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Aura Proizvodi: Delicacies from Croatia

This family business invests a great deal of handicraft and devotion into every product. Aside from jams made of figs, plums, dandelion, cornel cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots, oranges and cinnamon, they offer 29 brandies made from fruits and herbs, as well as four gins. The basis of all these is homemade brandy from pomace, pears or apples. This is used for Biska (mistletoe brandy), Medenica (honey brandy) and Teranino (red wine liqueur), spirits made of figs, carob, cornel cherries, almonds, olives, peppermint, plums, rose blossom, sage, forest fruits, wild apples, wild pears and even more besides. The product range also includes a herb liqueur with wormwood, Millefrutti (made of macerated wild fruits), Biska extra (made of white mistletoe), Limoncello, Orancello, Fernet Amaro 78, the first Croatian aperitif Ora d’Oro and the new Premium Pelinkovac Victoris. The product range is headed by Premium Gin Karbun (made of wheat distillate, juniper berries and 20 spices). The gin is filtered through active carbon that is also offered when serving. The products are sold at wine shops, delicatessens, hotels, restaurants and airports. They have their own shops in Hum, the smallest town in the world, in Buzet, the town of truffles, in Novigrad, in Grožnjanu, the artists’ village, in Porec, Motovun, Rovinj and Pula. They also supply to Rijeka, Split, Vrbnik on the island of Krk and the island of Cres. Starting in 2024, they have opened shops in Slovenia as well.

At the World Spirits Award, this Master Class Distillery 2026 won Gold for Aura Premium Pelinkovac Victoris, Aura Limoncello and Aura Teranino, and Silver for Aura Fernet Amaro 78, Aura Gin Karbun and Orancello.

Oasis Group – Innovation from India

The Oasis business group was founded in 1987 and has made great leaps in terms of growth in the drinks sector – with five distilleries it is currently one of the largest grain distilleries in the country. Its top position in the state of Punjab is made evident by its two state-of-the-art locations in Ferozepur and Bhatiinda, a filling facility in Sandhe Hasham-Ferozepur and a comprehensive sales system in wholesale and retail. In terms of product quality, Oasis is a big player on the emerging Indian spirit market.

At the moment, the Oasis group is active in 18 states in India and also exports to a number of countries in which Indian spirits have market relevance. The classical range includes whisky, vodka, rum, brandy and more, whereby innovative spirits are also dabbled in, such as a ‘healthy’ whisky with aloe vera, ginseng and mangosteen. In the premium product range, you will find a triple distilled vodka, flavoured with apple and orange.

At the World Spirits Award, three products from India were awarded gold: Opm Triple Distilled Vodka, All Season Whisky and 5 Star Walker Golden Reserve Whisky.

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.