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Juniper Tree Trading: The Spy Gin

This London Dry Gin was born out of a special passion for gin, combined with the raw beauty of the Swabian Alb and carefully selected botanicals such as coriander, cardamom, orange and lemon peel, cloves, ginger, and others. A long time was spent deciding on a name, labels, logo, bottle, content and much more, as owner Peter Frey remembers:

“My master distiller has over 20 years’ experience in making gin and has achieved absolute harmony when it comes to maceration and the interaction of the botanicals. Following distillation and the reduction of alcohol to drinking strength, the gin is bottled, with only 250 bottles per batch, labelled by hand and wrapped in black tissue paper to give The Spy an air of secrecy. The corks are also handmade and each is branded with the logo using a lever press and branding iron – it shows the spy of Aalen with his beard and pipe, who watches over the inhabitants of the town from the town hall on the market square – and this is how the tale goes.”

As the imperial cities were in conflict with the Emperor, his army was already camped outside the town. The frightened people of Aalen sent the cleverest man to the enemy camp to determine the strength of the troops. The spy was caught and brought before the Emperor. When asked what he was doing there, the spy answered, “Do not be startled, Lord, I just wanted to see how many guns and such you all have. You see, I’m the spy from Aalen.” The Emperor laughed at his candour and pretend simplemindedness and piled gifts on him, letting the inhabitants know that it was his pleasure to live in peace alongside such clever and brave people and forgiving the town fathers.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for The Spy Gin.

Suburbia Spirits: Gin as a common denominator

Tobias Fadinger and David Pointner grew up in a little suburb of Salzburg and have been friends since childhood. They have also spent many sociable evenings together where Tobias’ father, who has been in the spirits business for over 30 years, often contributed his delicious cocktail creations. This was of course a source of inspiration, and the goal was ‘to go out among the distillers and create exceptional spirits’. A lot of time and dedication flowed into the manufacturing of the drinks, bearing the name Suburbia Spirits. This stands for more than just the production of spirits, it also stands for passion and a zest for life.

The unusual chocolate liqueur is based on lemongrass gin. A bitter chocolate mash and harmonious ingredients give it a finely tangy yet sweet touch. This aromatic combination also makes the liqueur less thick than conventional liqueurs and pleasantly light on the palate. “We like to drink our gin liqueur as a shot and on the rocks, but it is also quite fitting as part of creative cocktails.”

The handcrafted lemongrass gin is not dominated by juniper, as the revitalising lemongrass gives it very fresh aromas. Blossom and citrus fruit are complemented by a hint of vanilla for a rounded aftertaste. This mix not only delights gin lovers but also gets gin newcomers into the taste. “We prefer to drink our gin on the rocks on a balmy summer evening in good company.”

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Gin mit Lemongrass (lemongrass gin), and bronze to Gin-Likör Schokolade (chocolate gin liqueur).

Diageo – From London to the whole world

Approximately 33,000 employees are employed worldwide at Diageo, the market leader in premium spirits, with Smirnoff (vodka), Johnnie Walker (whiskey), J&B (Scotch whiskey), Baileys (liqueur), Captain Morgan (rum), Cuervo (tequila) and Tanqueray (gin), Guinness beer and branded wines. Production takes place all around the world: from Great Britain and Ireland, Italy, Spain and Africa, to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean. The global corporation emerged in 1997 from the merger between Guinness and GrandMet. 180 markets around the world are handled from its London headquarters.

A lot of work and lots of attention to detail go into creating the in-depth product descriptions on Diageo’s website. Information and analysis is provided about issues ranging from detailed descriptions of the production down to the most minute ingredients. Finally, they are aware of the size of their company and also of their responsibilities as a supplier of alcoholic products. The name Diageo was also deliberately chosen – it represents their agenda. Put together from ‘dia’ (the Latin word for ‘day’) and ‘geo’ (the Greek word for ‘world’), it means that every day people are celebrating all over the world with products from their company. These products open up possibilities never dreamed of for special days and nights, marking special life events and even making the smaller things in life feel magical.

Participation in the World Spirits Award was magical: there was double gold for Tanqueray No. 10 (Spirit of the Year 2016), gold for Gordon’s London Dry Gin and Tanqueray London Dry Gin, as well as silver for Tanqueray Rangpur.

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.