World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Edward Snell – Whisky from South Africa

Edward Snell founded a trading company in Durban in 1848, from which the oldest spirit company in South Africa developed over 160 years. Following an eventful history, the company is now once again in the hands of the family. Besides their own brands they also sell numerous local and international drink brands, mostly in various markets in Africa and the Middle East.

The wide range of products includes whisky, brandy, vodka, rum, gin, tequila and cognac. One outstanding label is Firstwatch Whisky with its new look, a striking, square bottle design. Consumer demand for a whisky with an American taste profile has been perfected over time and is presented today as a balanced blend of the finest imported rye and grain. Whether pure, on the rocks or mixed – its diversity makes it popular with many different target groups and successful in one of the largest spirit segments in South Africa.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Firstwatch Whisky.

Diageo – From London to the whole world

Approximately 33,000 employees are employed worldwide at Diageo, the market leader in premium spirits, with Smirnoff (vodka), Johnnie Walker (whiskey), J&B (Scotch whiskey), Baileys (liqueur), Captain Morgan (rum), Cuervo (tequila) and Tanqueray (gin), Guinness beer and branded wines. Production takes place all around the world: from Great Britain and Ireland, Italy, Spain and Africa, to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean. The global corporation emerged in 1997 from the merger between Guinness and GrandMet. 180 markets around the world are handled from its London headquarters.

A lot of work and lots of attention to detail go into creating the in-depth product descriptions on Diageo’s website. Information and analysis is provided about issues ranging from detailed descriptions of the production down to the most minute ingredients. Finally, they are aware of the size of their company and also of their responsibilities as a supplier of alcoholic products. The name Diageo was also deliberately chosen – it represents their agenda. Put together from ‘dia’ (the Latin word for ‘day’) and ‘geo’ (the Greek word for ‘world’), it means that every day people are celebrating all over the world with products from their company. These products open up possibilities never dreamed of for special days and nights, marking special life events and even making the smaller things in life feel magical.

Participation in the World Spirits Award was magical: there was double gold for Tanqueray No. 10 (Spirit of the Year 2016), gold for Gordon’s London Dry Gin and Tanqueray London Dry Gin, as well as silver for Tanqueray Rangpur.

Arnold Dettling: The world of the cherry at its very best

In 1867, Franz-Xaver Dettling established a distillery in Brunnen on the shores of Lake Lucerne, devoted to the mountain cherries from Schwyz, and so, in 2017, the Dettling company celebrated its 150th anniversary. 25-year-old Arnold Dettling took over the business in 1909, which from then on carried his name. In 1991, they established ties with global players Underberg, also a family-owned company. In 2000, the distillery was brought up-to-date technically. The Dettling company is committed to the motto ‘only kirsch will do’. The greatest skill of distilling, as well as first-class, select raw materials, the expertly assisted fermentation pro-cess, and lots of love for detail are the foundations for the high-class distillates from Dettling.

Dettling is one of the leading kirsch producers in the world; they value their personal relationship with their cherry growers. The select fruits often come from only a few farms or even individual trees. Of the more than 800 cherry varieties, only about 40 are suitable for distilling. For one litre of kirsch, eight kilograms of cherries are needed. The mash is left to ferment in a rock cave. Afterwards, the brandies are stored in demi-johns or wooden casks. It is not just the classic cherry brandies which are in demand at Dettling – innovation is too.

The World Class Distillery 2019 OBB (Distillery of the Year 2019 – Gold) received double gold for Dettling Lau-erzer (Spirit of the Year 2019), Dettling Langstieler (Spirit of the Year & World Spirits Award 2019), gold for Dettling Wildkirsche (wild cherry), Dettling Holzfassgereift (matured in wooden casks), Dettling Vielle Kirsch, Dettling Kirschenlikör (cherry liqueur), Dettling Brandy and Réserve AOP Rigi Kirsch.

Destillerie Freihof: Perfectly crafted Austrian spirits

Originating from the Freihof inn in Lustenau, Destillerie Freihof developed into one of the leading distilleries in Austria under Gebhard Hämmerle. Currently his grandson, Johann J. Drexel, runs the family business in its fifth generation – already since 1885 they have been dedicated to producing fine fruit brandies.

The basis of their success story is the knowledge of where the best fruits grow, harvesting them at the perfect moment, and then concentrating on the processing, fermentation, distillation and storage for the best results. Work on the quality of the distillates is carried out with dedication and without any addition of flavourings and aromas to the fine brandies and schnapps.

Under the brand name Privatbrennerei Gebhard Hämmerle, selected top-quality batches of each harvest year have been processed separately for over 60 years. Further information can be found at: HYPERLINK „http://www.haemmerle.com“ www.haemmerle.com. The products of the Freihof 1885 brand bring together authentic, crafted Austrian spirits with innovative ideas and applications. Further information is available at: https://1885.freihof.com/. All spirits and liqueurs are made from purely natural raw materials and have stood out with their unadulterated taste for decades.

The First Class Distillery received gold for Hämmerle Subirer and Ivanov Pure Vodka, silver for Edelweiss Vodka, Hämmerle Enzian (gentian), Hämmerle Vogelbeere (rowanberry), Hämmerle Williams (pear) and Hämmerle Mirabelle.