Na Visu, otoku koji i dalje odolijeva masovnom turizmu, upoznao sam bračni par, Hildu i Garyja, koji je prije 15 godina stigao kao turist – i više nikada zapravo nije otišao. Danas ovdje proizvode gin koji u sebi nosi sve ono zbog čega su se u ovaj otok zaljubili. “Došli smo na tjedan dana, bez ikakvog plana. Ali već tada smo znali – ako ćemo ikada živjeti negdje drugdje, to će biti ovdje”, prisjećaju se.
Ona dolazi iz Norveške, on iz Engleske, a zajednička ljubav prema Visu pretvorila je kratko ljetovanje u životnu odluku. Kuću su kupili gotovo slučajno, bez velikih planova, ali s vremenom su shvatili da im povremeni dolasci više nisu dovoljni. “Nije nam bilo dovoljno dolaziti dva ili tri tjedna godišnje. Htjeli smo biti dio ovog mjesta, upoznati ljude i živjeti kao oni.” Upravo su ljudi s otoka postali ključni dio njihove priče. “Lokalci su nas prihvatili kao svoje. Imamo osjećaj kao da smo dobili novu obitelj.”
Posebno mjesto u njihovoj svakodnevici ima 92-godišnja susjeda Draga, koja bez najave ulazi u kuću i unosi vedrinu u njihove dane. “Ona samo uđe, sjedne, viče na nas, kaže mi da sam se udebljao… i onda počne pjevati. To je život ovdje”, kroz smijeh pričaju, naglašavajući koliko ih je otočki način života promijenio.
Znanje s otoka i gin s potpisom Visa
Bez prethodnog iskustva u destiliranju, u sve su ušli iz čiste znatiželje i strasti, ali su vrlo brzo shvatili koliko je važno osloniti se na lokalno znanje. “Od početka smo učili od ljudi s otoka. Anka, koja ima restoran, donosila nam je biljke iz prirode i pokazivala što se bere i kada. To su znanja koja ne možeš pronaći u knjigama.” Upravo ta povezanost s prirodom i ljudima oblikovala je njihov proizvod, koji se danas ističe autentičnošću.
Njihov gin nosi ime po najvišem vrhu Visa – Humu (587 metara), mjestu gdje beru dio biljaka koje koriste u proizvodnji. “Htjeli smo napraviti nešto što će stvarno predstavljati otok. Ne samo piće, nego doživljaj – kao da si Vis stavio u bocu.” U proizvodnji koriste isključivo lokalne sastojke, uključujući i limune koje beru zimi. “Limune beremo krajem prosinca i početkom siječnja, gulimo ih, sušimo koru i koristimo u destilaciji. Sve radimo ručno”, objašnjavaju. Njihov osnovni gin sadrži čak 13 biljaka, a razvili su i više varijacija, od klasičnih do onih s izraženijim citrusnim i floralnim notama.
Od “skupog hobija” do međunarodnog uspjeha
Ono što je započelo kao ideja bez velikih očekivanja ubrzo je preraslo u ozbiljan posao. “U jednom trenutku smo shvatili – ili ćemo ga stalno piti, ili ćemo ga početi proizvoditi”, kažu kroz smijeh. Već u prvim godinama stigla su međunarodna priznanja, uključujući i nagrade s prestižnih svjetskih natjecanja. “Nismo očekivali medalje. Samo smo htjeli vidjeti gdje smo. Kad su stigle, dale su nam ogromno samopouzdanje.”
Danas iza sebe imaju niz nagrada, a njihov gin sve je traženiji i izvan Hrvatske. Jedna od anegdota koju posebno pamte dolazi iz prve sezone. “Par iz Kalifornije došao je na jednodnevni izlet, probao gin i odlučio kupiti nekoliko boca. Na kraju su kupili dva sanduka i izbacili stvari iz kofera da ih mogu ponijeti kući”, prisjećaju se, dodajući da su upravo takve situacije potvrda da rade nešto posebno.
Napominju da s njima o svemu brine Splićanka Ana koja je, kako mi govore, duša i tijelo ove tvrtke, i koju vide sebi ravnopravnu. "Sjajna je, sposobna i vrlo odgovorna osoba, a osobito nam se sviđa njena komunikativnost i otvorenost. Jako nam je drago da smo zajedno u ovom poslu", pričaju Hilda i Gary.
Vis kao inspiracija i odgovornost
Njihova priča nije samo priča o uspjehu, nego i o odnosu prema prostoru u kojem žive. Smatraju da turizam mora biti održiv i usmjeren na očuvanje onoga što otok čini posebnim. “Ljudi ne bi trebali dolaziti samo zbog plaže i restorana. Trebaju istražiti unutrašnjost, upoznati prirodu i ljude. Tu je prava vrijednost.”
Vis, ističu, još uvijek ima ono što su mnoge destinacije izgubile – autentičnost. “Ovdje još možeš pronaći mir, tišinu i stvarni život. Samo treba malo skrenuti s glavnih puteva.”
Na kraju, poruka koju šalju svima koji razmišljaju o dolasku na otok jednostavna je, ali snažna. “Vis ima dušu. To je nešto što se ne može objasniti, to se mora osjetiti – u zraku, u mirisima, u ljudima.” Upravo tu, između mora, kamena i bilja, nastaje njihov gin – kao tekući zapis jednog otoka i jedne ljubavi koja je počela slučajno, ali je prerasla u život.
English version:
On Vis, an island that still resists mass tourism, I met a married couple, Hilda and Gary, who arrived 15 years ago as tourists – and never really left. Today, they produce a gin that captures everything that made them fall in love with the island. “We came for a week, with no plan at all. But even then we knew – if we were ever going to live somewhere else, it would be here,” they recall.
She is from Norway, he from England, and their shared love for Vis turned a short summer holiday into a life decision. They bought a house almost by chance, without big plans, but over time they realized that occasional visits were no longer enough. “It wasn’t enough for us to come for two or three weeks a year. We wanted to be part of this place, to get to know the people and live like they do.” The island’s locals soon became a key part of their story. “They accepted us as their own. It feels like we’ve gained a new family.”
A special place in their daily lives is held by their 92-year-old neighbor, Draga, who drops in unannounced and brings joy into their days. “She just walks in, sits down, yells at us, tells me I’ve gained weight… and then starts singing. That’s life here,” they say with a laugh, emphasizing how much island life has changed them.
Island knowledge and a gin signed by Vis
With no prior experience in distillation, they began out of pure curiosity and passion, but quickly realized how important it was to rely on local knowledge. “From the very beginning, we learned from people on the island. Anka, who runs a restaurant, would bring us wild plants and show us what to pick and when. That’s knowledge you can’t find in books.” This deep connection with nature and people shaped their product, which now stands out for its authenticity.
Their gin is named after Hum, the highest peak on Vis (587 meters), where they gather some of the botanicals used in production. “We wanted to create something that truly represents the island. Not just a drink, but an experience – as if you’ve put Vis into a bottle.” They use exclusively local ingredients, including lemons they harvest in winter. “We pick the lemons in late December and early January, peel them, dry the zest, and use it in distillation. Everything is done by hand,” they explain. Their base gin contains as many as 13 botanicals, and they have developed several variations, ranging from classic profiles to those with more pronounced citrus and floral notes.
From an “expensive hobby” to international success
What began as an idea without great expectations soon grew into a serious business. “At one point we realized – either we’ll just keep drinking it, or we’ll start producing it,” they say with a smile. International recognition came early, including awards from prestigious global competitions. “We didn’t expect medals. We just wanted to see where we stood. When they came, they gave us a huge boost of confidence.”
Today, they have received numerous awards, and their gin is increasingly sought after beyond Croatia. One anecdote they particularly remember dates back to their first season. “A couple from California came on a day trip, tried the gin, and decided to buy a few bottles. In the end, they bought two crates and took things out of their suitcases to fit them in,” they recall, adding that moments like these confirm they are doing something special.
Vis as inspiration and responsibility
Their story is not just one of success, but also of their relationship with the place they now call home. They believe tourism must be sustainable and focused on preserving what makes the island unique. “People shouldn’t come just for the beaches and restaurants. They should explore the interior, get to know the nature and the people. That’s where the real value lies.”
Vis, they point out, still has what many destinations have lost – authenticity. “Here, you can still find peace, silence, and real life. You just need to step a little off the main paths.”
In the end, the message they send to anyone considering a visit to the island is simple but powerful. “Vis has a soul. It’s something you can’t explain – you have to feel it, in the air, in the scents, in the people.” It is precisely there, between the sea, the stone, and the wild herbs, that their gin is created – a liquid reflection of an island and a love story that began by chance, but grew into a life.
