Nikki has tried it

A long way from the fruit tree to the schnapps tamperl

The preliminary run is tested with the smell test.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof)

Tyrolean Reinhold Dullnig is a crime writer and passionate schnapps distiller. The "Krone" looked over the shoulder of the retired criminal investigator as he worked at his craft in the Tyrolean Oberland.

I can smell that schnapps is being distilled here as soon as I enter Reinhold Dullnig's distillery. A thin trickle of water is just beginning to trickle out of the kettle's cooler. "That's the flow," explains Reinhold as he catches it with a cup. And then with a second, third and fourth. He can tell from the smell when the distillate is ready to drink. He also holds a cup under my nose. It's immediately clear that it's better not to drink it.