Pure essence of nature and tradition reinvented
We remain faithful to the art of distillation - preserving its rich heritage while refining the future of rakija. MIKO distillery resides within our orchard, nestled between quince and plum trees, in-tune with nature and powered by it.
The taste of patience
The MIKO seal of quality is present from the first fruit to the last drop, as every segment of production is in our hands.
This ensures that our rakija is a source of authentic taste of fruit, preserved in its purest form, without added sugars, flavour enhancers, aromas, or additives.
We achieve the necessary sugar content for quince rakija by harvesting as late as possible, waiting for the fruit to reach ideal ripeness. This approach demands patience and careful harvest dynamics, as different varieties ripen at varying rates.
Only healthy and optimally ripe fruits serve as the sole foundation for premium fruit brandy - every drop is worth the wait.
While we await the first harvest from our own plum trees, we produce plum rakija, known as slivovitz, from carefully selected, locally grown plums, supporting our community in the process.
Optimal Conditions
Fruit is processed immediately after harvest to prevent oxidation and preserve freshness, optimal sugar levels, and aroma.
With the distillery located within the orchard, less than an hour passes from hand-picking to primary processing.
Our experienced cellar masters handle fruit measurement and sorting, unloading, washing, primary processing, technological treatment, and transport to tanks for controlled fermentation.
Fermentation occurs in modern stainless-steel tanks with controlled fermentation, ranging from 5,000 to 25,000 litres. Overseen by our technologist, the fermentation process is grounded in years of knowledge, as experience best determines the ideal parameters for transforming sugar into alcohol.
Through fermentation, we obtain the soul of rakija; through distillation, its heart. We distil the mash using a renowned 1,000-liter distillation column from the German brand "Kothe", powered by clean energy generated from our solar panels.
We recycle up to 95% of water, as the same water used after distillation is repurposed for cleaning the distillation apparatus. Sustainability was a key factor in our equipment selection, as we continually strive to make our operations greener, preserving the nature that forms the foundation of our story.
The process of obtaining the "heart" of the distillate is the final and crucial step, relying on the expertise and intuition of our technologist. Certain MIKO rakijas also age in a selection of 225-liter oak barrels, where they acquire the desired depth and character, awaiting the perfect moment for bottling.