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Várda Drink – Hungarian specialist for bitter liqueurs

One of the oldest and largest manufacturers on the Hungarian spirits market is also one of the leading producers in the country due to its broad range of products. The predecessor of the present-day company was founded in 1922 in the northeast-Hungarian town of Kisvárda, was nationalised in 1950 and re-privatised in 1993.

The town gives its name to one of the main products in the diverse product range: Várda Keseru is a liqueur speciality, full of character, pleasantly sweet, bitter and spicy at the same time, made from 34 different herbs and spices. Várda Keseru Szilva is made with plum extract and is matured for some time in wooden barrels. This variety is very popular with traditional sweets – or simply to warm yourself up. In 2017, the company developed a new range of products with the name Hunor, which rounds off the bitter character with fruit tastes such as orange, lime and blueberry.

In Hungary, bitters is the most popular spirit and Várda Keseru one of the most successful traditional specialities, especially in the east of the country – Hungarians swear by the medicinal effect on their health. In 2018, a re-launch of the features is on the cards with more sophisticated labelling and packaging.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Várda Bitter Liqueur, gold for Várda Bitter Plum Liqueur, Hunor Hunters’ Liqueur, and bronze for Hunor Hunters’ Liqueur Lime.

Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.