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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.

Avatea: Renaissance of an exceptional product

Arue is a French municipality with around 10,000 inhabitants in the northeast of Tahiti in the overseas territory of French Polynesia. The first pure rum is distilled and bottled here as the result of a research project. It took almost six years to track down the traditional sugar cane varieties and start to grow them again on virgin land. The Avatea company, based in the town of Paea, provided the know-how, namely twenty years of experience in the distillation of spirits. The rather satisfying result is Mana’o Tahiti rum, whose name means ‘to think of’ or ‘remember’ something in the local language, Reo. It is a tribute to the rediscovered raw materials, which today are organically farmed.

Mana’o is a prime press rum based on a single uninterrupted initial process. The sugar cane stalks are cut early in the morning while it is still cool and immediately transported to the mill and crushed without the addition of water. The resulting juice is filtered and fermented on site by adding organic yeast, reaching five percent by volume after five days. Further processing takes place in Paea, where the product is distilled and only the heart is left to mature. The cask strength of 89 percent by volume is gradually reduced to 60 percent to ensure that the fine aromas are preserved. This is followed by at least six months of ageing in 3,000-litre stainless steel tanks. The selected distillates are then sent to Rangiroa atoll to mature further in French oak barrels under the influence of the sea air.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, there was Double Gold for Mana’o Rangiroa and Mana’o Tahiti Blanc, and Gold for Mana’o Tahiti Paille.

Prevelon: Premium vodka by order of the Kremlin

Kremlin Premium Vodka was created as the official drink for all diplomatic receptions and banquets at the Kremlin and was intended as the hallmark of high-ranking events. The decision in favour of the most traditional Russian drink was unanimous. It was only produced on special order and in limited amounts. The first large batch of this ‘protocol’ vodka was ordered in February 1945 for the Yalta Conference. Kremlin Award Grand Premium came on the market in 2011 and is exported to 38 countries, and in many of them it holds the top position in the ultra-premium vodka category. Since 2016, the product range has included Kremlin Award Classic, which enjoys great popularity amongst all partners.

Two products have been added to the product range. Kremlin Award Organic is based on alcohol that is produced from the highest quality organic wheat, and on natural drinking water. The vodka passes through a multi-stage purification through pure birchwood charcoal. The alcohol for Kremlin Award Vintage is made from organic grains from the same harvest. The wheat grains are stored in a grain silo until they reach their physiological maturity in order to get a high-quality base product. The ‘luxury alcohol’ is then mixed with natural drinking water and, after purification, is granted a resting period. Production is limited to the year stated on the label.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Kremlin Award Organic and Kremlin Award Vintage.