drink | macedonia

TRADITIONAL DRINK

Macedonian Wine, Rakija, Warm rakija, Macedonian coffee

Macedonian wine

Wine – Macedonian wines rank among the best value and most drinkable wines available anywhere. The Macedonian wineyards, especially the ones in Tikves valley area are characteristic by the exquisite grapes and even better masters for preparation of this strong alcoholic drink. The lengthy ripening process concentrates the sugar and acids in the grapes, ensuring rich colours and complex aromas in our wines..
Wine regions

Macedonia has three wine-growing regions:

• Povardarie, around the capital Skopje, centrally located in the country and the most important region.
• Pcinja-Osogovo, to the east on the border with Bulgaria.
• Pelagonija-Polog, around Lake Ohrid, to the west on the border with Albania.
Grape varieties
The grape varieties common in cultivation includes a large proportion of indigenous varieties and varieties common to Central Europe and the Balkans, as well as some international varieties. Red varieties include Vranec (the most common variety of Macedonia), Kratosija, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. White varieties include Smederevka, Welschriesling (usually referred to as Laški Rizling), Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Žilavka.

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Macedonian Spirits

The two most well known spirits native to Macedonia are Rakija and Mastika. Rakija is distilled from wine, while Mastika has an additional flavour of aniseed.
- Rakija - Scotland has whiskey, Greece has metaxxa, while Macedonia has rakija. Throughout Macedonia, people make their own rakija, which is similar to brandy, made by distillation of fermented fruits - a very strong alcoholic beverage that is typically 50 to 60%. One version of rakija contains walnuts, altering its aroma and taste, and others plums - Slivova rakija.
- Mastika is originally a liquor made from the resin of the mastic tree. It is considered the national drink of the Republic of Macedonia containing 45% alcohol, has a hot taste not unlike that of brandy and is usually made from grapes, raisins, plums or figs. It is usually poured over ice and enjoyed with Meze (selection of appetisers or small dishes).
Beer – Skopsko today is a real trademark of Macedonia (4.9% pale lager introduced in 1924). With a taste on which much bigger producers in the world would envy it, today it is a regional leader when we are talking about the taste and the quality. It is made of barley malt; unmalted cereals; hops; and brewers yeast.
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Coffee

Coffee was introduced to Macedonia by the Ottomans, and the type of coffee most commonly consumed in the Macedonian home is called "Tursko Kafe" or "Turkish Coffee". It is brought to boil on the stove and consumed from small cups with sweets.
These days, restaurants in Macedonia mostly serve italian styles of coffee such as Espresso, Cappuccino, Latte, Macchiato etc.