World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Luding Group: Vodka Tchaikovsky as a high-spirited homage to the famous composer

At the beginning of the 1990s, the modern distillery ‘Fortuna’ was launched in a green field in the south of Russia – in the Krasnodar region, a strip of land with spa resorts and health centres. The distillery has specialised in unusual products, in a region with a particularly green fingerprint. The vodka created in honour of the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky is special. The concept for this exceptional product is comparable with one of his musical scores: the work ‘Swan Lake’ served as an inspiration. Art enthusiasts can thus immerse themselves in the history of Russian estate life in the 19th century. The traditional white and blue colours underline the purity of this vodka.

The technical particularities span a wide quality-orientated spectrum: from the selected wheat, their own well water and the special treatment of the distillate with skimmed milk powder to the crystal-clear filtration with active birch coal. With so much perfectionism and monitoring of the individual production steps, the result is an especially gentle, animating and very typical vodka based on wheat. After the diluting of alcohol and pure distillate, the production process is continued with maturation in steel tanks. The aim is to ‘wed’ both ‘waters’, resulting in an especially harmonious vodka.

At the World Spirits Award 2022, Vodka Tchaikovsky was awarded double gold and honoured as the best vodka with the title ‘Spirit of the Year’.

LA SU Gin: Exotic holiday feeling in a glass

Alexander Kayser and Christopher Schuh are true gin lovers and founders of the brand LA SU Gin – a registered brand of Expo Outline Messebau und Event GmbH in Altenstadt, with Alexander Kayser as the managing partner.

After exploring many trains of thought, it was clear to both of them that it had to be exotic. LA SU Gin is a premium handcrafted gin with a hint of fruity mango. Distilled in small batches, traditionally and without additives, it is made in one of the oldest distilleries in Europe. The mango gives it a special freshness and balances the tart notes of the spices perfectly. Next to the mango, LA SU evokes a sense of travel. Enjoy a holiday feeling and discover new taste sensations. The elaborate bottle design reflects a love of detail and certainly leaves an impression.

At the World Spirits Award, bronze was achieved by LA SU *MGO* Natural Mango.

Rum Company – Simply the smoothest

Spencer Antle, founder of the Island Company in Florida, had the idea for a rum to fill a niche in the luxury rum market. “I wanted to create a rum that appeals to women and men alike. On my travels through the Caribbean, I noticed that women are not particularly keen on rum. Drunk neat, it is simply too harsh for many, and in a mixed drink, too overpowering.” Following the motto ‘simply the smoothest’, he created a rum that is mild and smooth – and practically disappears in every tropical cocktail. The light (blond) rum is not at all ‘invisible’ in its elegant, slim bottle with the (sea) blue cap – a real eye-catcher!

The Island Company Rum is produced in Trinidad, is distilled five times and matures for three years. With a hint of vanilla and wild honey – without sugar, gluten or carbohydrates – it can be enjoyed at any time. For this small escape from day-to-day life you don’t have to be on the beach or on a sailing boat in the Caribbean.

The newest luxury product from the innovative company is the Island Company Rum Cake, a rich cake with – not surprisingly – a hint of vanilla and honey.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Island Company Rum.

El Negocio Tequila: An exciting combination of two worlds

El Negocio combines the expertise of a Napa Valley winemaker and the traditions of the tequileros in Jalisco to produce top tequila. The producer is committed to tried and tested methods, natural variations and craftsmanship. Master distiller Chava Rosales has a wealth of expertise that has been honed over three generations.

Mature Tequilana Weber agave from the mineral-rich Zona Valles is cooked in stone ovens, extracted using traditional techniques and processed in the open air with artisanal precision. After fermentation, the tequila is double distilled in a copper pot still and stored in stainless steel to preserve its purity. This tried and tested process takes into account natural variations and avoids additives, so that each harvest is a reflection of the essence of the agave, similar to vintages of fine wines. Aged varieties go into once-used French oak barrels from the renowned Memento Mori winery in Napa Valley, which were used to produce a 100-point Cabernet Sauvignon. In Jalisco, the barrels are medium-roasted and refilled with wine, which ensures depth and complexity. The finely grained French oak is perfect for enhancing the nuances that lovers appreciate in tequilas from the valley. El Negocio is proof of what tequila can be when craftsmanship and tradition merge: an authentic spirit that combines the nuanced restraint of winemaking with the unbridled spiciness of tequila.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, there was Gold for El Negocio Tequila Blanco and El Negocio Tequila Joven, and Silver for El Negocio Tequila Reposada.