Around the World in 20 Drinks: Croatia

When people that you know leave you to go on fun overseas holidays, they tend to bring back one of two things – a massive Toblerone, or a selection of miniature alcohols from the places they've been. Well, this column isn't called 'Around the World in 20 Airport-sized Swiss Chocolate Bars,' is it? No, we have foreign booze. Croatian, to be precise, with two liqueurs to try courtesy of the Balkan state with the memorably-good 1990s football team.

First up is Kruškovac, which looks a lot like Irn-Bru in both the bright orange colour, and the weird shine and glint of both liquids that seems to say, 'I'm very bad for you.' 

Give it a sniff and the similarities continue – this stuff is ridiculously sweet, with an aroma best described as off-orange. You can never quite be sure what it is, but it seems like there should be some oranges in there. As for the flavour, it tastes like pears.

This is probably because it's made of pears, but there are also elements of peach and mandarin in there. It really tastes like Irn-Bru as well; if Coca-Cola ever want to nip those pesky Scottish upstarts in the bud, then they should set their scientists on Kruškovac and get them to engineer out the booze. You're welcome, big business!

On to drink two, Orahovac. This is a darker, richer beverage, and by that I mean it smells like brown sugar and paint thinner. It's made from green walnuts along with various spices and fruits, and it's definitely your more common 'suspicious overseas spirit with unpronounceable name.'

A slightly malty but mainly sweet taste, a weird syrupy consistency and an acidic finish all combine for something that – without wishing to offend – is 'interesting' at best. Interesting is what you want from a holiday gift, though, and it sure beats a Toblerone. Well, I'd have liked a Toblerone as well. Holiday tip: bring your friends booze AND chocolate, you never know when they might bring it up.