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Pemberton Distillery - Power of potatoes

The fertile Pemberton Valley, an impressive area of natural beauty in British Columbia, is renowned for its potatoes. In the summer of 2002, the brothers Tyler and Jonathan Schramm were talking about what else could be made from these simple yet excellent raw materials at their small family farm, apart from seed and eating potatoes. And so they came across the ideal basis for vodka making: organic potatoes and glacier water from the region.

Tyler Schramm gained the technological expertise he needed during his studies at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He wrote his dissertation on vodka production and developed the original recipe for the "Schramm Vodka". Back in Canada, he went on to set up a distillery which the three brothers Tyler, Jonathan and Jake ran themselves during winter 2008 along with an energy-saving heating and cooling facility.

In spring 2009, the first attempts at distilling began. They used five types of potato which were processed unpeeled so as to retain the aromas - unlike the industrially produced "neutral-tasting" vodka. In July 2009, the first batch of vodka was produced and supplied in elegant bottles. It is the only certified organic vodka in the world made from potatoes and has been selected as the "Olympic Spirit" for the Winter Games of 2010 in Vancouver and Whistler. Of course, there are also plenty of plans for the future: in summer 2010, a single malt will be developed from organic cereal grains - using a careful hands-on process of course. This will then be stored in oak casks for five to ten years before being bottled.

The vodka certainly hit the mark at the World-Spirits Award: all the hard work paid off - the product was praised for being an "example we can all learn from" by the jury and was awarded two golds.

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.