Geist (German for 'spirit') is a distilled beverage obtained by maceration of unfermented fruit or other raw materials in neutral spirits, followed by distillation.[1] This differs from fruit brandy, where the alcohol comes from fermenting the fruit's naturally occurring sugars. As such, geist can be made from a much wider range of materials, as it is not limited to fruits with sufficient fermentable sugars.
Geist can be produced from a single material (like Himbeergeist) or a combination of multiple ingredients.
Akvavit, most gins and white absinthes legally meet the description to be considered a geist, although they have more specific legal definitions.