From Croatia with Gin
Of course, over the course of time, they made their way here, found their not too large audience, and every bar in the country will have some of the most widespread brands on their list. Yet, following the latest global trends and riding the wave of the on-going successful craft beer revolution, craft gin is the next big thing when we’re talking about drinks. If you want to be one of the cool kids, give it a try.
“Croatian gin line-up at the first Croatian Gin Convention held in Zagreb.” Image credit: Julio Frangen
Recently held 1st Croatian Gin Convention was a nice opportunity to give an overview of this emerging scene and marvel at the progress in just a year or two. There are currently nine Croatian craft gins on the market. Out of them, two are Zagreb natives and three come from the surrounding area. The one that made history as the first Croatian craft gin is called the Flying Cat and comes from the neighbouring town of Velika Gorica. Brigljević family distillery has been producing high quality brandies and liqueurs for years, so launching a gin was both a challenge and a logical next step for them. For a kick of spiciness, try their Furious Cat, basically the same drink but infused with chili. The story behind Croatian Dry Gin from Bregana near Samobor is pretty much similar. Perković family is a well-known name in the Croatian liquor industry and when the window of opportunity with the words “craft gin” written on it opened, they went for it.
“Flying Cat proudly bears the title of the first Croatian craft gin.” Image credit: Brigljević Distillery
Rhapsody dry gin from the Butterfly Effect distillery is made in Samobor. It is an ambitious product by two enthusiasts. Back inside Zagreb city limits, we have two small but energetic and determined artisan distilleries. Luftbremzer has been receiving a lot of attention because they have a great design and marketing skills, so the effort invested into branding their story is paying off. And, of course, their gin is really good. They were also the only ones that used a crowdfunding campaign to boost their business. Another project coming from people initially outside the beverage industry, driven by passion, is the Old Pilot’s Gin, made by two actual pilots and friends, the founders of Duh u boci distillery.
“Now, that’s some cool branding, coming from Luftbremzer distillery.” Image credit: Luftbremzer
What all these gins have in common is that they are handcrafted and produced in small, limited batches, using carefully selected local, Croatian botanicals, in various combinations. Their recipes and aromatic profiles are not the same, but the idea that drives them is, more or less. Naturally, since we don’t have any tradition in gin production and these guys are all beginners, their gins are far from perfect, but some fine tuning will come with experience. Nevertheless, the results are very promising. Yet, not always easy to find or purchase. Look out for our local craft gins in some of Zagreb’s fine bars focused on mixology, like a Most Unusual Gin Garden, Corto, Dežman Bar, Dubravkin put restaurant or Vivat fina vina. To enjoy them fully, it’s crucial to find a knowledgeable bartender who will use the best tonics and garnishes to complement and highlight the gin’s original character. Of course, you can also have it straight, on the rocks.
“Old Pilot’s Gin with some of the fine botanicals behind it.” Image credit: Old Pilot’s Gin
Sure, you wouldn’t think about Croatia as a place for tasting local gins, with so many other things on the plate, but it’s happening. Join in and see where we stand on the world gin map.
“Believe it or not, now you can raise a glass of fine gin and tonic made in Croatia, so cheers to that! OK, apart from the tonic.” Image credit: Old Pilot’s Gin
Header image credit: Brigljević Distillery
Author: Morana Zibar / Taste of Croatia