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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.

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.

Müller von Kralik: Porky46 – London Dry Gin from Lake Constance

Some years ago, Alexander Müller von Kralik started to devote himself to artisanal spirits in the little town of Immenstaad at Lake Constance. He is directly descended from famous Bohemian glass manufacturers and values the purity of products. After living near London for several years, gin was not unfamiliar to him. But he found most products on the market too simple, too rough and sharp to be enjoyed pure. He therefore set himself the goal of creating a purist London Dry Gin, without adding flavouring or even sugar, absolutely clean and smooth.

‘Lola’, with which distilling is very slow, was produced by the internationally renowned coppersmith Arnold Holstein in the neighbouring village of Markdorf. A traditional London recipe is combined with rare plants from around the world. The 46 manually processed organic botanicals include juniper berries from Tuscany, coriander seeds from England, pepper from Madagascar and Asia, and blossoms and herbs from the Lake Konstanz region. Distilling takes place in small batches of around 150 bottles. After a resting time of more than four months, Porky46 is reduced to 46 volume percent with soft water from Lake Constance, infused with crystal clear alpine streams. There is no filtering before bottling. Every bottle is corked by hand and sealed with wax. Over a further two months, the full taste unfolds, before the handcrafted gin is put on the market. Connoisseurs enjoy it simply on ice with a slice of lemon – or as a traditional gin & tonic.

At the World Spirits Award, silver was awarded to Porky46.

Konkani Distillery: Handcrafted gin with Indian roots

The team at the young distillery in Petershausen were inspired for this gin while on holiday in Goa on the west coast of India – a place to unwind, with dream beaches. The fresh and fruity mango drinks that you can buy on every corner are part of this. This taste experience prompted the creation of a distillate that gives everyone a holiday feeling for a while – a modern New Western Dry Gin with an ‘Indian profile’. The ingredients include tamarind, Litsea cubeba and turmeric, angelica and of course juniper, rounded off with mango and a tangy, fruity touch. The botanicals are processed by hand at Destille Kaltenthaler in Westhofen. You will not find industrial mass goods here, it is about filling dedication and lightness into bottles and providing them to people looking for an individual product.

Since language is the essence of communal living, the language of Goa became the namesake of this gin: Konkani. A mandala was chosen for the bottle design, taking up and representing the essence of botanicals, spices and fruits. In summary, this gin with Indian roots is intended to accompany the moments in life when we are gripped by yearning for a getaway, no matter whether it is on a fun evening, at a garden party or as a guest gift. One can always find an excuse to leave everyday stress behind and to switch off for a while.

At the World Spirits Award, bronze was awarded to KONKANI GOA INSPIRED DRY GIN.