tincture - starsze :)

In this context simply saying "fruit wine" or "cheap fruit wine" will convey the meaning adequately, since "nalewka" meant as a cheap, lower quality liquor is a fruity home made concoction. This is notwithstanding the fact that better quality liquors such as wisniowka are also called nalewka.

infusion conveys the meaning of "nalewka" (something being infused) but "nalewkas" are typically aged and always alcoholic. This term has been registered with the EU. An example is "wisniowka", an aged alcoholic infusion made with cherries. Usually fruit but also herbs and spices can be used in these infusions.

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Note added at 5 hrs (2006-10-06 02:21:19 GMT)
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OK.In your context you can say "cheap liquor" and in this case "liquor" makes sense (rather than liqueur which this drink it is NOT, most likely). "cheap wine and (fruit) liquor" will describe it.

There can be a lot of variants:
homemade wine -here you can see an example
http://www.kamat.com/kalranga/ancient/drinking/4702.htm
fruit liqueur
http://www.liqueurweb.com/fruitliqueurs.htm here is written how to make your own liqueurs at home, and it is exactly how nalewka is made: vodka +fruit or berries
ratafia is also possible, but it is too French
I personally prefer fruit liqueur

Ta nalewka najprędzej zasługuje na nazwę "drink", bo to woda, spirytus, cukier, aromat i barwnik. Przepisy o akcyzie rozróżniają wina owocowe na bazie moszczu oraz właśnie nalewki - kto wymyślił taką nazwę? Pewnie jakiś urzędnik w MF.

tak mówię (na potrzeby klienta z branży alk.)

co prawda zaraz będzie seria disagree, że to syrop owocowy (jak niżej też podaję), znaczenie jest szersze i moim zdaniem to będzie najbliższym odpowiednikiem

Webster:
cordial (korjel; chiefly Brit korde el)

2 an aromatic, syrupy alcoholic drink; liqueur

CALD
cordial (DRINK) /"kO:.di.@l/ US /"kO:r.dZ@l/ noun [U]

1 UK a sweet fruit-based drink to which water is usually added:
lime cordial

2 US liqueur


A liqueur; a sweet bottled concoction made from berries, fruit or herbs or a combination of those. Also denotes a mixed drink made from one or more liqueurs and served in a cordial glass.
dallasbartenders.tripod.com/bar_terminology.htm

również koniecznie tutaj:
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/432113
gdzie szerzej temat jest potraktowany

SJP zdecydowanie podaje znaczenie trunku domowego, ale rozumiem, że dla celów podatkowych nazwa została rozszerzona;
w kontekście powyższym nie można tego nazwać 'cheap fruit wine' ponieważ właśnie nalewki są porównywane z nimi

nalewka ż III, CMs. ~wce; lm D. ~wek
1. napój alkoholowy przyrządzony sposobem domowym przez zalanie spirytusem owoców suszonych lub świeżych (np. wiśni, śliwek, czarnych porzeczek, tarniny)
Nalewka wiśniowa, śliwkowa, morelowa, porzeczkowa.
Nalewka na wiśniach.
Nalewka z czarnych porzeczek.
Zrobić nalewkę na tarninie.
2. farm. wyciąg alkoholowy, alkoholowo-eterowy, rzadziej wodny, z surowców roślinnych lub zwierzęcych, używany jako lekarstwo


HTH


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Note added at 12 hrs (2006-10-06 09:23:28 GMT)
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ew. vodka and syrup blend - zależy jak bardzo formalny jest tekst

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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-10-06 12:29:42 GMT)
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ale po disagree Loty - przyszło mi jeszcze do głowy, że w tym wypadku będzie pasować 'fortified wine', czyli całość 'cheap wines and fortified acloholic beverages' albo 'cheap and fortified wines'

zob. definicję
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fortified_wine
Fortified wines are legally called dessert wines in the U.S. but are called liqueur wines in Europe.



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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-10-06 12:30:41 GMT)
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Fortified wines of minimal price and quality have a reputation as the intoxicant of choice among the underage and poor; they are often known as "bum wines", due to their association with the homeless. They are typically fortified with grain alcohol rather than brandy. Most such wines have harsh flavors and are not favored by more typical wine drinkers.



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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-10-06 12:37:03 GMT)
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http://www.bumwine.com/
Call them bum wines, street wines, fortified wines, wino wines, or twist-cap wines. Whatever you call these beverages for the economical drunkard, this page explores the top five. So curl up on a heating duct and enjoy...

ze zdjęciami... nalewek


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Note added at 15 hrs (2006-10-06 13:05:47 GMT)
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i już obiecuję nie przynudzać więcej - znalazłem jeszcze to (wiedziałem, że gdzieś to już było!)
http://www.proz.com/kudoz/1123767 (więcej linków tamże)

tonic wine - wydaje się również idealnie pasować, ponieważ z jednej strony tonic wine ma własciwości lecznicze (jak nasza nalewka) a z drugiej oznacza "wino wzmocnione alkoholem" (czyli naszą nalewkę)... nawet na etykietach się trafia ten 'tonic wine'....

The whole series is a big mess. The understanding we have from the context is that "nalewka" here it to be a cheap kind of drink (not to be sold in an exclusive shop and not side by side with cheap wines). So we have to forget the term "cordial" as suggested because cordials are typically NOT cheap drinks. Marek Daroszewski points out that some nalewkas are expensive -- that's fine, but not the ones mentioned in the context! They are to be cheap and therefore they CANNOT be called cordials unless "cheap cordials". Nalewka is a hard liquor (not liqueur) and is usually fruit (or herbs or spiced) - based. Let us NOT enter translations that suggest anything expensive and sophisticated UNLESS we qualify it as "cheap" very clearly.