World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Shaken and Stirred: Tradition meets innovation

To mark the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Turkey, the Cologne-based start-up Devrim 1923 launched a limited edition of its raki – with only 1923 bottles worldwide. The proud history and special taste of Anatolia is in every one of them. Founded by Bedrana and Selman Mani, the company combines Turkish tradition with high-quality spirits. The idea arose from the siblings’ passion for fine food and culture. After their first steps in the restaurant business – a café and a bar in Cologne – they started their own raki. The recipe was developed together with the Wanderer distillery under the direction of Benedikt Brauers, and refined over the next two years. The balanced blend of classic aromas and innovative nuances sets new standards for raki. In addition to grapes and aniseed, other ingredients from the Orient were used in the distillation process, such as figs, apricots, mandarins, roses, blueberries, cherries, pistachios and pomegranates. In accordance with tradition, it has been distilled ten times.

The hand-numbered bottle is a collector’s item for lovers of Turkish culture as well as a symbol of quality and innovation in the raki segment. The elegant Lyra raw bottle from the Austrian company Cristallo has won a German Design Award. A second limited edition was released in January 2025. This further exclusive variant sets new accents. By combining traditional values with modern influences, Devrim 1923 aims to contribute to the diversity of the spirits landscape and present the culture of raki in a new light.

Devrim 1923 Raki won Silver at the World Spirits Award 2025.

Black Forest Distillers - Bavarian headdress, turbans and bowler hats

An adventurous past lies behind the "Monkey 47" gin: Montgomery Collins was born in 1909 in Madras and came to Berlin in 1945 as a Commander of the Royal Air Force where he became involved with re-developing the zoo and began sponsoring a monkey there named Max. During the 1950s, he opened a country guesthouse by the name of "Zum wilden Affen" (At the wild monkey's) where he began producing gin according to the British tradition.

The unusual recipe was discovered during renovation works and brought back to life by Alexander Stein from the Jacobi brandy dynasty and Master Distiller Christoph Keller. They describe the 47 ingredients as "Black Forest DNA". In addition to juniper berries, they include "spices" (coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon), "floral fragrances" (acacia, honeysuckle, bergamot and lavender blossom), "tangy flavours" (pomelo, lemongrass, lemon balm, etc.) and "Black Forest flavours" (spruce shoots, mallow, blackthorn, elderflower, dog rose and blackberry leaves). Cranberries add the final touch.

These "botanicals" are mixed with extra soft water from the company's own spring and alcohol and are partly macerated. This is followed by the distillation and steam extraction process using fresh plant material. The distillate is stored for a few months in traditional stoneware vessels and after the maturation period, spring water is added until the mixture reaches a strength of 47% vol.

The complex flavours are ideal for classics like Martini with tonic added to taste, as well as cocktails. The top quality of the products was confirmed by a gold medal at the World-Spirits Award.

Ehrenwert GmbH: One recipe – two families

One recipe – two families. Each family has its own carefully guarded secret recipe, and with the Lücke family this remained in the hands of grandfather Heinz and later his son Dieter for many decades. Long enough, thought sons Thomas and Christian. In any case, it is the ‘Felsenfeuer’ herb liqueur that once made the Lücke Distillery one of the most important in Münsterland. After the war they continued the success story which first began in the 18th century, with this herb liqueur, using the recipe that Heinz Lücke worked out. In the 1950s everyone was talking about it, but in the 1960s the era of the distillery and the herb liqueur ended. But not for good – 60 years later it celebrated its resurrection with the ‘Freudenfeuer’.

Whilst searching for a distillery, Thomas and Christian kept to family tradition, as their grandmother was a Sasse, and the Sasses’ fine distillery in Schöppingen is still well known today. Following a traditional recipe from 1947 the new liqueur is distilled in small batches and is bottled by hand after a ten-day rest period. Ready to enjoy: neat and ice cold like in the time of our grandfathers, or smoother, on ice with lightly pressed orange zest, or as a basis for a long drink with tonic water or ginger ale. To old times and new friends!

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Freudenfeuer.