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Porta – Vodka from Argentina

The Italian Porta family left their homeland of Lombardy in 1882 and migrated to Argentina, where they set up a distillery. The company has been under the direction of its fourth generation of managers since 1981 and has extended its fields of business in various directions since then. It has also moved its location to the industrial site of Cordoba where modern distilling and vinegar making are now possible within this new setting – the country is in fact the market leader in the country for Balsamic vinegar production. The company has its own research labs where new developments are made in the areas of cosmetics and disinfection. The diversity and complexity of the range of products on offer is guaranteed by highly qualified specialists.
When producing its spirits, the company places a great deal of importance on natural raw materials and skilled craftsmanship. Recipes handed down over many generations are implemented using modern technology and adhering to strict quality controls. The traditional Fernet 1882 brand as well as rum and liqueur made from wild cherries and coffee have recently been complemented by the addition of Nikov vodka to the range which comes in four different flavours – classic, mandarin, vanilla and red fruits. The Nikov vodka has been awarded the Superior Taste Award by the International Taste & Quality Institute in Brussels. This independent organisation of chefs and sommeliers works to assess, award and promote foods and beverages with exceptional flavour.
Nikov vodka also impressed at the World-Spirits Award and was awarded a gold by the jury.

MattiE – Ellmauer Obstbrennerei: First-class distillery craftsmanship

Ellmauer Obstbrennerei is a Tyrolean family business that was handed over in 2009 from the Spielthenner-Walch family into the experienced hands of the Erber family, which has a long tradition of distilling dating back to 1909 in Brixen im Thale. After the external takeover, the talented distiller Matthias Erber moved to Ellmau in search of new challenges, where his fine skills are being put into practice.

The fourth and fifth generations work harmoniously together in the loving family business with the sole aim of producing high-quality distillates. Father and sons do everything they can to process only the finest fruit into fine brandies, because the essence is in the fruit, according to the distillery’s motto. Careful handling of raw materials and first-class mashing are the hallmarks of the Ellmauer Obstbrennerei. Whether handpicked sour cherries, Stanz plums, apricots, rowan berries or Gravensteiner apples: here you find everything your heart desires. In addition to fine brandies, schnapps and liqueurs, jams are prepared following traditional recipes.

On the one hand, inherited expertise meets acquired expertise in high-proof spirits. The trained brewer, maltster and distiller is the son of a famous autodidact in the world of spirits. On the other hand, a highly qualified producer meets a fully motivated distributor. Matthias is the doer, while Ramona is the hub of MattiE. The bonus for customers is that communication channels in a company could not be shorter.

At the World Spirits Award 2026, there was Gold for Zwetschken Brand (damson) and Weichsel Brand (sour cherry), and Silver for Marillen Brand (apricot).

Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).

Ehrenwert GmbH: One recipe – two families

One recipe – two families. Each family has its own carefully guarded secret recipe, and with the Lücke family this remained in the hands of grandfather Heinz and later his son Dieter for many decades. Long enough, thought sons Thomas and Christian. In any case, it is the ‘Felsenfeuer’ herb liqueur that once made the Lücke Distillery one of the most important in Münsterland. After the war they continued the success story which first began in the 18th century, with this herb liqueur, using the recipe that Heinz Lücke worked out. In the 1950s everyone was talking about it, but in the 1960s the era of the distillery and the herb liqueur ended. But not for good – 60 years later it celebrated its resurrection with the ‘Freudenfeuer’.

Whilst searching for a distillery, Thomas and Christian kept to family tradition, as their grandmother was a Sasse, and the Sasses’ fine distillery in Schöppingen is still well known today. Following a traditional recipe from 1947 the new liqueur is distilled in small batches and is bottled by hand after a ten-day rest period. Ready to enjoy: neat and ice cold like in the time of our grandfathers, or smoother, on ice with lightly pressed orange zest, or as a basis for a long drink with tonic water or ginger ale. To old times and new friends!

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Freudenfeuer.