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Vesterhavsmost: Danish specialities made of apple cider

The TONOW Distillery is part of the family-run Vesterhavsmost & Laubjergs Planteskole in western Denmark, near the North Sea. This is where the family started with the cultivation of various berries and apples at the beginning of the 1980s, later they added plums, elderflower and walnuts. The distillery was first registered as a wine producer to be able to work with the raw material. All the fruits are processed into juices and spirits, from the fruit to the finished bottle, all at the same site.

Vesterhavsmost is much more than an apple plantation for juice production. The company focuses on monovarietal juices, from classics to new, intensive varieties, to preserve the characteristic taste and to emphasise the typical aromas. The apples are picked by hand and processed within two days. The dried pressed residue is used for bread, muesli and so on. Their own orchard allows full control of perfect quality. The marine climate ensures a long ripening time and plenty of natural acidity. The centrepiece of the production is a product range comprising Eau de Vie, barrel-matured brandies and liqueurs. TONOW® Eau de Vie is the result of distilling apple cider. They work with a Müller Aroma® distiller, which is perfectly suited to extracting the aroma profile. The raw spirit with 83 volume percent matures in steel tanks and is later reduced to 42 volume percent – with water from their own site with protected groundwater.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for TONOW® Eau de Vie Cox Holstein and Apple Liqueur (Pommeau).

Casa Real – Singani: Bolivia’s ‘national schnapps’ in top quality

In 1981 Don Luis Granier Ballivian founded „Sociedad Agroindustrial del Valle“. His family has over three generations of experience in wine-growing and in the production of Singani, a high-proof brandy made from the Moscatel de Alejandria grape with controlled indication of origin. It is mainly produced in the traditional wine-growing region of Tarija, and the production process is similar to that of the Peruvian and Chilean pisco.

The company has grown over the years. The wine-growing area in the region of Santa Ana del Valle Central de Tarija covers 204 hectares, the winery has a storage capacity of nearly 5 million litres. Every year, 40,000 bottles of wine and 800,000 bottles of Singani are produced. Once the grapes have been pressed, the must is left to ferment without the mash for 5 to 21 days in steel tanks. Following distillation in Alambic, Andes spring water is used to dilute it to drinking strength. In contrast to brandy, Singani matures for some months in stainless steel tanks instead of oak barrels.

The distinct aroma reflects the fruity sweetness of the muscat grapes, which is why Singani is an ingredient in many traditional, Bolivian cocktails as well as a popular refinement for some dishes. Small amounts in compotes, fruit sauces or cakes create a subtle flavour. The Casa Real product line was quickly established as a premium brand in Bolivia and includes many types of Singani. The flagships are „Don Lucho Aniversario“, triple destilled from a selection of the best grapes from their own vineyards and „Don Lucho de Oro“, blend from a triple & quadruple destilled with passage through French oak barrels of first use.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Gran Singani, and silver for Don Lucho Gold Collection Singani Ultra Premium.