Croatia has the region’s widest range of rakija styles, because it spans two completely different agricultural worlds: a continental north of plum orchards, and a Mediterranean coast of vineyards, herbs, figs and carob. Several of its styles hold EU protected geographical indications.

Loza, grape rakija from whole grapes, is the everyday coastal default — Hrvatska Loza is a protected national designation — while šljivovica, plum brandy, is its continental counterpart, with aged “stara” versions turning amber and considerably softer.

Rakia Today

Travarica, herb-infused loza, is the signature Dalmatian spirit and a protected designation in its own right — every household and konoba has its own combination of rue, sage, rosemary, St John’s wort, juniper, mint and wormwood. Istria contributes its own distinct traditions, from komovica pomace brandy to biska, a mistletoe rakija the Istrians trace to Celtic druidic practice.

Beyond the core grape and plum styles, Croatia’s fruit and infusion range runs deep: fig, pear, carob, cornelian cherry, apricot and apple brandies from Dalmatia and the islands, honey-infused medica from the continental north, and green walnut liqueur (orahovac) macerated from unripe walnuts picked at midsummer — more liqueur than rakija, but universally grouped with it.

Native Spirits

Grape-Based

• Loza / Lozovača [A] — Grape rakija from whole grapes. Hrvatska Loza is a protected national designation — clean and dry, usually 40%, and the everyday coastal default.
• Komovica [B] — The pomace version of loza. Istarska komovica, from Istria, is the best-known regional style — sharper and more structural than loza.

Fruit-Based

• Šljivovica [A] — Plum rakija, and the continental counterpart to coastal loza. Hrvatska stara šljivovica and Slavonska šljivovica both hold protected status; aged “stara” versions are amber and considerably softer.
• Smokovača [B–C] — Fig rakija, from Dalmatia and the islands. Sweet-edged and dense, with a distinct dried-fruit character — one of the more unusual spirits in the region.
• Kruškovac / Viljamovka [B] — Pear rakija, usually made from Williams pears. The best versions are clean and intensely varietal.

Infused & Flavoured

• Travarica [A] — Herb-infused loza, and the signature Dalmatian spirit — Hrvatska Travarica is a protected designation. Common botanicals include rue, sage, rosemary, St John’s wort, juniper, mint and wormwood; every household and konoba has its own combination.
• Biska [B] — Istrian mistletoe rakija, with a lineage the Istrians trace to Celtic druidic practice. Herbal and slightly medicinal, and made nowhere else.
• Medica / Medovača [B] — Honey-infused rakija from the continental north and Istria — sweet, warming, often served heated in winter.
• Orahovac / Orahovica [B] — Green walnut liqueur, made by macerating unripe walnuts picked around midsummer — dark brown, bittersweet, with clove and cinnamon. More liqueur than rakija, but universally grouped with it.

Also Found (Not Individually Paged)

• Rogačica [C] — Carob rakija from the Dalmatian coast and islands — dark and faintly chocolatey, rare even locally.
• Drenjulja, marelica, jabukovača (cornelian cherry, apricot, apple) [C–D] — Household production.

Not rakia: Pelinkovac, an industrially produced wormwood bitter liqueur widely exported, and Zadarski maraschino, a protected marasca-cherry liqueur from Zadar exported since the 18th century — both always sit on the same shelf as rakija, but belong with liqueurs and amari rather than the rakija family. Full profile →

Specialty Spirits

The strongest liqueur tradition of the Slavic countries here, split between a Central European bitters culture in the north and a Mediterranean fruit and herb culture on the coast.

Liqueurs

• Zadarski Maraschino [A] — Croatia’s most historically significant spirit — a clear cherry liqueur made from Marasca cherries, fruit, leaves and crushed stones together, distilled and then sweetened and aged, giving an almond-and-kernel character quite unlike sweet cherry liqueurs. The Zadar distilling tradition traces to monastic production; Girolamo Luxardo founded his house there in 1821, and after the Second World War the Luxardo family relocated to Torreglia in Italy while the Maraska company continued in Zadar — both exist today, which is why the same drink appears as an Italian and a Croatian product. Protected as a Croatian designation.
• Pelinkovac (Croatia) [A] — A wormwood bitter liqueur (pelen/pelin) popular across Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Slovenia at 28–35% ABV. Badel Pelinkovac has been made in Zagreb since 1871 at 32% and was reportedly the first Croatian drink served at the court of Napoleon III; other brands include Dalmacijavino of Split, Maraska of Zadar and Darna of Rovinj. Badel began exporting to the US in 2017 after a two-year permitting process, having already reached 30 countries. Variations include Premium/Antique Pelinkovac, Pelinkovac Orange, and štrukani pelinkovac, served with a squeeze of lemon.

Brandy

• Vinjak [B] — Badel 1862 claims the first brandy later named Vinjak, produced in Croatia as Glembay 15 y.o., distilled at the Benkovac winery by a process identical to French cognac; Cezar, another Vinjak, followed in 1970.
• Prošek [B] — A sweet Dalmatian dessert wine made from dried grapes — not actually a liqueur, though routinely mistaken for one. It became the subject of a dispute with Italy over its name’s similarity to Prosecco, despite being an entirely different product with a much longer local history.

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