World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Fairytale Distillery: Gin as a matter of devotion

Thomas Gottwald and his wife Manuela founded their Fairytale Distillery in Ardelve, a little village in the north-western highlands of Scotland. The centrepiece of the distillery, the Tinkerbell pot still by the coppersmith Hans-Peter Schmidt, bubbles away in the specially built witch house on an island in a little pond.

A conspiratorial meeting between Thomas and the two German botanists Martin and Stephan sparked his idea for handmade, exclusive gins. Recipes made of traditional ingredients, rounded off with local herbs and plants, result in gins with their very own personality. The soft water from the adjacent spring Allt Mor na Dornie makes them distinctive.

Thomas’s expert herb knowledge, the high-tech copper pot still and the spring water drive him to further top achievements, to new and surprising variants of his unfiltered and filtered handmade Highland gins. Experience has shown that higher alcohol has significantly improved the quality and aroma, therefore the Fairytale Distillery now also offers new Navy Strength versions of selected gins, as well as traditional and dark versions of absinthe. ‘The Green Fairy (La Fee Verte)’ is an unconventional concept within the genre and ‘The Black Fairy (La Fee Noir)’ is based on a wonderful recipe from the late 18th century.

The First Class Distillery 2023 received gold for Highland Gin No 57 Grapefruit Blueberry and Highland Gin No 57 Chocolate Orange, and silver for Highland Gin No 57 Orange Apricot, Highland Gin No 9 and Highland Gin No 10, Black Fairy.

KWV: From small cooperative to global player

KWV was founded in 1918 as a small cooperative of wine-growers, Ko-operatieve Wijnbouwers Vereniging van Zuid Afrika. The aim was to stabilise and structure the emerging wine economy in South Africa and to help the producers have a secure income: harvest sizes and minimum prices were determined, quality standards established, marketing measures pooled. Nearly all the wine-growers in the Cape quickly joined, whereby the largest winemaking cooperative in the world came into being. The many brand name products from KWV have international standing these days and are present in over 100 markets, with the focus on Scandinavia, Germany, America, Japan and South Africa.

Until the early 1990s, when the world markets opened up to South African wines, KWV played a central role in the regulation of the sector. Since that time, it has developed into a global player that exports award-winning wines and spirits from the main cellar in Paarl to places around the world. KWV enjoys a reputation for offering the highest quality, from its first brandy production in 1926 to consistently ensuring internationally renowned spirits.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for KWV 20, KWV 15, KWV 10 and Cruxland Gin, and silver for KWV 12.

Schwarze & Schlichte – Brand personalities from Westphalia

The family business Schwarze & Schlichte from Westphalia has been representing the highest quality spirits for the last 345 years with a distinct range of national specialities, regional traditional brands and successful international innovations. This top quality is based on a distilling tradition acquired over centuries which has been passed down over twelve generations. Even today, distilling and maceration still take place at the company’s own distillery where plenty of time and skill are invested. The selection and processing of the best raw materials and continuous control of the production process ensure a consistently high quality. One factor for success is the ongoing brand management in accordance with the specific requirements of the various brand personalities.

Three Sixty Vodka is one of the purest and mildest vodkas in the world. A fourfold distillation process ensures tangible softness and exceptional clarity while the purity of the vodka is all down to the time-consuming “Diamond Filtration” process: the finest filters are used, set with crystals like diamond dust, to remove even the smallest of suspended particles from the distillate. Even the packaging is unique: the facet-cut bottle of pure white shiny glass sets off this premium vodka to perfection. A black velvet label completes the sophisticated design.

The Grappa Bianca from Scavi & Ray is characterised by its full-bodied balanced flavour with powerful and intense aromas of marc. This crystal-clear brandy is soft and deliciously balanced thanks to the exquisite skill of the master distillery. The intense and fruity aroma is reminiscent of the sun-soaked vineyards in Italy.

Both products received a silver medal at the World-Spirits.

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.