World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Obstbrennerei Hügel: The secret behind the Hügel 22 brand

The family-run private distillery with owner Karlheinz Hügel and his son Christian produces fruit brandies, liqueurs, gin and whisky. This is one of the strengths of the Hügel family: “80 percent of the fruit is hand-picked from our natural orchards in the surrounding area.” The classic range is complemented by the modern Hügel 22 line – from gin to fine brandies.

The company was founded in 2013 as a hobby for the owners of the raw materials. The launch programme included 28 fruit brandies and liqueurs. From 2018 to 2020, Christian completed his training as a distiller and distillery specialist at the technical college for agriculture in Offenburg. This was followed in 2022 by the creation of the premium brand range Hügel 22, with eight exclusively filtered fruit brandies and a gin. The premiere was the presentation of Hügel 22 Whisky Exklusiv, limited to 380 bottles of 0.5 litres each. In 2023, the Hügel 22 range was expanded by ten liqueurs, and in 2025 by three single cask bottlings of whisky.

And what is behind the number 22? Christian Hügel solves the mystery for us: “That’s my lucky number. I was born on the 22nd and grew up at the address Im Dellbrunnen 22 in Hengsberg. I like to drink Scottish and Irish whisky and have also learned to appreciate German whisky. And that’s how the Pirmasens whisky creation came about, the first commercial whisky in the Southwest Palatinate. The base is barley from a wholesaler who tailors it to our own requirements. After three years, the whisky is fine-tuned when it is reduced to drinking strength with water from Pirmasens with a very low degree of hardness.”

At the World Spirits Award, there was Silver for Hügel 22 Whisky Edition 2, Hügel 22 Whisky Edition 3 and Hügel 22 Pflaume (plum in a port cask).

Ungava Spirits: Authentic products from Canada

Ungava Spirits, a leading Canadian manufacturer of high-quality products, has set up its production facilities, the distillery and offices in Cowansville, in Quebec’s beautiful Eastern Townships. As well as the internationally known Ungava Premium Dry Gin, the product range also includes maple liqueur, rum, vodka and vermouth. The spirits are produced in small batches using natural and local ingredients of the highest quality.

Ungava Gin is made from six rare Arctic botanicals from northern Quebec that are hand-harvested, dried and slowly steeped for five weeks for a natural extraction of their complex flavours and colours. Cabot Trail is inspired by Canadian tradition, combining maple and blueberry cream liqueur with maple syrup and blueberries. Quartz Vodka made from Canadian corn is purified by cryogenic treatment at extremely cold temperatures and micro-distilled five times for silky finesse and crystalline transparency. Chic Choc Black Spiced Rum is made of first-class West Indian rum, a blend of selected rums stored for three to seven years. The botanicals come 100% from Quebec – wild herbs from the Chic Choc mountain region on the Gaspésie peninsula. Baril Caché is based on the regional grains of rye, barley, corn and wheat as well as Canadian whiskies matured for at least five years.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Ungava Premium Dry Gin, Cabot Trail Maple and Blueberry Cream and Quartz Vodka, and silver for Rhum épicé CHIC CHOC Spiced Rum and Whisky Baril Caché.

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.

Clint Wilfred & Sons – Good taste for rapidly expanding markets

Clint Wilfred & Sons Ltd brings a carefully selected portfolio of drinks to the Gulf region and Southeast Asia. The young company targets fast-moving products in the HORECA – Hotel/Restaurant/Café and Hotel/Restaurant/Catering market segment. It is run by Clint Wilfred, whose family has been in the spirit production and distribution business for over four decades.

One main focus of business activities lies in the United Arab Emirates. To offer new products on this rapidly growing market is a great challenge, as the demand for premium and niche products is constantly increasing and customers’ wishes are very diverse. The range, therefore, also includes non-alcoholic and carbonated soft drinks, still and sparkling water, ready-to-drink teas, energy sport drinks and other New Age drinks. There is also a strong focus on a wide selection of packaging sizes and formats.

One special product in the spirits product category is Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky, a premium blend with a high malt content from the Scottish Speyside region and with some lowland malt for added depth and character.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky.