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World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

The ultimate guide through the world of spirits - with current ratings of the best distilleries and commercial enterprises.
Order it now on-line: for Euro 72.- per year

Destillerie

Company:
Halewood Artisanal Spirits
Address:
Great Portland Street
Place:
W1W 5PQ London
Country:
United Kingdom
Products:
  • Gin
  • Rum
  • Whiskey Irland
  • Wodka
  • Weinbrand
Halewood Artisanal Spirits: Networked global presence

The manufacturer of artisanal spirits based in Great Britain boasts a highly awarded product range and is one of the leading independent distillers in the country, with over 950 employees. The brands are still family-owned and have a global presence, sold in 75 countries. The key markets are South Africa, Russia, Canada, Australia, China and Germany. The company develops, acquires and expands high-quality spirits brands worldwide, showing great competence in distillation, sales, marketing, traditional retailing and e-commerce.

Halewood owns and manages eleven main distilleries and a craft brewery, ten bars and an e-commerce enterprise, The Drop Store, present in Great Britain, Germany, Russia, Australia, South Africa and the USA. Halewood Artisanal Spirits owns distilleries for whisky, gin, vodka and rum, as well as a brewery. Customers include high-end luxury hotels, drinks wholesalers, supermarkets and food retailers. A wide international sales team is present on the markets, also external from the company.

The First Class Distillery 2022 received gold for Dead Man’s Fingers Spiced Rum 37.5%, Dead Man’s Fingers Black Rum 40%, JJ Whitley Vodka Artisanal Vodka, JJ Whitley Vodka Artisanal Gold Vodka and Whitley Neill Connoisseur’s Cut Gin. Silver was awarded to Whitley Neill London Dry Gin, Whitley Neill Blood Orange Gin, Whitley Neill Raspberry Gin, Whitley Neill Rhubarb & Ginger, JJ Whitley Vodka Blue Raspberry, Crabbie’s Yardhead Single Malt Whisky, Samuel Gelston’s Blended Irish Whiskey, Samuel Gelston’s Single Malt Irish Whiskey and Samuel Gelston’s Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 93Dead Man's Fingers Black Rum 40%2022Details
Gold 92Dead Man's Fingers Spiced Rum 37,5%2022Details
Silver 89Samuel Gelston's Single Malt Irish Whiskey2022Details
Silver 88Samuel Gelston's Blended Irish Whiskey2022Details
Silver 86Crabbie's Yardhead Single Malt Whisky2022Details
Silver 86Samuel Gelston's Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey2022Details

Destillerie

Company:
Glen Forest Limited
Place:
ML3 6EP Hamilton, Scotland
Country:
United Kingdom
Products:
  • Whisky Schottland
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 93.3Glen Forest2022Details

Handel

Company:
Edward Snell & Co Ltd (PTY)
Address:
13 Wallflower street, Paarden Eiland
Place:
7420 Cape Town
Country:
South Africa
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
Edward Snell – Whisky from South Africa

Edward Snell founded a trading company in Durban in 1848, from which the oldest spirit company in South Africa developed over 160 years. Following an eventful history, the company is now once again in the hands of the family. Besides their own brands they also sell numerous local and international drink brands, mostly in various markets in Africa and the Middle East.

The wide range of products includes whisky, brandy, vodka, rum, gin, tequila and cognac. One outstanding label is Firstwatch Whisky with its new look, a striking, square bottle design. Consumer demand for a whisky with an American taste profile has been perfected over time and is presented today as a balanced blend of the finest imported rye and grain. Whether pure, on the rocks or mixed – its diversity makes it popular with many different target groups and successful in one of the largest spirit segments in South Africa.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Firstwatch Whisky.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 92Firstwatch2018Details

Handel

Company:
Franz von Durst
Address:
Schedlerstraße 1
Place:
6900 Bregenz
Country:
Austria
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
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.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 91Franz von Durst - Gin2021Details
Silver 89Franz von Durst - Dry Gin Wild2021Details

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