Kumova Žolta

Pale amber with a gold edge. It opens with white blossom, dried apricot and honeyed citrus, then vanilla, almond and a little toasted spice. The palate is smooth and round. Baked pear, orange peel, nougat. The finish is long and leaves you with vanilla pod, dried fig and toasted grain.

Drink it at room temperature, 16 to 18 degrees, and the fruit and the flowers come forward. As an aperitif, chill it lightly to 12 or 14. Use a tulip glass or a small white wine glass. Give it two or three minutes before you sip.

It is very good with aged sheep's cheese like kashkaval, roasted pickled peppers, and ajvar or pindjur. Smoked and cured meats bring out the depth. Figs, walnuts and light nut puddings pick up the vanilla and the dried fruit.

This is the golden one in the Kumova range, and the one to start with if you want to understand what oak does to rakija. The distillates rest in stainless steel and in casks half a century old. Those casks are too old to give colour any more. They give spice and softness instead.

Distilled on the winery's heritage copper rectification column, a method borrowed from Armagnac. Distilled with fine lees and no preservatives, which is where the texture comes from. Blended by tasting, not by formula.

Lozova rakija, grape brandy. 40% ABV. 70cl.