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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.

LA SU Gin: Exotic holiday feeling in a glass

Alexander Kayser and Christopher Schuh are true gin lovers and founders of the brand LA SU Gin – a registered brand of Expo Outline Messebau und Event GmbH in Altenstadt, with Alexander Kayser as the managing partner.

After exploring many trains of thought, it was clear to both of them that it had to be exotic. LA SU Gin is a premium handcrafted gin with a hint of fruity mango. Distilled in small batches, traditionally and without additives, it is made in one of the oldest distilleries in Europe. The mango gives it a special freshness and balances the tart notes of the spices perfectly. Next to the mango, LA SU evokes a sense of travel. Enjoy a holiday feeling and discover new taste sensations. The elaborate bottle design reflects a love of detail and certainly leaves an impression.

At the World Spirits Award, bronze was achieved by LA SU *MGO* Natural Mango.

Sláinte Irish Whiskey: Brand with a charity background

The founders of Sláinte Irish Whiskey include Liev Schreiber, an American actor and director, as well as ambassador and shareholder of Sláinte™ Irish Whiskey. In September 2022, he introduced a new premium Irish whiskey brand, with which money is collected for Blue Check. This is a collective that Schreiber co-founded which consists of experts for humanitarian crisis responses, entrepreneurs and filmmakers concerned with the needs of people affected by conflicts and who document solidarity movements against oppression.

The result is a whiskey in cooperation with the industry expert Richard Davies. The involvement of Liev Schreiber is an opportunity for the brand to establish itself quickly as a premium Irish whiskey. “This brand started promisingly with an act of charity. The barrel with old single malt donated to Richard was completely unexpected and hopefully the start of something we will do for many years.”

The unique, mild Sláinte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend (slightly sweetish grain and dry single malt) was developed by the renowned master distiller Brian Watts and distilled three times on the Green Island in County Louth, matured in American bourbon oak barrels and finished in sherry barrels.

The name Sláinte® (pronounced SLAHN-CHA) is also a wonderful Gaelic expression, used as a toast – and means nothing other than cheers!

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Sláinte Irish Whiskey Smooth Blend.

Kasinger Fruit Plantation – The best from the farm

Everyone knows that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’. The Kasinger family’s greatest wish is to grow and sell fresh fruit as naturally as possible. A wide range of their fruit is used in various ways: from fresh fruit to juice to jam and schnapps and liqueurs. The farm in Burgkirchen, Fuchshofen 4 – with the farm name ‘Fuchshofer’ – has been in existence since 1532. These days, the second generation of the family runs an agricultural enterprise with an emphasis on fruit cultivation and the farm shop. Since 2011, their new passion has been refining quality fruits into distillates.

In the new distillery, it is mostly traditional, classic fine brandies which are created, but they also produce soaked fruit schnapps and liqueurs using their own raw materials. The great advantage is that the fruit is ripe and can be processed ‘still warm from the sun’, because it is grown directly on the doorstep. The wide variety of fruits includes apples (20 varieties), damsons (8 varieties) and pears (6 varieties) – dried as ‘Kletzenbirnen’, a regional speciality. There are also apricots, nectarines and peaches, cherries and sour cherries, grapes, rowanberries, redcurrants, chokeberries and nuts. Their work of all year is then refined by distilling.

The First Class Distillery 2019 received gold for Cherry Brandy, and silver for Rowanberry Brandy, Apricot Brandy, Williams Pear Brandy, Apple "g'mischter Satz" and Raspberry Brandy.