In a quiet cellar near Maribor, Slovenia, 750 kilograms of honey — untouched for over half a century — has been reborn as a one-of-a-kind spirit.
Believed to be between 47 and 60 years old, the honey once belonged to Franc Kirar (1893–1978), a revered beekeeper and inventor who crafted his own hive design, still used today.
His granddaughter gifted the aging nectar to distiller Bojan Lunežnik, who transformed the floral-forest blend into rakija, blending innovation with legacy.
The spirit, matured with wood for depth and a honeyed aroma, carries 39.8% alcohol and a smooth, complex profile reminiscent of fine rum.
Only 555 bottles exist — each packaged with real honeycomb in boxes echoing Kirar’s hives. One, bottle No. 3, now rests in the Maribor Museum of the Old Vine.
Priced at €1,893, honouring Kirar’s birth year, each bottle offers not just a taste, but an immersive VR glimpse into a beekeeping story nearly lost to time.