World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Martin Doll Vintage Distillery - Great Fruit Variety on the Wine Route

Master fruit grower, winegrower and distiller Martin Doll lives and works in a particularly beautiful part of Germany – at the Baden Wine Route. Picturesque timbered houses and bridges festooned with flowers are typical of Durbach, the winegrowing village in the charming landscape between the Rhine valley and the Black Forest. Durbach sprawls over 42 side valleys. Here in the warmest area of Germany, climatic conditions are excellent and farmers grow wine and fruit. Approximately 230 small distilleries provide a broad spectrum of fine spirits, above all, the famous Black Forest Kirsch.
The winery and distillery of the Doll family are located in the Gebirg district of Durbach, surrounded by vineyards and ridges densely covered with chestnut trees. The Doll’s distilling tradition on the estate dates back to 1802. The family’s goal is to develop the estate independent of large trade conglomerates.
They process only fruit from their own vineyards and orchard meadows. The product line comprises brandies made from berries, pomaceous and drupaceous fruits, distillates matured in wooden casks, marc made from various grape varieties, rare products such as medlar, blackthorn and Jerusalem artichoke specialities, and liqueurs and fruit wines. The local favourite is the Black Forest Kirsch. A secret favourite among schnapps connoisseurs, according to Martin Doll, is Zibärtli, a wild mirabelle plum which has been growing here for more than 500 years.
The company’s participation in the World-Spirits Award resulted in an overall ranking of 19th for the fruit brandies as a “First-Class Distillery” with a gold (medlar) and four silvers (blackcurrant, mirabelle plum, Zibärtli and red Williams pear) for the regional specialities.

Tradition Mexico – Tequila without compromises

The friends behind Padre azul, the new tequila in the premium segment, stand united on one matter: their passion for Mexico. “We appreciate high quality tequila, and with Padre azul we are bringing an exclusive product to Europe. We searched for the perfect distillery for a long time. At Tres Mujeres in Jalisco in the highlands of Mexico we found what we were looking for.” 100% Mexico – 100% handcraft – 100% agave.

These requirements and quality criteria apply to the whole production process, which is why each bottle also wears the sought-after quality seal from the Mexican authorities, “Consejo Regulador del Tequila” (CRT). There were no compromises when it came to the design of the bottles: they are made by hand and adorned with a 270g skull which represents the skull culture of Mexico.

Padre azul is available in three grades of maturity, depending on the length of storage. The Añejo usually spends eighteen months in French oak barrels to achieve a mature, full-bodied taste. The Reposado needs at least eight months in barrels for its subtle vanilla tone. The Blanco is a clear tequila which is bottled straight after distillation – it is soft and mild in taste. None of the three need salt or lemon – you can enjoy them neat. True to the motto: no compromises.

At the World Spirits Award, the trio was very successful: there was double gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul anejo, gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul reposado, and silver for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul blanco.

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.