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Mosgaard Whisky: Danish whisky in Scottish tradition

Near the southeast coast of the island of Fünen, Gitte and Jes Mosgaard have converted an old farm into a craft distillery. It is their mission to combine taste, design and high-quality organic products from Denmark with a new interpretation of Scottish tradition. And so, an old variety of barley is grown in a national park on the west coast and malted on the farm to ensure the right fruitiness and sweet, malty flavour. The distillation plant was handmade in Portugal according to their own designs. “Thousands of hammer blows have formed raw copper plates to achieve the products’ specific flavour profile – as clean as nature.”

For the fermentation process, the usual double fermentation period is observed to avoid unstable yeast and undesirable aromas. The climate is very important during the maturation period, whereby the nearby coast and clean air have an influence. The wooden barrels are manufactured according to the desired flavour profile. The oak comes from sherry barrels or from large port wine and bourbon barrels. The whiskies are available in two varieties: as a fruity single malt with a clean malt flavour and as a peated version, whereby the barley malt is dried over peat smoke.

In 2018, Mosgaard was named the best Danish distillery and, in 2019, the best Danish whisky distillery. The outlook for exports is good, as organic Danish foodstuffs are highly attractive on international markets.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Single Malt Whisky Peated Bourbon Cask, and silver for Single Malt Whisky Oloroso Cask and Single Malt Whisky Pedro Ximenez Cask.

Klippenziege: New era in the world of gin

In December 2015, four friends captured the ‘spirit’ of an idea: they were thinking about gin. Nearly a year later a small batch was bottled by hand. The individuality of a gin lies in the combination of the botanicals, in this case it is the exotic selection: mate tea, goji berries, physalis and a hint of rose. The Klippenziege is a New Western Dry Gin, in which juniper plays the main role amongst the other botanicals.

It is produced in the Habbel Distillery, which guarantees excellent quality thanks to its experience – it was established in 1878 and is now in the family’s fourth generation. The former Korn distillery in Sprockhövel with adjoining farmland is now the largest fruit distillery in the Ruhr region, as a traditional manufacturer it stands out with its attention to detail. The entire manufacturing process at Klippenziege can also be observed on-site.

The bottle and the label are also special. Designer Levent Aydin drew it carefully by hand, and then digitalised it before perfecting it. First it is printed, then coated, then stamped and embossed. The elegant result stands for friendship, solidarity and love. Working together in a friendly and familiar atmosphere connects people with a passion for life who share one important belief: that the product should encourage people to slow down, allowing for mindful enjoyment.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Mate Dry Gin.

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.