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Denis Duhme and Christian Leopolder: 3137 Vertical Limit London Dry Premium Gin

Two friends have fulfilled an unusual dream. Christian Leopolder has a small distillery in Kuchl near Salzburg. Denis Duhme trains sommeliers and sommelières in retail and gastronomy. The idea for an ‘extreme’ gin was born during a joint mountain hike, the basis of which is more than 30 self-collected botanicals from the mountains in Austria and South Tyrol up to 3,137 metres above sea level – hence the name. And because the Northern Alps are naturally different from the Southern Alps, two different gins were created. Distillation takes place in a small copper still in several stages. The result is a purist London Dry Gin with highly complex aromas and enormous length on the palate – handpicked & handcrafted – small batch distilled.

Nordalpen (Northern Alps) Gin has a spicy, herbal character. In addition to wild thyme, basil, rosemary, bay leaf and black pepper, masterwort and mountain pine are also present. Rowanberry, larch blossom and Swiss stone pine round off the interplay of aromas. Südalpen (Southern Alps) Gin has a Mediterranean-mountainous character and brings this sun-drenched region (with over 300 days of sunshine) to life. Amalfi lemon, white elderberry and mountain peach from South Tyrol form the basis. Liquorice, lavender and orange peel as well as sage, chestnut and acacia blossom, combined with pink pepper and olive, complete the complex aroma.

At the World Spirits Award, Gold was awarded to both 3137 Vertical Limit London Dry Premium Südalpen Gin and 3137 Vertical Limit London Dry Premium Nordalpen Gin.

Heidebrennerei Bosselmann: Chemist and botanist, hunter and gatherer

The Heidebrennerei Distillery lies amidst the Luneburg Heath at the gateway to Hamburg. All their botanicals grow in the immediate vicinity in the largest heather biosphere reserve amidst moors and the 4,000-year-old burial mounds that characterise this rough landscape. The basis of their range is always formed by a strong hint of juniper, rounded off with a fruity body of sloe, wild blackberries and cranberries. The fresh citrus flavour of the Heidegin (heath gin) is provided by lemon balm, lemon verbena and fresh Douglas fir. Further botanicals include juniper branches and heather.

Gerhard Bosselmann and two herb ladies – the heart of the distillery – gather many ingredients themselves. Nearly all the botanicals are ground by hand to best release the essential oils. The mash is processed in stages over 72 hours and the distilling process ends at 40% to ensure an optimal taste. The gin is always unfiltered. Barrel Aged Gin is a speciality for which previously used oak and chestnut barrels are utilised.

The softest water from sources under filtering moors and sand dunes is guided over rose quartz and semi-precious stones after an ion exchange to relax it. “The distillery is a 120-litre facility, we produce the smallest batches in a London Dry Gin procedure in Germany’s purportedly smallest private gin distillery – under the motto of slow distillation at a low temperature. I am determined not to focus on quantity and profit. Only in this way can the fragile aromas release slowly, without partially dissolving the wood-body of rose hip, sloe and currant pips. Each bottle is a little work of art that is filled, sealed and labelled by hand”, as Mr. Bosselmann says.

At the World Spirits Award, there was Double Gold for Sailors Gin – Spirit of the Year & World Spirits Award 2026, and Gold for Heidegin and Csardas.

Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.