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Rhumerie de Chamarel - Rhumerie de Chamarel – A newcomer with vision

This high-quality rum from the island of Mauritius is produced in line with ecological guidelines. The products are distributed in Austria by the company Wind GmbH, based in Traiskirchen (www.wind-plast.at).

The road leads through extensive pineapple plantations and fields of sugar cane up to the distillery at an altitude of 300 m in the South-West of the island. Designed by a renowned architect, the building is elegant and authentic and a fine example of modern construction with its natural materials such as wood, stone and water. The comprehensive concept also incorporates the L’Alchimiste restaurant where up to 80 guests can savour the sophisticated regional cuisine. At the “Sugar Cane Spirit” boutique, various types of rum are on offer (White Rum, Le Coeur de Chauffe (fine brandy), Rum Paille (stored in wooden casks), Rum Arrange (flavoured with fruits and spices) as well as an exclusive clothing range, hand-made products and a small jewellery collection.

The location and climate of the fertile valley promote the growth and quality of the sugarcane. The sugarcane is harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning and processed at the mill within four hours. The fields are not normally burnt, as is usually the case, to make harvesting easier. Even when distilling at the highest modern levels of technology, nothing is wasted: the bagasse – the fibrous remnants of the sugar production process – is burnt to obtain energy. The chimney contains the very latest smoke filters and the ash is used to fertilise the fields.

The company yet again impressed at the World-Spirits Award, with one gold and four silvers.

Al Ahram Beverages Company: Premium vodka from Egypt

The Al Ahram Beverages Company, or ABC for short, is part of the international Heineken group, and produces beer, wine, spirits and soft drinks at five locations in Egypt. A wide selection of wines and spirits comes from Gianaclis, the largest winery and most modern distillery in the region. In addition to whisky, rum and gin, the focus is on vodka, which is produced according to European standards.

The changing history of the company goes back to 1897. Since 1946, there has been a connection with Heineken. In 1963, the company was nationalised and, during the era of privatization, it was bought by an Egyptian entrepreneur in 1997. In 2002, it was taken over by Heineken. These days, ABC is managed by a multi-national team of experts and is an important member of the international Heineken group. In production, great importance is attached to the use of locally produced materials such as glass, crates and boxes, as well as regional raw materials such as sugar and rice.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Blue 40 (Spirit of the Year 2021), and silver for Devlin.