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Black Forest Distillers - Bavarian headdress, turbans and bowler hats

An adventurous past lies behind the "Monkey 47" gin: Montgomery Collins was born in 1909 in Madras and came to Berlin in 1945 as a Commander of the Royal Air Force where he became involved with re-developing the zoo and began sponsoring a monkey there named Max. During the 1950s, he opened a country guesthouse by the name of "Zum wilden Affen" (At the wild monkey's) where he began producing gin according to the British tradition.

The unusual recipe was discovered during renovation works and brought back to life by Alexander Stein from the Jacobi brandy dynasty and Master Distiller Christoph Keller. They describe the 47 ingredients as "Black Forest DNA". In addition to juniper berries, they include "spices" (coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon), "floral fragrances" (acacia, honeysuckle, bergamot and lavender blossom), "tangy flavours" (pomelo, lemongrass, lemon balm, etc.) and "Black Forest flavours" (spruce shoots, mallow, blackthorn, elderflower, dog rose and blackberry leaves). Cranberries add the final touch.

These "botanicals" are mixed with extra soft water from the company's own spring and alcohol and are partly macerated. This is followed by the distillation and steam extraction process using fresh plant material. The distillate is stored for a few months in traditional stoneware vessels and after the maturation period, spring water is added until the mixture reaches a strength of 47% vol.

The complex flavours are ideal for classics like Martini with tonic added to taste, as well as cocktails. The top quality of the products was confirmed by a gold medal at the World-Spirits Award.

Jim Beam Distillery – Bourbon straight on

Knob Creek is named after a rivulet in Kentucky, the home of President Abraham Lincoln. His steadfast attitude seems to serve as an example for this straightforward bourbon. The square ‘chemist’s bottle’ suits these traditional values perfectly, as does the striking label which is reminiscent of the old tradition of wrapping bottles in newspaper. To this day, a mixture of experience and craftsmanship is the recipe for success for the bourbon from Knob Creek.

The bourbon was at the peak of its success in 1919, when the nationwide prohibition of the sale, manufacture and transport of alcohol began – lasting until 1933. Following this, a new start was impossible for many distilleries; others couldn’t finance the customary long maturing process of the bourbon. This situation motivated Booker Noe to revive the traditional bourbon style from the time before the prohibition: rich in aroma, with discreet sweetness due to year-long maturation in strongly ‘toasted’ wooden barrels from American white oak. In 1950, he joined the family business – his mother was the daughter of Jim Beam, which meant bourbon was already in his blood – and completed his training as Master Distiller. With the small series of premium bourbon he launched, the term ‘batch’ (small) was established and revolutionised the industry. His son, Fred Noe, continues with this clear strategy: “I learnt the business from scratch, listened to my father and learnt on the job. I know what it means to make perfect bourbon. Each bottle is a reflection of my family.” Since 1992, the Knob Creek brand has represented these values with the perfect combination of tradition and top quality.

A golden trio was successful at the World Spirits Award: Knob Creek Rye Whiskey Small Batch, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon and Knob Creek Straight Bourbon.

Kweichow Moutai: China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.