[apavlinovic]

I am a Croat and no, we dont describe them as Vodka, nor are we aware that people call them Vodka.

The beverage you linked is not rakija, and it’s not even similar.

Rakija is made from grapes, Vodka from potatoes. We don’t have enough potatoes to throw away

[Tade0]

Specifically in Polish "wódka" (vodka) historically could describe any alcohol-based fluid, be it drinks, perfume or topical medication, so I guess it's this broader term that's used here.

[dredmorbius]

Etymologically, "vodka" (and its various, mostly Slavic, cognates) means "little water".

Similarly, whiskey means "water of life". Alchemists had aqua vitae, in Latin, with the same meaning, and the French eau-de-vie.

<https://www.etymonline.com/word/vodka>

<https://www.etymonline.com/word/whiskey>

[biztos]

I thought Loza was made from grapes, whereas Rakija is made from plums, peaches, apples, etc, being the Ex-Yugoland analog to Pálinka in Hungary.

Is it different just in Croatia, or am I otherwise misinformed?

[SomeoneFromCA]

Interestingly but central Asia it is called Arak. Same root.

[wheels]

It's somewhat confusing since there are a lot of things based on the Arabic / Persian word arak (arak, raki, rakı, rakija, etc.) but they're not all that closely related drinks.

"Rakija" would usually be translated as "fruit brandy" (but also overlaps with grappa, and then there are Croatian varieties which throw a lot of herbs and flowers in there) whereas arak, rakı and friends are most in the category of pasties, ouzo and sambuca in their flavoring. Confusingly, the Cretan raki is grappa.

The other confusing thing is that most of these words (schnapps, vodka, arak, rakija) are generic words for distillates, not indicative of a style. Vodka can be made of almost anything, but in contrast to other styles, its heavy filtering and purification (basically leaving not much but ethanol and water) is what makes it "vodka", and where I'm skeptical that the Moldovan booze meets that description.