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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.

BBerryshka: Juniper specialities from Slovenia

In the 1950s, the Novo Mesto forestry enterprise started to produce essential oils from fir trees. At the start of the 1990s, the Kenda family took over the old distillery and specialised in the manufacturing of essential oils from juniper berries. The renovation of the distillery allowed the widening of the product range. Logical conclusion: when a lot of juniper berries are available, other products can also be realised, especially juniper brandy and gin. With a selector that works with high-speed cameras and compressed air, the berries are selected according to their colour and shape, the cleaner removes impurities such as needles, twigs, insects, dust, etc. and sorts the berries according to size. Then, a mill breaks them down into a fine grain, and in the dryer the humidity level is set for various purposes.

The London Dry Gin was one of the first of its kind in Slovenia and the juniper brandy that is made only from fermented berries matures for three years in oak barrels. Today all the products have organic certification, which additionally ensures the quality of the raw ingredients. Apart from juniper spirits, the product range comprises fruit liqueurs and soon also the first Slovenian whisky. In addition, handmade chocolates are produced, as the family enterprise owns a chocolaterie. It is on account of this that many visitors come to the little town of Obrh to get to know the variety of products.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Berryshka Purfl Blue Gin and Berryshka Bio Brinjevec, and silver to Berryshka London Dry Gin, Berryshka Gin'N Berry and Berryshka Staran Brinjevec.

Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits – Sporty on many waters

What began in 1996 as a small group of hobby brewers, who simply wanted to make good beer, developed over the years into a successful team under the name of Ballast Point. In 2008, distillation was added, and these days the company with its headquarters in San Diego is an internationally recognised market leader on the brewery and distillation scene, with a product range including more than 40 types of beer and seven spirits. In November 2013, Ballast Point was given the title of ‘California Distillery of the Year’ at the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC), and Head Distiller Yuseff Cherney is rightly proud of the award, with so much competition around.

Co-founder Jack White adds: “For us, distillation is a natural expansion of brewing. We started with it for the same reason: we wanted to produce what we like drinking. With our spirits, we try to bring our own style into the century-old handicraft of distillation. And it is great that the public like it.” The bottles are also original, with motifs from the world of seafaring and fishing. These refer to the company founders’ second favourite pastime, congenially interpreted by artist Paul Elder, who transforms each idea into wonderful labels. The logo, a sextant, has a reason behind it: the historical navigation instrument was used to compare the angle of the stars to the horizon, to find out the nautical position of the boat. For the company, the sextant is a constant reminder to proceed with the journey, with new ideas and new flavours.

When they are not brewing or distilling, the Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits bosses are sure to be fishing. At other times, two professional sport angling teams train all year and take part in competitions. Talking of competitions: at the World Spirits Award, Ballast Point Spirits landed a good catch: Three Sheets Rum, Devil’s Share Moonshine and Devil’s Share Single Malt Whiskey took gold. Fugu Vodka, Old Grove Gin, Three Sheets Barrel Aged Rum and Devil’s Share Bourbon hooked silver.