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Schwarze & Schlichte – Brand personalities from Westphalia

The family business Schwarze & Schlichte from Westphalia has been representing the highest quality spirits for the last 345 years with a distinct range of national specialities, regional traditional brands and successful international innovations. This top quality is based on a distilling tradition acquired over centuries which has been passed down over twelve generations. Even today, distilling and maceration still take place at the company’s own distillery where plenty of time and skill are invested. The selection and processing of the best raw materials and continuous control of the production process ensure a consistently high quality. One factor for success is the ongoing brand management in accordance with the specific requirements of the various brand personalities.

Three Sixty Vodka is one of the purest and mildest vodkas in the world. A fourfold distillation process ensures tangible softness and exceptional clarity while the purity of the vodka is all down to the time-consuming “Diamond Filtration” process: the finest filters are used, set with crystals like diamond dust, to remove even the smallest of suspended particles from the distillate. Even the packaging is unique: the facet-cut bottle of pure white shiny glass sets off this premium vodka to perfection. A black velvet label completes the sophisticated design.

The Grappa Bianca from Scavi & Ray is characterised by its full-bodied balanced flavour with powerful and intense aromas of marc. This crystal-clear brandy is soft and deliciously balanced thanks to the exquisite skill of the master distillery. The intense and fruity aroma is reminiscent of the sun-soaked vineyards in Italy.

Both products received a silver medal at the World-Spirits.

Brennerei Pirker: Masterpieces from Mariazell

Austrian gingerbread and mead production and candle dipping each have a long-standing tradition dating back over 300 years in Mariazell. The Pirker family still practise, preserve and bring to life these fascinating crafts today. Katharina Pirker and Georg Rippel-Pirker run this Upper Styrian model business with lots of enthusiasm and creativity, earning them the Styrian coat of arms. In addition to traditional and local fruit varieties, special fruits are also distilled into organic orange brandy, honey brandy and rice brandy which is sold as far afield as Japan.

At Pirker’s, tradition is combined with zeitgeist: brandies, mead, original Mariazell herb bitter (from local herbs, with no added sugar) and gingerbread liqueur are carefully produced and impressively presented. The company has won numerous awards, confirming its high quality standards – only the very best pure monovarietal fruits, herbs, honey and hand-selected spices are processed and distilled. Pirker’s entire product range is made up of more than 400 homemade specialities, ranging from exquisite brandies, liqueurs and Mariazell honey gingerbread to mead, handmade beeswax candles and high-quality vinegars from their own vinegar production facility.

At the World Spirits Award, the Master Class Distillery 2024 was awarded gold for Gingerbread Liqueur, Blackcurrant, Egg Liqueur, Swiss Pine Spirit, Herb Bitter, Cornel Cherry, Damson and Green Williams Pear, and silver for Orange, Raspberry, Bird Cherry and Rowanberry.

Grenada Distillers: From a sugar factory to a world-class rum distillery

The Grenada sugar factory was founded in 1937 and renamed Grenada Distillers Limited in 2001. The finest spirits on the Caribbean island are manufactured here, from the fermentation of the molasses and distillation, blending and maturing to bottling and sales. The trademark product, Clarke’s Court Rum, was named after a nearby bay in the Woodlands Valley, in the southern part of the island. From 2001 to today, the company has grown considerably. There is currently a choice of 23 spirits for local, regional and international markets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two special products were launched on the market: a disinfectant solution and a hand disinfectant.

The prime goal is the creation of world-class products through a constant extension of the product range: AMAZ-IN Brand of Creams, flavoured rums, exotic spicy rums refined with local spices and fruits, and premium aged rums. The pre-cast Pure White Rum is still the market leader and Grenada’s most popular rum ambassador.

The management of food safety has the highest priority during the growth of the company. Grenada Distillers Limited has been ISO-certified since 2017 – a necessary framework condition for ensuring a safe product in a safe environment.

The World Class Distillery 2025 received Double Gold for Clarke’s Court Pure White Rum, Gold for Exotic Spicy Rum, Clarke’s Court Special Dark Rum and Clarke’s Court #37 12 Year Old, and Silver for Clarke’s Court Old Grog Rum and Rhythm Coconut Rum.