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World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

The ultimate guide through the world of spirits - with current ratings of the best distilleries and commercial enterprises.
Order it now on-line: for Euro 72.- per

Handel

Company:
Franz von Durst
Address:
Schedlerstraße 1
Place:
6900 Bregenz
Country:
Austria
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 91Franz von Durst - Gin2021Details
Silver 89Franz von Durst - Dry Gin Wild2021Details

Handel

Company:
Camus International Limited
Address:
Room 5004-5005 Hong Kong New World Tower, 300 Road
Place:
200021 Shanghai
Country:
China
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
Kweichow Moutai: China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Double-Gold 95.3Kweichow Moutai "Legendary China Collection" (Du F2021Details

Destillerie

Company:
Phillips Brewing & Malting Co. - Fermentorium
Address:
2010 Government St.
Place:
V8T4P1 Victoria
Country:
Canada
Products:
  • Whisky USA
  • Gin
Fermentorium Distilling Co.: Creativity from Canada

It was the creative minds from Phillips Brewing and Malting Co. in Victoria that had the idea for Fermentorium. It is a place where spirits are created according to special recipes. The basic distillates for the gin are made in a traditional British copper pot still from the 1920s – endearingly called Old George – and refined in a modern distillery of German production. In British Columbia, herbs are gathered by hand and botanicals are cultivated, carefully selected for Stump Coastal Forest Gin, so that the gin reflects the origins of its ingredients – from the craggy coastline to the old forests.

Vancouver Island produces high-quality barley that is processed in Phillips Brewing’s own malt factories. Through the use of barley that is cultivated just 15 minutes away, local farmers are supported and emissions from malt transport are reduced. Ultimately, it is possible to control the quality of the end product better. There are only a handful of malthouses in North America and Phillips Brewing is proud to be the only Craft Brewer in Canada that malts its own barley. Small Talk Whisky continues the tradition of only using barley cultivated on Vancouver Island. Bourbon was originally stored in the barrels made of American and French oak, which were then filled at the distillery at the beginning of 2016.

At the World Spirits Award, silver was awarded to Discovery Street Dry Citrus Gin and Stump Coastal Forest Gin, and bronze to Small Talk Whisky.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Silver 83Stump Coastal Forest Gin2022Details
Silver 82Discovery Street Dry Citrus Gin2022Details
Bronze 78Small Talk Whisky2022Details

Destillerie

Company:
Hijos de Pablo Esparza, Bodegas Navarras, S.A.
Address:
Av. Serapio Huici, 1 y 3.
Place:
31610 Villava
Country:
Spain
Products:
  • Bitter-Kräuter
  • Obst-Geiste & Spirituosen
Hijos de Pablo Esparza: Regional specialities from Navarra

This family business in the north of Spain is located just 80 kilometres from the French border. Present in the market for over 145 years, the business is now run by the fifth generation. Some of the 27 employees have been working with the family for over 40 years. The oldest product is Anís Las Cadenas, which already won awards in Paris in 1909.

As Spanish spirits are not as well-known as whisky, vodka, rum or tequila, customers are usually found in countries with Spanish inhabitants or descendants of Spanish immigrants. As a small business with no international branches, the contact with business partners is paramount, and they need to be well-supplied with information on the products.

One particular speciality of the region is Pacharán, an aniseed and sloe liqueur, which has been popular in Navarra since the Middle Ages. The name is derived from Basaran, a Basque word for sloe. In the 1950s it became more well-known with the aid of commercial production and marketing. Originally, wild sloes were used, but these days they are grown on plantations to meet the increasing demand. As a means of dealing with inferior imitations, a supervisory board for production was set up in 1988, which also awards the seal of quality and origin Denominación de Origen del Pacharán.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Licor de Endrinas Basarana 20, silver for Pacharán Basarana Etiqueta Negra and Anís Las Cadenas, and bronze for Licor de Hierbas Las Cadenas.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 92Licor de endrinas Basarana 202020Details
Silver 89Anís Las Cadenas2020Details
Silver 88Pacharán Basarana Etiqueta Negra2020Details
Bronze 77.3Licor de Hierbas Las Cadenas2020Details
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