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2B Hemp Gin: Styrian gin experience

Two visionaries, Armin Breinl (doctor, drink creator, musician) and Wolfgang Thomann (gin maker), have created a completely new gin experience with real hemp powder: 2B HEMP GIN (inspired by AEIJST). On 17th November 2018, the two invited guests to the first tasting of 2B HEMP GIN in the AEIJST GIN distillery in St. Nikolai in the Sausal Valley.

Made from organic juniper berries, this innovative gin has an impressive, mild and fruity taste and a typical hemp note. Due to its unique aroma, it not only tastes good neat, but also creates a ‘wow’ effect in cocktails – as proven in the long drink Styrian Pale Gin AEIJST refined with 2B HEMP.

For thousands of years, hemp has been grown as a valuable plant, be it for rope, fabric, paper or as an active ingredient in ointments and tinctures. Hemp has always been highly valued for its medicinal properties, yet recently has been demonised as an addictive drug and has suffered under its ensuing prohibition, originating in the USA. These days hemp is regaining importance and is being used more as a luxury food as well as in medicine as a therapeutic agent.

The Lifestyle Trading company, run by Armin Breinl, is an innovative beverage producer, which is already known amongst trade professionals for its sugar-free ‘func- tional fruit drinks’. The drinks have a high fruit content (more than 50 per cent) and additional natural, vital substances and have an energising, relaxing and regenerative effect.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for 2B HEMP GIN.

KOFEYOK: Homage to Viennese coffee house culture

The idea in 2019: a perfect New Year’s Eve drink that could be enjoyed all year round. The pilot project in 2020: a one-woman small enterprise as a one-stop shop for everything from the recipe to the end product, including social media, marketing and sales. The ‘witches’ kitchen’ – or small production site – is located in the Favoriten district in Vienna and focuses on high-quality liqueurs on the basis of coffee and tea. To guarantee exceptional taste in an authentic form, the best ingredients are processed by hand in small batches. The small, very refined product range has a look and taste to be proud of.

The coffee liqueur HERR HOFRAT has an impressively subtle smoky and chocolatey tang, coupled with nutmeg. It has a fine sweetness and is slightly caramelly with a lingering finish, like a strong espresso. It is best pure or as a ‘zest’ for traditional tiramisu and summery affogato. The black tea liqueur HERR BOTSCHAFTER is characterised by strong Ceylon black tea and a pleasant hint of citrus. Full-bodied and down to earth, it is delicious in summer chilled with ice or hot by a cosy fireplace on cold days. The third in the aromatic collection is the hibiscus blossom tea liqueur FRAU GRÄFIN, which gives the range a fruity je ne sais quoi – a novelty in this form. With its authentic aroma, soft vanilla and mild hint of citrus in the finish, it refines every cocktail and is enchanting alongside champagne.

On request and in close consultation, handmade coffee liqueurs with a special type of coffee are also created for customers. The result of such a taste journey is a personal secret recipe.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Herr Hofrat Coffee Liqueur and Black Tea Liqueur.

Cezana: Gin and rum from the south of Romania

The Magura Zamfirei distillery is situated in the Greater Wallachia area in the south of the country. After over 15 years of experience in agriculture and the cultivation of wheat, barley, rye and corn, Cezana implemented the latest technology, automation software and digitisation at all levels in 2021, following the logical progression from farming to alcohol production. All the natural ingredients were available, as well as the expertise for manufacturing first-class products. In 2022, they worked with two small facilities, an 85-litre hybrid still and a 50-litre iStill. 15,000 bottles a year can be distilled with the pot stills. A 1,000-litre mash tank and a 1,100-litre fermentation tank are equipped with an automation system for controlling all mashing and fermenting processes. Filling and labelling are semi-automatic, with a capacity of 1,000 bottles per day.

Dry Gin No. 4 is the first 100% hand-crafted Romanian gin, processing juniper berries, citrus fruits, hibiscus, chokeberry and blackberries, as well as local herbs. Moonlight Gin is distilled at full moon from 15 botanicals, along with juniper there is also coriander, cardamom, blackcurrants, orange and lime peel, pink pepper, ginger, angelica root, liquorice root, vanilla, cinnamon, grains of paradise (Guinea pepper), iris and Clitoria ternatea blossom. The latter provides the unusual ultramarine blue colour. For Haiduc Rum White, sugar cane molasses from South America is traditionally processed by the master distiller.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Moonlight Gin and Haiduc Rum White, and silver to Dry Gin No. 4.