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Roust Hungary: Affordable luxury on the spirits market

Roust was founded in 1992 by the Russian businessman Roustam Tariko and quickly developed into a leading business group in the sale of premium spirits brands. One of the world’s leading vodka producers, the company is present in more than 80 countries. Roust owns production plants and distribution centres in Hungary, Russia and Italy. The comprehensive portfolio includes the flagship vodka brands of Russian Standard, Green Mark, Parliament and Zhuravli.

Thanks to its extensive knowledge in sales and marketing and its commitment to responsible alcohol consumption, Roust Hungary has become the leading supplier on the domestic spirits market. The largest premium spirits company in Hungary also sells the Royal, Zubrówka, Russian Standard, Gancia, Grants, Jägermeister and Metaxa brands.

For years, Royal Vodka has maintained its position as the most popular and well-known vodka brand in Hungary, and also remains market leader in terms of volume and turnover. Royal Vodka is produced using natural ingredients, from the grain to the well water, which contributes to its mild taste.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Royal Original Vodka, and bronze for Royal Raspberry Liqueur.

Schwarzwaldbrennerei Markus Kalmbach: Ode to the Black Forest

This small, fine distillery is located in Baiersbronn, the largest forest municipality in Germany. The family business was founded by Fritz Kalmbach in 1963 and is now run in its third generation by Markus Kalmbach. The full-time banker runs the distillery at weekends, which has long since become a sideline. The family is now the sixth generation to live in the farmhouse built back in 1880. Tasting takes place in the tasting room in the former stables with a view of the distillery. Groups of ten or more can combine the tour with a taste of the local cuisine. In fine weather, there is a panoramic terrace from which you can enjoy the view of the Sankenbach Valley. The products are also available chilled in fresh spring water at the schnapps fountain on the edge of the village, which is open all year round. It is located in an idyllic spot under fir trees, with a bench and an inviting view of Baiersbronn.

They favour tradition with zeitgeist and class over mass production. Quality not quantity is the motto which they live by. Decades of experience with the ever-developing art of distilling infuse the diverse products made from fruit, herbs and grain. They range from Black Forest kirsch to herbal and bloodroot schnapps to gin and whisky. Aside from the malt mash from rye, wheat, spelt and emmer, the distillery’s own soft spring water and the fir wood from its own forest for the distillation process, time is perhaps the greatest ingredient in the whisky. It matures over years in the various wooden barrels in the vaulted cellar of the former farmhouse. In 2023, the grain brandy made from emmer, spelt and einkorn was awarded gold by the Association of Small Distillers and Fruit Distillers at the regional award ceremony.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Kornbrand Emmer-Dinkel-Einkorn.

Sash & Fritz – German vodka with a Russian soul

The ‘maker behind the brand’ is the well-known sommelier and wine merchant Peter Steger. During his more than 25 year-long career, he became interested in spirits and discovered his love of vodka – and so he formed the idea of creating an exclusive German vodka brand. Sash & Fritz combines Russian tradition with German precision and perfection. Only the best, carefully selected ingredients, such as 100% German wheat and clear spring water from the German Ore Mountains, are used in an elaborate production process (5 careful distillations and 5 gentle filterings) to create a manufactured vodka of the highest quality. The special, high quality flint glass bottle is particularly transparent and translucent, and was exclusively designed for the company.

The story behind the name: Sash stands for Alexander I Pavlovich Romanov, Emperor of Russia from 1801 to 1825, and Fritz for Frederick William III, King of Prussia from 1797. Theirs was a heartfelt friendship that lasted all their lives and went beyond the family relationship that existed between the Romanov and Hohenzollern families. The Russian Alexandrowka colony in Potsdam, which still exists today, dates back to the 1826 edict by King ‘Fritz’ on which it was founded in remembrance of his friend ‘Sash’ who had died a year before.

The concept bore fruit: the German vodka was awarded gold by the jury at the World Spirits Award.