Nikola Tesla, a Banja Luka legend and seven carefully chosen botanicals: the story of The Engineer Gin

Nikola Tesla did not just invent the future; he patented it. Every invention, every idea, every step forward came from precision, patience and a refusal to settle for good enough. That philosophy, printed on the back label of every bottle of The Engineer gin, was the motivation and guide for two young engineers from Banja Luka who one day in 2020 sat down and said: let’s make gin.

Dejan and Mile were not distillers. They were engineers with an idea, passion and a willingness to learn everything from scratch. Three years of experiments, blind tastings, analysis of dozens of springs in search of the perfect water and, finally, advice from a professional in Germany led to The Engineer Gin: a bottle with Tesla’s precision on the label, a city legend in the recipe and a chemical reaction in the glass that still surprises everyone who sees it for the first time.

Today their gin stands on bar shelves across Bosnia and Herzegovina, holds a silver medal from the World Gin Awards 2024 and more and more often travels as a gift from Banja Luka to every corner of the world. Dejan and Mile still do everything themselves, from the first botanical to the last bottle, guided only by the suggestions, praise and constructive criticism of customers, other professionals, family and friends.

Meet two hard-working, decent young men who have proved that persistence pays off and who set a great example of how young people can build their future on their own ideas.

How did it all start? When was the moment you said, “we’re making craft gin in the Banja Luka region”?

You could say it all started sometime in 2020, when Dejan and I were basically talking about how to make the best use of fruit spirits. That is where the idea of trying to make gin was born. Of course, we then learned that gin is made from grain spirit, we experimented with botanicals and, to cut a long story short, now we have The Engineer.

Why Tesla? What was the link between him and your gin that was clear to you straight away?

Mile and I met while studying engineering in Banja Luka, and Nikola Tesla is a huge inspiration for everyone from this area, especially engineers. Tesla’s patents on the back label are our tribute to him as the greatest scientist of all time.

How long did it take from the first idea to the first bottle leaving the distillery?

Hard question. Let’s say it took about three years before The Engineer was on sale on the shelves.

What did you have to learn from scratch, and what was the hardest step?

A great many things: about production, about the product, about sales, about business. It is hard to single out the hardest, because every piece matters equally for the final product and the reputation that comes with it.

If you could start again, what would you do differently?

Maybe we can answer that in a few years. Joking aside, we are happy with our position and our brand right now, so, for now at least, we would not change anything.

Why exactly seven botanicals? Was that a scientific decision or intuition?

The ratio is no accident; it is our little nod to the city that brought us together and still inspires us. Banja Luka has an old legend that there are seven women for every man. Nobody knows where it comes from or how true it is, but every Banja Luka native has heard it and is proud of it in their own way. For us it was the perfect inspiration: seven botanicals for one gin. Each botanical is special, each has its own character and role in the final taste, but only together do they create the harmony that makes The Engineer what it is. Just as a city is not a city without its people, our gin would not be what it is without each of those seven botanicals.

How did you find the perfect spring water, and how important is it for the final taste?

Now this could have been the answer to which part was the worst. Joking aside, there was no shortcut here: a detailed analysis of almost every spring we knew of in the region, until we found the right one.

How many batches did it take before you said “this is it” about the recipe?

This was one of the most interesting parts of the process. We do not have an exact number, but we can tell you what it was like. We literally started with our one-litre still and made different recipes. Then came blind tastings by our friends, in tournament-style head-to-heads. The problem showed up when we reached the finals: the friends doing the judging liked almost every recipe. But at least the get-togethers were great fun. In the end, professionals from Germany helped us with the finer points of the recipe.

Distilled Blue Gin changes colour. Did you play that card on purpose?

Even though there are two of us in this story, we were unanimous on that: it is a bullseye. We are glad we created something completely new and unique here.

How is the Cherry-Infused Gin made? Is it seasonal, and what makes it special?

Exactly: our cherry-infused gin is limited each year and made only when we have top-quality sour cherries to enrich our London Dry Gin. It is a completely different approach to gin, almost like making a liqueur. To fully enjoy and understand it, we recommend you try it.

When you picture someone holding your bottle, who are they and where are they?

Honestly, we are glad our gin has become something of a perfect gift from Banja Luka. We get great feedback from all over the world, so we cannot tie it to any one person or place, except the one where we make it.

What is the ideal time of day for The Engineer Gin?

If you ask the two of us, honestly, any occasion is perfect. But let’s be a bit more specific, because gin deserves attention every time you drink it.

In the morning? We do not recommend gin with your first coffee; in our tradition rakija is the drink that starts the day. But if you are someone who likes a light brunch with something refreshing, Cherry Infused with a good tonic and a slice of orange is a decent companion for a late Sunday morning. No hurry, no obligations, just as it should be.

Midday tasting may be the moment that has yet to catch on here as a gin culture develops: the aperitivo hour. That lovely European tradition that is only just reaching us is the ideal moment for London Dry served neat with juniper berries and dried orange. It refreshes, whets the appetite and leads you into the rest of the day the right way.

Evening is still the most popular time. When the day settles, good company arrives and there is no rush, that is when The Engineer gives its best.

But in the end, we leave it to everyone to test and find their ideal situation, company and moment. That is the magic of gin.

If you organised the perfect gin tasting for someone who has never tried gin, what would it look like?

That is hard to answer in words, because the perfect gin tasting is not only about what is in the glass but also the place, the moment and the company around it.

But let’s try to paint the picture. Imagine a warm summer afternoon. The garden of a nice bar, trees filtering the sun, a light breeze carrying the scent of herbs and flowers. That is the aperitivo hour Europe has long known and we are only discovering, the lazy, blessed hour between afternoon and evening when the day slowly gives way to night and no hurry makes sense. That is when, in that setting, gin gives its best.

The tasting would start with London Dry Gin, neat, on ice, with juniper berries and dried orange. Nothing to overshadow the botanical character, just gin and room for it to open up. Next would come Distilled Blue, that moment when the blue in the glass slowly turns violet and pink as soon as you add tonic, always drawing a reaction that needs no comment. And to finish, Cherry Infused with fresh cherries in season: fruity, light and perfect for sunset.

That is the tasting we imagine, but the real experience is always better than the description. We invite everyone to visit us at fairs, themed evenings in bars and festivals where you can taste these flavours yourself. Follow us at gin.ba and on Instagram at @engineer.gin for news of the nearest occasions, because nature is kind, summer is short and every glass outdoors is worth double.

What garnish would you recommend to get the most out of the London Dry Gin?

Our recommendation is, of course, juniper berries and dried orange. But gin is the perfect mixing spirit, so it is hard to go wrong with other botanicals too.

Is there a cocktail you created yourselves that never leaves your own table?

There are a few. You can watch our series of cocktail reels on our Instagram profile and pick one you like.

What is the nicest comment you have had from someone trying your gin for the first time?

It is hard to single out one comment or compliment, but since the two of us literally do everything in the process, every compliment gives us extra energy to push this story forward. Small business owners really need that. Those are the things we actually do this for.

Has anyone ever told you something about your gin that you had not noticed yourselves?

We do a lot of festivals and fairs, so we have had really interesting feedback from customers. Gin culture is growing here, and plenty of people have refined tastes.

What do you want someone to feel with the first sip? What is the one sensation that has to be there?

Honestly, the gin itself, made from quality botanicals and spices. Our product is also designed in strength so that in any cocktail you can taste the gin and all its aromas, alongside the other ingredients.

Is there a special occasion or story linked to your bottle that you treasure as your best memory?

The whole story of how we chose this particular bottle is part of the beauty of creating The Engineer Gin. It is a bit of a long story, so we will save it for another time.

What is your personal favourite way to drink it?

Dejan drinks gin only neat, with nothing added, while I always go for a classic G&T or a Negroni.

What new flavour or infusion has been “knocking on the distillery door” for a while?

There are lots of ideas. Maybe it is not a new flavour at all but a new drink. Follow us, because new things are coming soon.

Where do you see The Engineer Gin in five years? Does it stay a local gem or go further?

We have arguments for both. For now we are enjoying this story and our product, and we can go over it all again in five years and take stock then. That may be the best part of this interview, because by then our story will hopefully be worth even more than it is now.

Is there a country or city where you would love to see your bottle on a bar shelf?

Most of all we love seeing our product in our local bars, but we are also very pleasantly surprised by photos from bars all over Europe and the world.