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PUR ORGANIC PRODUCTS: Regional, pure and organic

Inspired and enlivened by the region and in harmony with nature, the Ackerl family has already been making organic vodka for eleven years. They use what grows in the Waldviertel region and what tastes good on its own, without needing any extra help: potatoes, rye and apples. All three have plenty in common and yet are very different on closer inspection. In the beginning there was the most neu-tral form, the potato vodka, followed a short time later by the fragrant apple vodka and the subtly sweet rye vodka. The name nørderd connects the regional origins – ‘nørd’ for north, the Waldviertel – and the origins of the raw ingredients – ‘erd’ for soil, where the potato grows. Distillation takes place in a distillery in the Weinviertel following the strictest organic guidelines, without flavour enhancers or other additives.

The brothers Gregor and Julian Ackerl, together with friend and managing director David Wais, con-tinue what their father, Hans Ackerl, began: the idea of offering organic vegetables in a form which would keep longer. And this is how the spirit of the Waldviertel is sent out into the world, with raw materials that are 100% organic, sustainable and grown regionally. Hans Ackerl already had an affini-ty for high-quality, organic fruit and vegetables more than 30 years ago, his farm was already organic in the early 1980s. Now, with nørderd, this is to be transformed into something that connects urban life with the countryside.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for nørderd Single Malt Vodka, and silver for nørderd Pure Potato Vodka and nørderd Pure Apple Vodka.

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).