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Clint Wilfred & Sons – Good taste for rapidly expanding markets

Clint Wilfred & Sons Ltd brings a carefully selected portfolio of drinks to the Gulf region and Southeast Asia. The young company targets fast-moving products in the HORECA – Hotel/Restaurant/Café and Hotel/Restaurant/Catering market segment. It is run by Clint Wilfred, whose family has been in the spirit production and distribution business for over four decades.

One main focus of business activities lies in the United Arab Emirates. To offer new products on this rapidly growing market is a great challenge, as the demand for premium and niche products is constantly increasing and customers’ wishes are very diverse. The range, therefore, also includes non-alcoholic and carbonated soft drinks, still and sparkling water, ready-to-drink teas, energy sport drinks and other New Age drinks. There is also a strong focus on a wide selection of packaging sizes and formats.

One special product in the spirits product category is Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky, a premium blend with a high malt content from the Scottish Speyside region and with some lowland malt for added depth and character.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky.

Christoph Kössler – Perfection, profile and personality

He is always among the best when it comes to distillate ratings and has been confirming his consistency for many years at the World Spirits Award. He achieves perfection in the ‘interplay with temperatures’ – from the fermentation of the mash in the stainless steel tanks to distillation using the most advanced technical methods. And all this takes place in exceptional surroundings: Christoph Kössler works and lives with his family in the house where famous Baroque master builder Jakob Prandtauer was born. The old building has been carefully preserved and the interiors adjusted to the requirements of a modern company. The initials ‘JP’ on the bottles are a clear link to the tradition of the company.

The friendly distiller from Tyrol manufactures over 40 products covering all fruit varieties, as well as 10 liqueurs. When asked for the secret of his many years of success, he simply says: “Like fruit, like spirit.” The broad range of exclusive spirits with refined flavours proves him right: the range extends from apples, pears and berries to grapes, wild fruit and plums, carrots, Jerusalem artichokes and beer.

Since 1450, damsons have been farmed in the Alpine village of Stanz near Landeck in Tyrol, Europe’s highest fruit growing region. In 2005, a so-called ‘indulgence region’ was created in honour of the local damsons. The community has somewhat more than 650 inhabitants, approx.150 households and 54 distilleries where 90 distillers produce all kinds of quality brandies. This density alone warrants the name of ‘distillery village’.

The company’s ongoing quality strategy bore fruit yet again at the World Spirits Award with classification as a World Class Distillery 2013 and gold for the Spenling plum, red Williams pear, bock beer, Bier Eichenfass (oak barrel beer) and Gerste Eiche (oak barley) and silver for the cherry.

Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits – Sporty on many waters

What began in 1996 as a small group of hobby brewers, who simply wanted to make good beer, developed over the years into a successful team under the name of Ballast Point. In 2008, distillation was added, and these days the company with its headquarters in San Diego is an internationally recognised market leader on the brewery and distillation scene, with a product range including more than 40 types of beer and seven spirits. In November 2013, Ballast Point was given the title of ‘California Distillery of the Year’ at the New York International Spirits Competition (NYISC), and Head Distiller Yuseff Cherney is rightly proud of the award, with so much competition around.

Co-founder Jack White adds: “For us, distillation is a natural expansion of brewing. We started with it for the same reason: we wanted to produce what we like drinking. With our spirits, we try to bring our own style into the century-old handicraft of distillation. And it is great that the public like it.” The bottles are also original, with motifs from the world of seafaring and fishing. These refer to the company founders’ second favourite pastime, congenially interpreted by artist Paul Elder, who transforms each idea into wonderful labels. The logo, a sextant, has a reason behind it: the historical navigation instrument was used to compare the angle of the stars to the horizon, to find out the nautical position of the boat. For the company, the sextant is a constant reminder to proceed with the journey, with new ideas and new flavours.

When they are not brewing or distilling, the Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits bosses are sure to be fishing. At other times, two professional sport angling teams train all year and take part in competitions. Talking of competitions: at the World Spirits Award, Ballast Point Spirits landed a good catch: Three Sheets Rum, Devil’s Share Moonshine and Devil’s Share Single Malt Whiskey took gold. Fugu Vodka, Old Grove Gin, Three Sheets Barrel Aged Rum and Devil’s Share Bourbon hooked silver.