You can bring plenty of souvenirs home from Dubrovnik, but a bottle of gin made to your own recipe is certainly one of the more memorable. That is how I ended up at Habitat Distillery, ready to spend two hours learning what actually goes into a good gin – and, more importantly, making one myself.
From gin tasting to gin making
The workshop starts with an introduction to the distillery and the basics of gin production. With guidance from a master distiller, I learned more about botanicals, aromas and flavour profiles, and how different ingredients can completely change the character of a gin. One of the highlights is the botanicals themselves – all organically grown and handpicked, adding a distinctly local and artisanal touch to the experience.
Creating a gin that tastes like you
A Habitat Gin & Tonic was the perfect starting point, giving me a better idea of the flavours I liked before it was time to create my own blend. And this is where the experience became particularly interesting.
Rather than simply following an existing recipe, I could choose the herbs and botanicals that appealed to me and start building a gin around my own preferences. Some ingredients add freshness, others introduce herbal, citrus or aromatic notes, and finding the right balance is all part of the process.
You do not need to know anything about gin beforehand. The master distiller guides you through the different options and helps you understand what works together, but the final decisions are yours.
I liked how hands-on the workshop felt. It is not simply a tasting where you sit back and listen; you are actively experimenting, smelling botanicals and deciding which direction you want your gin to take.
Make your own gin at Habitat Distillery
Step behind the bar at Habitat Distillery in Dubrovnik and create a gin that is entirely your own. With guidance from a master distiller, you’ll discover how local herbs, botanicals and aromas come together, then build a personalised blend based on your own taste. The workshop includes a Habitat Gin & Tonic tasting, followed by a G&T made with your custom recipe. You’ll leave with a bottle of your own gin – a personal, creative souvenir from Dubrovnik with a story behind it.
Creating a gin I could take home
My custom gin was bottled for me to take home, with one important instruction: let it rest for 15 days before opening it, allowing the flavours to settle and fully develop. Suddenly, the bottle felt like much more than a souvenir, with a story tied to one particular afternoon in Dubrovnik.
A different kind of Dubrovnik experience
The whole workshop lasts around two hours, which I found ideal. Starting at 17:00, it fits easily into a day of sightseeing and still leaves plenty of time to head into Dubrovnik for dinner afterwards. It is relaxed, sociable and creative, making it a good choice for couples, friends or anyone looking for something different from the usual sightseeing itinerary.
And although the setting and the gin are naturally at the centre of the experience, what stayed with me most was the sense of discovery. I walked in knowing which gin flavours I generally enjoyed and left understanding much more about why I enjoyed them.
Make your own gin at Habitat Distillery
If you enjoy discovering local flavours and prefer experiences you can actively take part in, this is one Dubrovnik activity worth adding to your list. The Make Your Own Gin workshop at Habitat Distillery is available daily from April to November. The experience lasts approximately two hours and is offered in Croatian and English.
You will taste Habitat Gin & Tonic, discover different botanicals, create your own personalised gin recipe, and leave with a bottle of your custom gin to take home.
