Aura is our family, we are Aura!
Aura Family Distillery
How We Started
In the early 2000s, many visitors to Istria were searching for biska, a traditional brandy made from grape pomace and white mistletoe, and of all the biskas from this area, the most famous is from the town of Hum. At that time, our family was running an art gallery and souvenir shop in Hum, and in response to tourists' requests for authentic local products like biska, we decided to produce a small quantity exclusively for tastings and sales in the gallery.
"After returning from college, my wife and me seriously dedicated ourself to the business, developing the company, branding, modernizing the technological process, with the top quality of our products as the priority. From initial production for our own needs till nowadays, with a clear vision and persistent work, we have created our family business."
Says Mišel Sirotić, Owner and Director.
Biska from the era of ancient Celts
Biska (Mistletoe Brandy) is a traditional Istrian brandy which originates from Hum - the smallest town in the world. Pastor Josip Vidal who lived in Hum was a very skilled herbalist and he passed down the recipe for Hum's biska to future generations. Biska is prepared from homemade grape marc brandy and mistletoe leaves, with its origins tracing back to the ancient Celtic druidic magic that once thrived in these areas.
Aura Distillery
Located in a rustic cellar in Buzet covering an area slightly larger than 600m², Aura Distillery is the center of our production. Within this space, the production process of our brandies, liqueurs, gins, and jams takes place. Visitors can see and experience the entire process from fruit fermentation, distillation, fruit maceration, brandy aging, to filling, labeling, and packaging. In addition to the production area, our distillery also has a shop where all Aura products can be found, as well as a tasting room where we welcome groups or individual visitors.
More of our pictures
In harmony with nature
The main ingredients for our production are found in nature. Wild herbs and fruits, grasses, spices, and fruits are all harvested in ecologically clean areas far from roads and populated areas, on the slopes of Ćićarija, in various parts of Istria, and on some islands.
Production process
The base for all of our fruit brandies and liqueurs is apple distillate, and for all herbal brandies, grape marc, except for wild pear brandy, which is made with Williams pear distillate. All herbs and fruits are macerated in brandy for six months at room temperature, after which they are mixed with specific amounts of alcohol and go through the stabilization and cooling process. All of our products are completely natural without any additives, flavor enhancers, or artificial colors.
Our Products
Aura Distillery produces twenty-five different types of brandies and liqueurs, four types of gin, nine types of jams, as well as extra virgin olive oil, elderberry fruit vinegar and wild apple vinegar. In addition to traditional biska and medenica, we also produce Teranino, our most famous product, a liqueur made from black wine Teran and ten spices. We produce brandies and liqueurs made from wild pear, sage, wild apple, olive and almond, dried figs, cornelian cherry, rose petals, wild fruits, mint, plum, carob, as well as Limoncello, Orancello, Fernet Amaro 78, Travarica, Bianca, Moscato, Bitter Pelinkovac, and two premium brandies - Millefrutti barrique and Biska extra. In addition to the previously mentioned brandies and liqueurs, we have also produced the first Croatian aperitif Ora d'Oro. A special place in our production is occupied by Karbun Gin made from grain distillate, juniper and 20 spices, as well as Karbun Navy Strength Gin and Karbun Limited Sea Edition.
Aura Stores
Our first store was located in Hum (Istria), in the premises of the art gallery where it all began, followed by stores in Buzet and other historic centers of Istrian towns. Today, our specialized stores are spread throughout Istria: in Buzet, Hum, Pula, Rovinj, Novigrad, Grožnjan, Vrsar, Motovun and Poreč. Besides in Istria, unique Aura stores can be found in Rijeka, Vrbnik on the island of Krk, Cres and Split.
All Aura storesWhere to find Aura products?
In addition to our stores and webshop, a wide range of Aura products can be found in the best wine shops and delicacy stores across Croatia, renowned hotels, and top bars and restaurants. Our products are also present in the busiest airports in Croatia.
Aura on foreign markets
Some of our products have already found their way outside of Croatia. We export to Austria, Germany, Slovenia, Switzerland, Serbia, and even Japan. Customers recognize our dedication and investment in quality, and Aura is becoming an increasingly recognizable brand.
Awards and Recognitions
Our dedication to work and product quality has not gone unnoticed, as evidenced by numerous awards and recognitions. In the past two years alone, Aura has won a number of gold medals at prestigious world competitions in the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Chile, and more. The highest number of gold medals has been awarded to Teranino, closely followed by Karbun Gin - a London dry gin that impresses with its quality - as well as Karbun Navy Strength and Karbun Limited Sea Edition gins.
Picked by hand, prepared with love
We are immensely happy that our products are recognized and accepted as a brand of exceptional quality, and we will continue to show our gratitude to our esteemed audience by following our family motto: "Picked by hand, prepared with love".
Museum o Hum Aura
In Hum, known as the smallest town in the world, we have combined life, customs, and tradition by opening the "Museum of Hum Aura". We have woven the past of Hum into 11 themed rooms with 1500 exhibits from the everyday life of our ancestors - an old pharmacy, school, post office, shop, distillery, shoemaker, carpenter, tailor, mill, and rooms dedicated to frescoes and Glagolitic script. Five rooms are interactive, so in the school, you can write a postcard using Glagolitic letters, and in the post office, you can send it to your home address. You can even create your own cream using all the necessary ingredients offered by the pharmacy. You can roast coffee beans and grind them in an old mill, and in the old distillery, you can fill and label your personalized brandy.
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