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Roust Hungary: Affordable luxury on the spirits market

Roust was founded in 1992 by the Russian businessman Roustam Tariko and quickly developed into a leading business group in the sale of premium spirits brands. One of the world’s leading vodka producers, the company is present in more than 80 countries. Roust owns production plants and distribution centres in Hungary, Russia and Italy. The comprehensive portfolio includes the flagship vodka brands of Russian Standard, Green Mark, Parliament and Zhuravli.

Thanks to its extensive knowledge in sales and marketing and its commitment to responsible alcohol consumption, Roust Hungary has become the leading supplier on the domestic spirits market. The largest premium spirits company in Hungary also sells the Royal, Zubrówka, Russian Standard, Gancia, Grants, Jägermeister and Metaxa brands.

For years, Royal Vodka has maintained its position as the most popular and well-known vodka brand in Hungary, and also remains market leader in terms of volume and turnover. Royal Vodka is produced using natural ingredients, from the grain to the well water, which contributes to its mild taste.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Royal Original Vodka, and bronze for Royal Raspberry Liqueur.

Family of Hounds – Sought and found

Andrea Frigerio and his English wife, Lina, live in Monaco with their two dogs, Spot and Magda, two wonderful additions to the family. Since they started taking the two for walks in town, they have made many new friends. Andrea and Lina used to be red wine drinkers, who spent their holidays in the wine hills of Italy and France. It was only in 2013, while visiting a country estate in England, that they discovered their love for a good G & T. This developed into a passion, and their discussions soon revolved around what it would be like to create their own gin.

They tasted intensively, discarded aromas they didn’t like, and extracted the aromas they did. Together with the master distiller in an old distillery in Piedmont, they created their recipe for the gin: juniper, lemon and orange peel, pink grapefruit, lavender, thyme, cardamom, ginger and coriander. The first three ingredients come from Italy, the rest from Asia. “The juniper is really loud, like a brightly lit disco floor, and the other botanicals dance around it. Together, they are like a lively, attention-seeking dog that can’t sit still.”

In the future, they are looking to establish a small family of spirits, from gin to vodka and from grappa to vermouth – unmistakable in taste, but accessible to everyone. The core of the philosophy is going out with good friends, enjoying a good meal and even better spirits. The first step has already been taken …

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Family of Hounds Gin.

Mürli GmbH: Regional liqueurs from Mecklenburg

Angelika Wagner-Schnurrbusch and Jörg Schnurrbusch fell in love with the Müritz region in their earliest years. Childhood boat holidays in the lake district eventually led to their new home, where they chose to retire. But this was not enough for the two ‘vibrant, enthusiastic and enthusing elective Müritz locals’. They composed a herb liqueur as a showpiece for the whole region.

Every exciting day in the lake district tends to end with a good dinner, rounded off with a herb liqueur. Standard herb schnapps did not always meet expectations, thus the idea of a high-quality regional product was born. Over two years, recipes were tried out and tested with the help of a distilling master. The aim was a herb liqueur that represents the region, its particularities and diversity. The result is Mürli, where a variety of botanicals – from angelica and gentian, mugwort and vermouth, cinnamon and cloves, along with bitter orange – allow their soothing effect to unfold. The label – black and lime green with a stylised herb fairy – adorns the striking triangular bottles. Marketed from the lake district to the Baltic region, Mürli is appreciated by customers in gastronomy and retailing, as well as their guests and customers. As an alternative to the typical sea buckthorn products, an egg liqueur was also created as a tribute to the region.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Mürli Premium Herb Liqueur, and silver to Mürli Premium Egg Liqueur.

HirschRudel: Herb liqueur following an old family recipe

HirschRudel herb liqueur is made using a very elaborate procedure. To achieve a perfect high-quality result of course requires plenty of dedication, therefore importance is attached to manual work. Each production comprises around 4,000 bottles of 0.5 litres, along with individual magnum bottles in very small batches. All the bottles are filled and labelled by hand with individual numbering and the filling date. Natural cork with a tin lid and the recipe complete the package. But the most important feature is of course the taste!

HirschRudel was brought to life by Dirk Verpoorten, a partner in the egg liqueur dynasty from Bonn. In his grandma Elly’s heirlooms he found an old trunk where she kept a book of mementos, in which she recorded a recipe for a herb liqueur she had created herself on the occasion of a family celebration. Dirk Verpoorten tried out the recipe and was so delighted with the taste that he decided to bring the herb liqueur back to life under the name HirschRudel in memory of his grandmother.

At the World Spirits Award, HirschRudel Herb Liqueur was awarded gold.