World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).

MBG International Premium Brands – Brands with added value

“We Love Liquids.” This slogan has accompanied MBG on its worldwide path of success since it was founded in 1993 under the name P.O.S. Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH: Strong brands have been established around the world in nearly 60 countries, with innovative own brands, renowned retail brands, great ideas and a lot of energy. With over 250 employees, the MBG Group currently generates over € 200 million and, every year, more than a million hectolitres are produced. The portfolio in Germany includes 12 own brands and 6 retail brands (from non-alcoholic drinks to low proof drinks to wines & spirits) for 90,000 customers.

“Our recipe for successful brands is the mixture of passion, conviction and knowledge of the market. If all goes well, names and products become new worlds which consumers love. Success is not always predictable, which means that courage is needed above all. The right moment has to be found and hard work put in, just like with a hit single: some are one hit wonders while others become classics.” Little can be added to this definition from Managing Director Andreas W. Herb. From the MBG Group headquarters in Paderborn, a great deal of expertise makes successful brands, tailored to the respective target group and the market segment. Many brands that are well known on shop shelves and in the gastronomy sector have played a role in the history of the company.

Participation in the World Spirits Award yielded gold for Dos Mas Nasty Nuts Shot.

Braunstein - Micro Whisky from Denmark

Denmark’s first ‘micro-distillery’ was built in an existing brewery in Køge to the south of Copenhagen. The first whisky barrel was filled in 2007 and since then, some 50,000 litres per year have been produced. The first sales of malt whisky from the new distillery took place on 22nd March 2010 across Denmark, marking the start of a new Danish whisky tradition.
When it comes to getting the right ingredients, facilities and production, the owners are not willing to compromise. However, this is not enough to simply produce exceptional whisky. The key issue for the end product are the oak barrels in which the whisky matures and gets its colour. Being a microdistillery with the necessary resources at its disposal makes it possible to select only the best barrels to mature the ‘fruity new make spirit’.
The limited production also makes it possible to observe the development of each individual cask month by month to ensure that only exclusive whisky series are bottled. These are known as the ‘Library Collection’ and are deliberately unique and only available in limited quantities on the market.

Quality, not quantity – the small range of spirits was honoured at the World Spirits Award for this, and received double gold for Braunstein Edition 7 and Braunstein 15:2 (Spirit of the Year 2016), gold for Danica Gin and Danica Vodka, as well as silver for Braunstein 15:1.

Korn- und Edelobstbrennerei Schlitzer: Enjoyment backed by history

The foundation stone was laid in 1585 by Count Eustach von Schlitz, who first brewed beer in the little village of Sandlofs – today a district of the town of Schlitz. In 1616, a distillery was built next to the brewery, and then a good 100 years later a new building was constructed at the Auerhahn brewery, as it was called back then. It is documented that the Counts of Schlitz owned the distilling rights from 1732. Over centuries, grain spirit was made from regional wheat in this area. In the 1950s, the distillery was relocated to its present-day site, the former count’s sheep farm. In 1969, the Graf Görtz’sche Kornbrennerei along with the Karlshof was transferred to the ownership of the state of Hesse and was a state enterprise until 30 September 2006. In 2006, the town of Schlitz bought the company and founded Schlitzer Korn- und Edelobstbrennerei GmbH, with Schlitz (90%) and Hünfeld (10%) as stakeholders.

The product range is comprised of grain and fine fruit brandies, as well as fruit and herb liqueurs, and since the beginning of the 1980s also whisky. Managing Director Tobias Wiedelbach and his team continue to create the finest brandies at the same site, even though the head office and owners have changed. Many of the products draw on centuries-old recipes. The long-established distillery in the picturesque castle town is also a worthwhile tourist destination. Guided tours take you through the grain and whisky distillery, distillation, storage cellar, fine fruit distillery and bottling plant, showing the varied world of distilling. The outlet sales point has been newly designed, using original Schlitz barrels.

At the World Spirits Award, Milde Himbeere (raspberry) achieved gold, while Whisky Liqueur and Burgen Dry Gin achieved silver.