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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.

Stock Polska – Prestige products with history

Polmos Lublin (known today as Stock Polska) was founded by the industrialist Emil Plage in Lublin in 1906 and was able to survive both world wars and the communist state leadership. The company was nationalised in 1948 and re-privatised in 2001. It traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange until 2005 and was sold in 2006. The new owners, Oaktree Capital Management, purchased the spirits division from Eckes Stock in 2007 and thereby laid the foundations for the current Stock Spirits Group. The company has its headquarters in Luxembourg, its service centre in Great Britain and its production sites in the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland.

Stock dates back to the year 1884 when Lionello Stock founded a beverages business in Trieste. He purchased a distillery in 1920 in what is currently part of the Czech Republic with the aim of tapping into new markets. This was followed by distilleries, bottling plants and warehouses in Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia. In the 1920s, Stock was one of the biggest companies of its kind in Europe.

After an absence of 70 years, Stock returned to Poland and began to manufacture at the historic site of Lublin, 150 kilometres south-east of Warsaw. Intensive investment led to the creation of the most modern distillery in Poland and a leadership position on the vodka market. Poland’s most popular flavoured vodka is produced here: Zoladkowa Gorzka.

Lots of Stock products are produced by traditional recipes. These classical brands appeal to connoisseurs all over the world. In return, work is constantly being done on innovations that correspond to modern tastes and new drinking cultures. Quality standards are constantly upheld in both areas, of course.

The quality of the products was recognised at the World Spirits Award with a gold medal for the Orkisz Spelt Vodka.

Kreuzritter - Elixirum Digestivum, created by masters

The beneficial effects of herbs have been known for thousands of years - from Chinese and Indian herbal medicine which focused on the digestive system to Arabic medicine and the medicines of the Middle Ages. A modern interpretation of this long-established knowledge, based on medical expertise and nutritional physiology, is offered by a physician, a nutritionist and a spirits expert from the town of Mühlen in Lower Saxony, famous for its horse-riding.

These experts set themselves the task of creating high-quality herb liqueurs and aquavits for demanding consumers using top-quality raw materials from specialist producers and based on elaborate and unusual recipes. The specialists from Lower Saxony base their concoctions of herbs, spices, aromas and essence compositions on natural ingredients.

The key to the "Kreuzritter" digestion elixir is eleven secret herbs, the effects of which were noted centuries ago in the herbal medicines of the Far East. It also contains 47 additional extracts ranging from aloe to white turmeric, renowned for their positive effects in terms of both stimulating digestion and soothing the stomach. The "Dreiling" is a typical aquavit with hints of caraway, anis, geum and the aroma of dill. It also contains a complex mix of herbs including coriander, ginger, lemongrass, fennel, orris root, camomile and mace. Its mild flavour is the result of using high-quality brandies made from wheat, rye and spelt which are stored in oak casks for over eight years. The "Herzdame" (queen of hearts) completes this trio of specialities - a fresh and fruity liqueur.

The Kreuzritter and Dreiling performed well at the World-Spirits Award, securing a silver for Lower Saxony.

Brennerei Vallendar: The highest distilling standard for over 30 years

Manufacturing theory is put into practice here. No product gets into a bottle without the involvement of Hubertus Vallendar. He is devoted to what he distils – his creations are more than spiritualised nature, they are spiritual naturalness. He is a perfectionist when it comes to distillery. His distilling method is his own highly modern concept. Hubertus Vallendar stands for innovation and excellent products. He devises new recipes with imagination and dedication. This is a task that poses new challenges for each natural product.

The careful selection of raw materials focuses particularly on the local region. The red Saturn peach grows right on their doorstep in the idyllic Moselle valley, as well as Riesling grapes for the best pomace and yeast brandies. In addition, fine fruits are purchased from the best growers in Europe, and exotic products are imported from around the world: tea and coffee, juniper and mango, ginger and bananas. They value sustainability and personal contact with producers. The variety is the broad basis for a remarkable palette of fine brandies, spirits, gourmet sprays, liqueurs, gins and whiskies, which are regularly the focal point of exclusive degustations.

Summary of the World Spirits Award: World Class Distillery 2026 OBB, World Class Distillery 2026 OBS, Master Class Distillery 2026 BILI and World Spirits Award 2026 for 2 x World Class, 1 x Master Class and Lifetime Achievement. There was Double Gold for Orangengeist (orange), Kakaogeist (cocoa), Riesling Hefebrand (yeast brandy, cold-fermented) and Waldhimbeerbrand (wild raspberry), Gold for Haselnuss Piemont (hazelnut), Zitronenmyrte Geist (lemon myrtle), Marc de Moselle (Riesling pomace brandy), Kirschbrand Barrique (cherry), TONI Boonekamp bitters, Zitronengeist (lemon) and Berto’s ROSSO bitter liqueur, and Silver for Anisgeist (aniseed, 100% star anise), Bananenbrand (banana), Sauerkirschlikör (sour cherry) and Amaro Waldkräuter herb liqueur.