Balkan Tales is a platform whose main goal is to globally promote the rakia cocktail culture.
The platform was initiated and founded by an association called ABRV (Association of Balkan Rakia Vendors).
The ABRV’s founding members are:
RakiaSHOP as a major rakia trader, importer, distributor, exporter, educator and promoter of the rakia category
Seewines Spirit (Arkana) as a producer, who is very dedicated to uncompromisable quality and promoting the rakia category overall
Raketa Rakia Bar and the Sputnik Cocktail Bar as the pioneers of the rakia category in the hospitality industry and the place to be for a rakia and food pairing experience
The chairman of the ABRV is Svetlin Mirchev, who has dedicated his life to the rakia category. He is the co-founder of RakiaSHOP and the face usually associated with high quality rakia promotion and education globally.
Our mission is to present the rakia drink to the bartenders’ community by emphasizing on its quality and potential to perform in an excellent way in cocktails by demonstrating its complexity and diversity of styles. We would like to make sure that rakia will take the place it deserves in the global cocktail culture.
Our vision is that in fulfilling our mission we need to educate the bartenders globally about the rakia category and teach them how to properly work with it in order for them and their customers to optimally benefit from its potential. In parallel we will also do our best to educate the end consumer with regard to what they should expect from a well-balanced cocktail based on high quality rakia. In order to do that we will use the help and knowledge of our friends in other fields of the hospitality industry with whom we will also exchange thoughts and ideas about the rakia category.
We highly appreciate the efforts of all our colleagues behind the bar from the top end famous bars to the little-known local ones and we would be glad to teach each and every one of them about the category and how to properly work with rakia. We would like to stay as close as possible to the values of our predecessors, the ones that had the power and courage to develop this gorgeous ancient spirit while at the same time using modern and contemporary skills, processes, resources and knowhow in order to further develop the category.
After a long and exciting carrier in the financial sector with many contacts and a serious portfolio of countries and assets, Svetlio decided to radically change the industry and devote himself to his other passion – wines and spirits and especially rakia. Since then, rakia has literally become his life and through RakiaSHOP he has managed to popularize the national drink of the Balkans and make it take the place it deserves on the world stage. All of this, of course, requires a lot of effort, professionalism and, above all, working with people in all different parts of the chain – spirits industry professionals, owners and managers in the HORECA industry, bartenders and so on all the way to the end consumers. A proven world-class specialist with a special attitude not only towards the rakia category, but also towards the people he works with and an unending desire for constant development.
The brain and hand behind the cocktails in terms of craft, recipes, etc is Dimitar Dimitrov. He is also the beverage manager at the Sputnik Cocktail Bar. His resume includes more than 20 year of experience starting at the Boston Bartenders School and learning directly from names like Dale DeGroff, Tony Abu Ganim, David Wondrich and Gary Regan. He is the first WorldClass winner for Bulgaria and a respected judge.
Viticulture and winemaking have always been part of my family, with my ancestors being among the investors in the Sungurlarski Misket Cooperative. The first steps towards wine and rakia are from my childhood years – my grandfather “introduced” me to the vineyard in Sungurlare, and my father was a recognized master rakia maker. From them I have learnt that an extremely important prerequisite for a good final product is the quality of the raw material, the grapes or the fruits. We had a vineyard for wine and a vineyard for rakia, and there was no way the two could mix. These practical skills I apply to the vineyards in Lesichovo, which are grown solely for the production of rakia. I believe in working with nature, so the approach to the vineyards and in the distillery is based on the principles of organic and regenerative production.
Rakia is an institution in our country, but unfortunately there is a lot of speculation about what it is and how to make a good rakia. I want to show the true face of rakia – pure and without any additives at any stage of its production – from the grapes to the final product in the bottle.
Petar Topalov. Throughout my life, the search for high-quality spirits and subsequently my participation in their establishment have been an integral part of my career path and success.
I have gone through various roles – from consumer, to bartender and eventually owner of several restaurants and bars. Thanks to my work, I have gained significant experience and a deep understanding of this industry.
Today, my main mission is to present rakia and show to the world the rich heritage that we carry here on the Balkans.
Rakia is a traditional Balkan spirit produced by distilling fermented fruit. The most popular varieties are made from plums, grapes, apricots, pears, and quinces.
Its alcohol content typically ranges between 40% and 50%, and high-quality rakias are known for their rich fruity aroma and smooth taste.
Today, rakia is experiencing a true renaissance—from a traditional drink reserved for special occasions, it is becoming a base for refined and creative cocktails.
