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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).

Edeldestillerie Robert Oberhofer: Quality and continuity

Gleaming steel tanks, a distinctive bottle design and a wide product selection – these all form part of this sophisticated distillery which is the empire of master distiller Robert Oberhofer, senior manager at the Reschenhof country hotel in Mils. Thanks to its reliable quality, the company, which already started out in 1965, has been one of the elite distillers in Tyrol for years.

All of the fruit varieties are predominantly obtained from local and organic cultivation areas. Apricots, Williams pears, various apple and damson varieties come from their own orchards, and the greatest attention is paid to quality, degree of ripeness and a rich aroma. The wide product range already encompasses more than 40 products.

The key products are fruit and berry brandies with speciality products including Limonera, sour cherry, sloe, blackberry and blueberry. Local favourites include rowanberry and elderberry. But also exotic fruit brandies such as rum, brandies and liqueurs matured in wooden casks are aged with the finest craftsmanship. Tours of the distillery can be enjoyed with a warm or cold snack or a rustic platter of cold cuts. The premises offer room for 50 people, and for celebrations of all kinds.

Since 2015, Robert’s grandson Benjamin, the third generation of distillers, has been managing the distillery. In order to satisfy the ever-increasing quality requirements, he decided to undergo the training to become a distiller at the Fritz Henßler vocational college in the city of Dortmund.

The Master Class Distillery received gold for Limonera Pear Brandy and Spänling (wild plum), silver for Williams Alte Reserve and Damson, and bronze for Rum (matured in wooden barrels), Babayani Raki and Raspberry Brandy.

Berentzen Group: 250 years of cultured distilled spirits

Berentzen Group is an innovative beverage company that boasts a wide portfolio and develops, produces and markets varied and fashionable drinks concepts. The portfolio includes spirits, alcohol-free beverages and fresh juices. With over 260 years of experience, they are one of the oldest national manufacturers of spirits and have a market presence in over 60 countries to date, with brands such as Berentzen and Puschkin as well as reasonably priced private label products.

In April 2023, Norden Sea Salt Gin was launched on the German market under the Doornkaat brand. It is a speciality on the gin shelf, as selected North Sea botanicals create an extraordinary and intense taste experience: juniper provides the spice, sea buckthorn and rosehip the fruity tartness. Norden Sea Salt Gin is rounded off with a pinch of sea salt. This spirit spreads the genuine nature and authenticity of the North Sea coast throughout Germany. It is versatile and can be enjoyed neat, on ice or mixed as a long drink or cocktail.

Tres Países Premium Rum combines distillates from Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic. After being stored for up to eight years in American white oak bourbon casks, they come to Europe for refinement by the master blender. The characteristics of the countries provide the taste profile: vanilla and butterscotch, elegant fruit, banana and chocolate. It is also available in a port cask finish, which is refined in aged casks for another six months.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, there was Gold for Doornkaat Norden Sea Salt Gin and Tres Países Premium Rum.

Rhumerie de Chamarel - Rhumerie de Chamarel – A newcomer with vision

This high-quality rum from the island of Mauritius is produced in line with ecological guidelines. The products are distributed in Austria by the company Wind GmbH, based in Traiskirchen (www.wind-plast.at).

The road leads through extensive pineapple plantations and fields of sugar cane up to the distillery at an altitude of 300 m in the South-West of the island. Designed by a renowned architect, the building is elegant and authentic and a fine example of modern construction with its natural materials such as wood, stone and water. The comprehensive concept also incorporates the L’Alchimiste restaurant where up to 80 guests can savour the sophisticated regional cuisine. At the “Sugar Cane Spirit” boutique, various types of rum are on offer (White Rum, Le Coeur de Chauffe (fine brandy), Rum Paille (stored in wooden casks), Rum Arrange (flavoured with fruits and spices) as well as an exclusive clothing range, hand-made products and a small jewellery collection.

The location and climate of the fertile valley promote the growth and quality of the sugarcane. The sugarcane is harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning and processed at the mill within four hours. The fields are not normally burnt, as is usually the case, to make harvesting easier. Even when distilling at the highest modern levels of technology, nothing is wasted: the bagasse – the fibrous remnants of the sugar production process – is burnt to obtain energy. The chimney contains the very latest smoke filters and the ash is used to fertilise the fields.

The company yet again impressed at the World-Spirits Award, with one gold and four silvers.