Brothers Vilgalys Krupnikas, a Spiced Honey Liqueur made in Durham, NC. Photo Credit to Molly Milroy

Krupnikas! It’s a strange word to wrap your lips around at first. But once the warm, sweet, and spicy taste of this fine honey liqueur runs its course through your senses, you’ll understand why such a special drink deserves an unusual name.

In 2012, we became the first distillery to produce Krupnikas in the US. It has since become the flagship product of The Brothers Vilgalys Spirits Company and is available in 10 states and online. Also called Krupnik in Poland, Boilo in Pennsylvania, and Viryta in Baltimore, there are countless family and personal recipes still made on the stovetop.

Krupnikas was created in 1593 by Benedictine Monks in the abbey of Niaśviž. It quickly became popular among the Lithuanian and Polish nobility. At the time, the Polish-Lithuanian commonwealth was one of the largest powers in Europe, and despite the Soviet occupation of Lithuania, the drink survived as a traditional stovetop recipe.

The first time I made Krupnikas myself, I only wanted to make something special for my friends. That remains my impetus in launching Brothers Vilgalys Spirits. I’ve spent years perfecting my recipe, and now I want to share this wonderful libation with the world. My Krupnikas is made with a selection of fifteen herbs and spices, unfiltered North Carolina wildflower honey, and bottled at 40% abv with pure neutral grain spirits. It’s a perfectly balanced drink that goes down smooth without sacrificing flavor or strength.

-Rim Vilgalys, BVS Co. Founder