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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.

Ditta Bortolo Nardini – Passion for an Italian icon

The oldest distillery in Italy was founded in Bassano del Grappa in 1779 and is now being run in the seventh generation of the Nardini family: Angelo, Antonio, Cristina and Leonardo. They continue the family tradition and are dedicated to an Italian icon – grappa. Distillation takes place at two locations, Bassano and Monastier, whereby in Bassano there is also steel tank storage for white grappa products and a cellar with over 500 barrels made from Slavonian oak for the maturation of the Grappa Riserva. A team of experts in an in-house laboratory oversees the entire work process, thus guaranteeing the highest quality standards.

For grappa production, grape marc from mainly local, typical grape varieties is selected. Quality control begins with the harvest and, 24 hours at the latest after pressing, the marc is delivered to the distillery. Here it is stored in air-tight containers to guarantee the high quality of the distillate. Despite the size of the company, there is a strong focus on traditional distilling methods, with the goal of constant improvement. Speaking of tradition: the distillery is a member of ‘Les Henokiens’, an exclusive, international club of about 50 family businesses, which are at least 200 years old.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Acqua di Cedro, Selezione Bortolo Nardini 7 y.o., and silver for Mandorla, Selezione Bortolo Nardini 15 y.o. and Amaro.

1310 – The Spirits of the Country: Austrian vodka from organic wheat

Since 1310, when the Bauernhuber estate was first mentioned in documents, the farm has been family-owned. The young owners of the quad farm, Janine and Philipp Landerl, build on the over 700 year old history and re-interpret it: with the traditional knowledge from many generations and great responsibility towards the region and its people. “It was our dream to produce something pure and authentic. A return to manual processing of raw materials, refinement at the highest level, and with the minimum possible deviation from traditional distillation methods.” The result: sustainable, low volume production of vodka from organically certified, GMO-free ingredients – organic wheat and spring water.

Carefully selected wheat (the original basic product of vodka production) from controlled organic farming methods has very pure starch. The wheat is coarsely ground and made into a mash, which is then distilled several times in copper and steel columns. Only the core is used for 1310 Vodka, followed by a strictly defined, very slow filtration process in which disruptive flavours are removed from the distillate until it is “ultra clear and silky smooth”. The alcohol is reduced to drinking strength by adding soft, especially mild water which springs from ancient rock. The vodka is best enjoyed at 18 degrees Celsius, and served in a white wine glass that has been cooled briefly with ice cubes.

The young, dynamic entrepreneurial couple see themselves as firmly rooted in the region, yet free in spirit, which is reflected in the product design as well as the market presence. “Spirit” can be understood as “soul” as well as “alcohol”, “country” stands for “rural environment” as well as “home”. In this context, each glass conveys the spirit of the land and the soul of home. In addition, the products are very personal, they are a part of their producers’ life: each vodka tells a story, such as the rose vodka which conjures up memories of their wedding on a secluded island in the Pacific. “We may have taken a new path, but we have been preparing for it – even if just subconsciously – for ages.”

At the World Spirits Award, the quality of the 1310 Vodka Pure was rewarded with gold.