Long gone are the days when one would call for rakija only in moments of despair. If nowadays you travel to Slavonia and Baranja, the spirits and liqueurs you taste will tell you a story that, naturally, springs from tradition, but is also inspired by modernity.

Tasting Rooms

The Đanić tasting room is located in the Našice area, more precisely in Podgorač, offering a range of traditionally produced Slavonian rakija (fruit spirit) and liqueurs, also served up and down the Adriatic coast, thus combining the Croatian green and blue. The Đanić rakija and liqueur shop and plant in Podgorač has been operating since 2003. About twenty different kinds of fruit rakija and liqueurs can be bought at the distillery or ordered online (https://www.danic-rakija.hr/).

At the other end of the destination, the Divania tasting room represents perhaps the best example of the above-described principle of tradition immersed in modernity. The Erdut peninsula on the Danube, where the Erdut-Dalj hill is covered in vineyards and orchards, is a place where not only excellent wines are produced, but rakija as well. It is in the new, beautifully decorated Zorić distillery https://www.divaniarakija.com/ in Erdut (address: Bana J. Jelačića 18), where the outstanding Divania fruit rakija and liqueurs are created.

North of the Drava, in Baranja, the Goldberg tasting room in Popovac, Planina 16 (FB Goldberg) offers
the experience of savoring a glass in the pool or under a gazebo, overlooking the endless fields of Baranja. The tasting room fits 30 people, who can also enjoy the swimming pool, golf, walk the hills and woods.

A little further south, the Baranja plain is home to a distinctive contemporary interpretation of the old Croatian rakija tradition, the Kneževa Kušaonica (Duke’s Tasting Room). The most famous Baranja producer of excellent rakija - Udruga UPRIV (https://upriv.hr/) from Kneževi Vinogradi - offers the brand Kneževe Rakije (Duke’s Rakija). This tasting room and distillery are located in a recognizable brick building (address: Put Lipa 1), reminiscent of a medieval tower.

Distilleries

There are several dozen registered distilleries in eastern Croatia. Most of them produce rakija or, in local terms, bake it in the traditional way, in copper cauldrons. These distilleries, however, do also use modern processes, primarily to control the conditions during production, distillation, and maturation of the rakija, as well as packaging and its market presence in general.

One of the most awarded distilleries is certainly Romić from Osijek, whose brand Jedna
rakija (https://jednarakija.com/) has become quite noticeable in just four years. At both domestic and and international competitions, Dinko Romić's distillery has garnered numerous gold medals. The distillery is located in Nemetin, at Nemetin 37, where you can taste and buy the rakija, as well as several types of liqueurs and gins.

Spouses Ivana Petrošanec Pišl and Emerik Pišl run the Đakovo distillery Bijeli Gusak (https://bijeli-gusak.com/). It was established as the logical next step in processing the fruit from 6.5 hectares of their orchards. You can taste and buy the rakija (and excellent gins) in their distillery’s tasting room in Đakovo (A. Mihanovića 4).

In addition to the abovementioned places, you will find homemade rakija, usually šljivovica (plum), sometimes viljamovka (pear) or some other fruit distillate in almost every village household in Slavonia and Baranja. The homemade products are not necessarily branded, but rest assured they have a soul (especially after two or three shots in the little glasses, here also known as čokanjčići). A glass is raised in moments of celebration, joy, at births, baptisms, weddings, and farewells... Friends and guests are welcomed and sent away with rakija.

Written by: Luka Jakopčić¸ Igor Mikulić