never found on the shelves of Hungarian shops so far. At last there is a place in Budapest where you can take your choice from among several hundreds of whiskey-brands and other spirits at available prices.
The company, that has been operating an on-line whisky shop since last September, and is the proud winner of the title of the FMCG webshop of the year in 2008 – has become enthusiastic on the basis of its initial success and the sophisticated Hungarian demand. As a result, it opened a showroom, WhiskyShop, in the very heart of Budapest downtown at 8, Veres Pálné Street.
WhiskyShop's selection includes more than 340 special whiskies: everyone's favorite Scotch single malts, blends, Irish and American whiskeys, Canadian blends as well as exotic Japanese, Indian, Australian, New Zealand, Welsh, French, Swedish malt whiskies and other rarities. Limited bottlings, special packaging with well-known brands: Ardbeg, Lagavulin, Laphroaig, Glenmorangie, etc.
Apart from the company's exquisite whiskies, professional books to expand knowledge, as well as various glassware, decanters and glasses to promote the culture of drinking can also be found on the shelves of this unique shop.
The selection offered by WhiskyShop is practically the same as the product palette available in the webshop of WhiskyNet Kft. It is the business philosophy of WhiskyNet to provide a wide and continuously renewed selection at available prices, comprehensive information and flexible service for customers. This attitude has been accepted and appreciated by WhiskyNet webshop customers and resellers.
WhiskyShop offers an exciting selection range not for whisky fans only: special quality products in gift packaging also provide excellent solutions for family and corporate gifts.
Beside whiskies, other spirits of special quality – which are not or rarely offered in Hungary - for instance, rums, cognacs, liqueurs and French champagnes have also been added to WhiskyShop's selection.
The brass angel
Rézangyal Bistro (the company's name translates to "brass angel" and is originally a part of a traditional Hungarian swearword), is only a few tram stops away from Whiskyshop (we do not recommend going by car to any of these stores) at 2 Madách square, right next to the city's most important square, Deák square.
The cozy bar offers a wide range of pálinka products (Rézangyal and other pálinkas) both in bottle and in glass.
Rézangyal, founded by young enterpreneurs Róbert Maros and Zsolt Gaspari to make the consuming of traditional Hungarian pálinkas a cool and trendy thing, has been operating several stores and bars around Budapest.
In the recent years, they, too, have launched a webshop at www.rezangyalshop.hu, to promote pálinka (and the Rézangyal brand) on the internet as well. Their flagship store at Mammut shopping mall's Rézangyal Pálinkahous, a selection of some 150 pálinkas are on offer, from the country’s best distilleries.
The finest spirits are accompanied by special glasses, accessories, literature and guidance. Beside the alcoholic drinks, in the café of Rézangyal Pálinka bistro and Pálinkahouse, you can enjoy Illy coffee specialities, Newby teas, Mombana hot chocolates too. But most of all, pálinkas."
Source: Budapest Sun
20.11.2008