Gin has been around since the middle ages and was once the cheapest beverage to get legless on. In recent years it has enjoyed somewhat of a revival and has now become one of the most trendy spirits to be seen consuming, so much so, it might even begin to shake off its old British nickname of ‘mother’s ruin’. When one thinks of gin - and we often do - Slovenia isn’t a country that really springs to mind in terms of producers, but that’s been changing over the last few years and now the country can boast quite an impressive number of craft distilleries. As we celebrate World Gin Day this weekend it seems the perfect time to take a closer look at some of them.
Local craft distillery Broken Bones got its name when two friends, Borut and Boštjan, each suffered a broken bone at the same time. Both from wine producing families the friends decided to begin producing spirits in 2012 and are currently Ljubljana’s only gin and whisky distillery.
The award winning Berryshka brand has been around for over 20 years and from their premises in Dolenjske Toplice they produce a wide range of fruit liqueurs, spirits and chocolates. Their London Gin is the only internationally acclaimed Slovenia gin.
Bohinj based Karakter Gin was almost a craft beer company until the three friends behind the brand decided to produce spirits instead. Their product is described as having a herbal, earthy finish with overwhelming fruitiness and freshness.
If you have a keen interest in Slovenian cuisine then you’ve probably heard of award winning chef Tomaž Kavčič of Pri Lojzetu, who is behind Monologue Gin. With the addition of rosemary, lavender and extract of olive leaves, this gin captures the taste of the Vipava region.
This small batch dry gin distillery is based in Celje and have been producing since 2016. They claim to have Slovenia’s most unique gin which is handcrafted from the finest ingredients. We can’t say if that’s true but the label on the bottle is definitely our favourite.
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