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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.

Stock Polska – Prestige products with history

Polmos Lublin (known today as Stock Polska) was founded by the industrialist Emil Plage in Lublin in 1906 and was able to survive both world wars and the communist state leadership. The company was nationalised in 1948 and re-privatised in 2001. It traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange until 2005 and was sold in 2006. The new owners, Oaktree Capital Management, purchased the spirits division from Eckes Stock in 2007 and thereby laid the foundations for the current Stock Spirits Group. The company has its headquarters in Luxembourg, its service centre in Great Britain and its production sites in the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland.

Stock dates back to the year 1884 when Lionello Stock founded a beverages business in Trieste. He purchased a distillery in 1920 in what is currently part of the Czech Republic with the aim of tapping into new markets. This was followed by distilleries, bottling plants and warehouses in Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia. In the 1920s, Stock was one of the biggest companies of its kind in Europe.

After an absence of 70 years, Stock returned to Poland and began to manufacture at the historic site of Lublin, 150 kilometres south-east of Warsaw. Intensive investment led to the creation of the most modern distillery in Poland and a leadership position on the vodka market. Poland’s most popular flavoured vodka is produced here: Zoladkowa Gorzka.

Lots of Stock products are produced by traditional recipes. These classical brands appeal to connoisseurs all over the world. In return, work is constantly being done on innovations that correspond to modern tastes and new drinking cultures. Quality standards are constantly upheld in both areas, of course.

The quality of the products was recognised at the World Spirits Award with a gold medal for the Orkisz Spelt Vodka.

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.

Edgar Wernbacher – Authenticity from Hochsteiermark

For over 65 years, the Wernbacher family business has been known for stylish, traditional costume fashion. This means the best quality of materials and high-quality workmanship just as much as the love of tradition and its modern interpretation. This philosophy also applies to the distillery. “My grandfather was a connoisseur, and I also became a gourmet. A few years ago, my dreams came true with the opening of the new traditional costume shop and distillery. With the traditional costumes, our company is based on tradition, honesty, consistency and living handicrafts, and that is also reflected in our fine brandies. The time is right for honest and authentic concepts and products.”

The raw materials largely originate from the region: “Waldheimat – Semmering – Veitsch” which is how the easternmost area of Hochsteiermark is known. Fresh fruit is sorted by hand, cooled and prepared for the mash. Free from additives or sugar, distillation is carried out according to traditional double distilling methods in copper boilers. The resulting products have an unmistakable, genuine fruity character. The new product is Gin Bumm, which carries the ‘emblem’ of the company on its label – the stone sheep ram Ötzi. The idea arose during a gin tasting in London, and the final result is a very clear, high-quality London Dry Gin. Among the 13 botanicals, lavender, citrus and wild fennel determine the taste as well as juniper berries.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Rosenapfel (apple), Der Nimbus Apfel Cuvée (apple), Der Mythos Obst Cuvée (fruits), Schafnase Apfel (apple), and silver for Edgar’s Gin Bumm and red Williams pear.