Broken Bones Gin Experience

Ljubljana’s small spirits scene comes into focus at Broken Bones Distillery, said to be the city’s first distillery in at least 60 years. In 90 minutes, you learn how two friends with family ties to beer, wine, and liquor production turned a shared interest into a working gin and whisky business.

I like the mix of production stories and tastings, since the drinks make more sense once you know why they were made. I also like that the price includes two cocktails, not just small spirit samples. The main consideration is timing: the visit starts at 4 pm, and the experience is strictly for adults aged 18 and over.

Key points to know before booking

• Ljubljana’s first distillery in at least 60 years: Broken Bones fills a notable gap in the city’s modern drinking culture.
• Gin and whisky are both covered: You hear about the ideas, testing, selection, and production behind each spirit.
• Two cocktails are included: Choose from options such as a gin and tonic, BB Fizz, or another cocktail of your choice.
• English-language visit: The experience is offered in English, with a mobile ticket for easy access.
• Small maximum group: Up to 20 people can join, which keeps this more personal than a large sightseeing stop.
• A focused 90-minute activity: It fits neatly into an afternoon in Ljubljana without taking over your whole day.

Entering Ljubljana’s only gin and whisky distillery

Broken Bones Distillery is at Tržaška cesta 132, outside the central old-town core. That location matters because this is not a bar dressed up as a distillery. You are visiting the working home of the spirits, where the focus is on how gin and whisky are created.

Ljubljana’s archives indicate that the city had no distillery of this kind for at least six decades before Broken Bones opened. That gives the visit a useful local angle. You are not simply sampling an international brand in a city tasting room. You are learning about a modern Slovenian producer and its attempt to build a spirits tradition in Ljubljana.

The company grew from the friendship of two people whose families were involved in beer, wine, and liquor production. Since 2012, they have worked on developing gins and whiskies that reflect their own tastes. That background gives the introduction a personal feel, even though no individual guide names are provided for the tour.

The setting is best understood as a production visit with drinks, not as a long architectural or sightseeing tour. If you want grand rooms, historic machinery, or a full-day look at rural Slovenian distilling, this is not that experience. If you want to understand how a small city distillery thinks and works, it is a better fit.

The first part: how a spirit begins as an idea

The experience begins with the story behind Broken Bones and the broader history of distilling in Ljubljana. This section helps answer a basic question: why create a distillery here, and why focus on both gin and whisky?

You hear how the founders moved from an interest in spirits to the practical work of developing products. The explanation covers the company’s philosophy, the original idea for each spirit, and the choices made before anything reaches a bottle.

I find this useful because gin is often presented as a list of botanicals, while whisky is often reduced to aging time and barrel talk. Here, the emphasis is on the chain of decisions that shapes a product. The brand’s taste comes first, then development and selection, followed by production.

The tour also places Broken Bones in a local setting. The fact that Ljubljana had not had a distillery for at least 60 years gives the company’s story some weight, but the visit does not require you to be a spirits expert. The explanations are intended to show how the products came about, so you can arrive with little prior knowledge and still follow along.

You should expect the history portion to support the tasting rather than replace it. This is a compact experience, so the guide has about an hour and a half to cover the company, the city’s distilling background, gin, whisky, production methods, and the drinks. That makes the visit efficient, though anyone seeking a very technical spirits class may find it brief.

Inside the production process

The central part of the visit looks at how Broken Bones makes its gins and whiskies. You learn about the path from concept to development, ingredient and style selection, and eventual production.

The exact technical detail can vary with the guide and the group, but the stated focus is clear: the team shares insider information about how the on-site spirits are produced. That is more useful than simply hearing tasting notes. You get a sense of why a distillery makes a certain choice and how those choices affect the finished drink.

Gin offers an accessible way into this subject because you can taste it and then discuss what you have noticed. The production story gives context to the samples, helping you think about the spirit’s character rather than treating each pour as a quick alcoholic checkpoint.

The whisky side adds a second layer. Whisky takes patience and planning, and its development is different from gin’s. Even if gin is the main attraction for you, hearing about both spirits makes the company’s work feel broader than a single product line.

The visit is particularly useful for anyone who has toured large commercial producers and wants a smaller operation for comparison. The information supplied does not promise a full walk through every stage of production or a hands-on distilling session, so keep your expectations sensible. This is guided insight into the process, not a workshop where you make your own bottle.

The tasting: several gins and two cocktails

The tasting is the most practical part of the experience. You sample Broken Bones gins, then receive two cocktails made with those spirits. The listed choices include a gin and tonic, BB Fizz, or a cocktail of your choice.

I like this format because it shows how the gin behaves in different settings. A neat sample can reveal the spirit’s character, while a gin and tonic or mixed drink shows how it works as part of a balanced cocktail. Two cocktails also give the visit a more generous feel than a tour that ends after a few tiny tastes.

The cocktails are described as a starter on the sample menu, but the experience information makes clear that two selected signature cocktails are included as part of the 90-minute visit. You should confirm the available cocktail choice on the day, since the options may depend on the distillery’s current selection.

The drinks are not an afterthought. They connect the production discussion to something you can immediately understand. If the guide talks about the brand’s approach to gin, you can consider how that approach appears in the glass. The tasting also gives you a chance to decide which Broken Bones products you actually prefer.

Drink responsibly and plan your afternoon around the tasting. The price includes the stated samples and two cocktails, but the information does not say that food, transport, or extra drinks are included. You should not book this as a meal replacement.

Why the price can make sense

The listed price is $40.94 per person. For a 90-minute activity, that is not the cheapest way to spend an hour and a half in Ljubljana. The value depends on whether you care about the production story and the included drinks, rather than viewing this as a simple bar visit.

Two cocktails are a meaningful part of the price. You are also paying for a guided explanation of the brand, the history of distilling in Ljubljana, and the development and production of the spirits. If you would otherwise buy two cocktails and several tastings separately, the combined price becomes easier to justify.

The experience is also focused. You do not spend half the time moving between unrelated sights. If you have already explored Ljubljana’s main center and want an activity with a strong local connection, this can fill an afternoon gap well.

The value is weaker if you do not drink gin or whisky, or if your main interest is traditional sightseeing. There is no city walking tour, landmark entry, meal, or wider Slovenian food program included. I would book it for the spirits content, not simply because I had free time.

The small maximum of 20 people helps the price feel more reasonable. A group of that size is still large enough to have energy, but it should be more manageable than a mass tasting. The available information does not promise a private tour, so do not expect one-on-one attention throughout.

Planning the 4 pm visit

The experience starts at 4 pm and ends back at Broken Bones Distillery. That fixed start makes it easy to plan around, but it also limits your flexibility. You cannot casually arrive at any point during the afternoon.

You receive confirmation at booking, and the activity uses a mobile ticket. The distillery is near public transportation, which helps since it is not presented as a stop in Ljubljana’s central pedestrian area. Check your route before setting out and allow enough time to reach Tržaška cesta 132 without rushing.

The tour lasts about 90 minutes. That gives you time to fit in an earlier museum, a city walk, or lunch before the visit. Afterward, you are already in position to continue your evening elsewhere, though the experience itself finishes at the distillery.

Service animals are allowed, and most people can participate. The tour is not suitable for anyone under 18. That rule applies even if a younger person is not planning to drink, since the activity centers on spirit tasting.

Free cancellation is available if you cancel at least 24 hours before the local start time. Changes or cancellations made inside that window are not accepted for a refund. The experience also requires a minimum number of people, so if the operator cancels for that reason, you are offered another date or experience, or a full refund.

Who will enjoy Broken Bones most

I would recommend this to adults who like learning how drinks are made and who want a local activity beyond Ljubljana’s usual sights. It is especially suitable if you enjoy gin, whisky, cocktails, or the story of small producers building a business from scratch.

It also works well for a couple or small group looking for a relaxed afternoon plan. The 4 pm start and 90-minute length leave room for other plans, while the included cocktails give the visit a social ending.

You do not need to be a spirits collector. The experience explains the brand’s development from the beginning, so someone who simply enjoys an occasional gin and tonic can take part. The highly positive rating, with 100 percent of 12 recorded reviews recommending the visit, fits the experience’s main strengths: clear explanations and enjoyable gin tasting.

The strongest praise focuses on the quality of the history and the taste of the Broken Bones gins. That is exactly where I would place the emphasis when deciding. The tour is not promising a broad cultural program. Its appeal rests on the combination of a rare Ljubljana distillery story, production insight, gin samples, and two cocktails.

You may want to skip it if you avoid alcohol, dislike cocktail tastings, or prefer a long technical tour. The information does not state that you will see every piece of equipment in operation, make gin yourself, or tour a whisky aging room. Book for guided tasting and background, not for a hands-on class.

The final call on this Ljubljana experience

I would book the Broken Bones Gin Experience if you want a compact, adult-only activity with a clear local identity. The city’s first distillery in at least 60 years gives the visit a story you cannot get from a standard cocktail bar, and the two included cocktails make the $40.94 price easier to weigh.

Go in expecting 90 minutes of English-language explanation, gin tasting, production stories, and two Broken Bones cocktails. Keep your afternoon free from 4 pm, arrive at Tržaška cesta 132, and treat the visit as a focused introduction to a Ljubljana spirit maker.

FAQ

Where does the Broken Bones Gin Experience take place?

It takes place at Broken Bones Distillery, Tržaška c. 132, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.

What time does the experience start?

The experience starts at 4:00 pm.

How long does the tour last?

It lasts approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.

What is included in the price?

The price includes a 90-minute guided Broken Bones Experience, tastings of Broken Bones gins, and two cocktails.

Which cocktails can I have?

The listed choices include a gin and tonic, BB Fizz, or a cocktail of your choice. The available selection may be confirmed during the visit.

Is the experience offered in English?

Yes. The experience is offered in English.

Can people under 18 join?

No. The Broken Bones Experience is not suitable for anyone under 18 years of age.

How many people can join the tour?

The activity has a maximum group size of 20 people.

Can I cancel for a full refund?

Yes, if you cancel at least 24 hours before the experience start time. Cancellations or changes made less than 24 hours before the start are not accepted for a refund.