The domestic rakija showcase "Domaća rakija je naša medižija" (Domestic rakija is our medium), traditionally held in Hum, will not take place this year. This is a pause intended by the organisers to encourage a joint agreement on how to continue the manifestation, which has been developing for 25 years.
Hum, the smallest city in the world and the city of biska, hosts a showcase that brings together numerous producers, experts and visitors. The event popularises domestic rakias produced in the traditional way from grape marc in lambics. Behind it stands a group of volunteers gathered in the Hum Association, whose president is Aleksandar Merlak. The showcase was launched in 2000 and has since grown into a recognisable manifestation that gathers producers, preserves tradition and promotes Hum and the Buzet region.
In the creation and development of the showcase, particularly during the first fifteen years, the Tourism Board of the City of Buzet (Turistička zajednica Grada Buzeta) and its then-employees played an extremely important role, with the support of the City of Buzet and the local community. This engagement involved communication with producers, inviting participants, collecting samples, preparing the judging process and numerous other organisational and technical tasks. Over time, a growing part of the organisation remained with a few individuals.
Behind one day of the manifestation lie months of preparation: numerous calls, negotiations with contractors and suppliers, seeking sponsors, agreements with producers, collecting samples and coordinating the judging, programme and technical conditions. It involves hundreds of volunteer hours, mostly alongside regular jobs and family obligations. Such an engagement has become too great a burden for a small number of people.
Despite the challenges, producer interest is growing, especially from various European countries. Due to the number of registered samples, the work of the judging commission needs to be organised over two days. For last year's jubilee 25th edition of the showcase, 37 producers from Croatia, Slovenia and Germany registered with more than 200 rakija samples in seven different categories: biska, domestic ordinary, herb rakija, honey rakija, fruit distillate, fruit in rakija and liqueur. This included 24 samples registered for the IQ - Istrian Quality label. The jury met in Hum before the showcase, and the rakias were judged by enologists, sommeliers and certified sensory analysts, 18 of them divided into six three-person commissions, in cooperation with the Institute of Agriculture and Tourism Poreč.
Rising costs further complicate the organisation, and secured funds alone cannot replace the people and time needed for preparation. The pause is an opportunity to agree on a clear division of work and responsibilities and to start preparations sufficiently in advance. Joint engagement from the Hum Association, the City of Buzet and the Tourism Board of the City of Buzet, as well as a sustainable agreement for the coming years, is required.
