Goran Špehar won 76 medals in five years. His Istarska kapljica (Istrian Drop) is thus the most trophy Istrian brandy house since there are competitions in the Istrian County. Brandy is great and adapted to every taste - from real spirits to sweet liqueurs. It is a real pleasure not only to stay in an old-fashioned distillery and tasting room but also in the fact that these are brandies that are made from whole grapes!
"This is a small distillery based on tradition. The beginning of it all was the idea of my grandfather Eufemio, who was primarily a winemaker, not a producer of spirits. There came a time when he could no longer work, and I was only his helper at the time. Then we decided to produce distillates or alcoholic beverages of high quality, which means from whole grapes. We became famous for that, because few people make brandy from a pure product, without additives, and if it does, it is probably not the whole product line as in Istarska kapljica ", says Goran Špehar as we try his liquid products.
This is a very heavy and expensive production. It works with natural ingredients that have their price. It is difficult to afford workers and normal production, all your efforts and knowledge must be oriented to realize such a project at a level that is recognizable not only in Croatia but also abroad. The complete production is a grape brandy, without aroma, extract and flavour enhancer.
"I chose this way out of great emotional reasons. My grandpa had a full tavern of wine and one barrel of brandy. And he did not skimp on quality. An idea came to me, why not give that product to everyone. My grandfather was as traditional as other Istrians. He didn't wake up his five children at five in the morning so that they have to work, then go to school, only to return to agriculture when they returned and just wait for the moment when they could escape, "Goran recalls of his beginnings.
The limited edition is dedicated to Grandpa Eufemio and Grandma Anamaria. They have only 400 bottles a year which are all reserved, even three years in advance, mostly for Austrian and Croatian customers. The brandy is made from four types of grapes, Malvasia, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Teran. Goran makes his own Cuvee from it, which is aged for two and a half to three years in American oak. "This brandy is special because they were special people," Goran tells us as his words pause with emotion.
Istrarska kapljica brandies are mostly sold in their homeland, Istria, but they have also penetrated the Austrian market. The combination of elegance and top quality is found in grape brandy, and brandies Mediteran, Tartufo, Sambukina (with elderberry), Orahovac, Muškatina, Medižija (with aromatic herbs), Medica, Imelica, Borovnica, Biska and Amarena. At first, we tried Medižija, which is made of twenty-six species of various indigenous medicinal Istrian herbs according to a special recipe and method of production in order to preserve all the medicinal ingredients of this high-quality brandy. Herbal brandy has been produced since ancient times, and its long tradition can be attributed primarily to the medicinal properties attributed to it, so when we talk about brandy as a medicinal drink, we usually think of this type of brandy.
Medica is a mixture of brandy from four types of grapes and natural honey, which is especially emphasized because today it is very difficult to find natural honey, let alone large quantities. Medica is the base for all liqueurs and Goran then plays with Medica, putting cherries, blueberries and other natural ingredients in it, from which completely new and tempting products come. Among them is mead with elderflower, very delicate, and has healing properties. When it is elderberry season, the Istrian drop gathers all its friends and hand-picks the flowers of this plant, which few people do today! And mistletoe for Biska is picked by hand. In six to eight hours, that is, in one day, both mistletoe and elderberry must be ready.
The whole estate is the ancestry that Goran Špehar fell in love with and dedicated his whole life to. With a toast to Grandpa Eufemio with the brandy that proudly bears his name, the Spehari can now boast an inheritance worthy of their ancestors!
Istarska kapljica
Cerjani 1, 52464 Kaštelir
Mobile: +385 91 445 50 54
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