World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

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.

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.

Destilaria Levira: Unmistakable gin from Portugal

The Portuguese company is nearly 100 years old. In 1923, the production of grape marc began. Thanks to decades of experience, in 2014 the decision was made to create a first-class and unique taste experience. The result is a London Dry Gin with the memorable name Adamus, derived from the Greek word Adamas (‘invincible’). In 2015, for the first time a limited series of 4,448 bottles was manufactured; since then, every year only a limited number of bottles are produced. The bottles are designed so that they are on a par with the gin: as if they were diamonds. And the cork underlines the naturalness of this drink.

For Adamus’ special character, 86 different botanicals were tested and distilled using different proce-dures. From these, the 18 best were selected with an interesting peculiarity: it is the only gin with the Baga grape from the Bairrada region. Besides juniper, also hibiscus, orange, lemon, cinnamon, gin-ger, cardamom, mint, sage, lavender, rose petals and lemongrass are distilled separately in tradition-al copper vats in a steam infusion method and then mixed in the perfect proportions. With the Ada-mus Dry Gin the Destilaria Levira has produced an excellent gin which has made its way into the most exclusive bars and restaurants of the world – a strong drink for special moments.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Adamus Dry Gin.