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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.

Ehrenwert GmbH: One recipe – two families

One recipe – two families. Each family has its own carefully guarded secret recipe, and with the Lücke family this remained in the hands of grandfather Heinz and later his son Dieter for many decades. Long enough, thought sons Thomas and Christian. In any case, it is the ‘Felsenfeuer’ herb liqueur that once made the Lücke Distillery one of the most important in Münsterland. After the war they continued the success story which first began in the 18th century, with this herb liqueur, using the recipe that Heinz Lücke worked out. In the 1950s everyone was talking about it, but in the 1960s the era of the distillery and the herb liqueur ended. But not for good – 60 years later it celebrated its resurrection with the ‘Freudenfeuer’.

Whilst searching for a distillery, Thomas and Christian kept to family tradition, as their grandmother was a Sasse, and the Sasses’ fine distillery in Schöppingen is still well known today. Following a traditional recipe from 1947 the new liqueur is distilled in small batches and is bottled by hand after a ten-day rest period. Ready to enjoy: neat and ice cold like in the time of our grandfathers, or smoother, on ice with lightly pressed orange zest, or as a basis for a long drink with tonic water or ginger ale. To old times and new friends!

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Freudenfeuer.

Appenzeller Alpenbitter: An aromatic experience from the Appenzellerland region

In 1902, Emil Ebneter and Beat Kölbener laid the foundation stone for Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG. They developed a natural product of excellent quality and with an incomparable aroma, even recommended as a medicinal product by doctors: Appenzeller Alpenbitter with 42 selected herbs. Only two people from the founding and owning family have access to the recipes and compose the blends for further processing in the herb chamber. The original recipe of the most popular bitter in Switzerland is a well-guarded secret. Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG is an exclusively family-run business even today, founded in 1908 as the cooperative Emil Ebneter & Co. In 2006, it was renamed as Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG as a subsidiary of the Emil Ebneter & Co. AG holding.

Thanks to its consistent quality, as well as accomplished marketing and wide distribution, Appenzeller Alpenbitter has become one of the strongest selling spirits on the Swiss market. The traditional product regularly receives awards – from the Exposition Internationale 1907 in Paris through today. The company values innovation and in recent years has added to the product range with various specialities with a prime focus on quality, care and the use of natural raw ingredients. In addition, Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG manufactures licensed products for international suppliers and is the general representative in Switzerland for other spirits.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, Double Gold was awarded to Appenzeller Alpenbitter (Spirit of the Year & Award 2025), Gold to GIN 27 Appenzell Dry Gin, Amarno Amaro Alpino, Kuuhl Minz and Abbacella Orange, and Silver to GIN 27 SOUL OF WOOD.

Ruedi Käser - Triumph of the lord of the castle

"We produce 12 different whiskeys including special varieties - some even for Hapag-Lloyd which are served on the cruise ships MS Europa, MS Hanseatic and MS Bremen. We are also very active in Switzerland, for example as a trend producer for Betty Bossi, a cooking show and marketing range of the Coop company. In September, we are opening our first flagship store in Zurich and our products are already present at the "House of Switzerland" in Peking.

Ruedi Käser and his "Whisky Castle" always cause a stir. From the outside, the building makes a very traditional impression, in the style of an American farm distillery, but the interior is surprising: The distillery on the ground floor resembles an art gallery. The production line consists of the fruit distilling system of the distillery, the pre-stage, and the copper pot still as the core element of whisky production. What follows on after a visit there is the theatre-cum-bistro with terrace. From the top floor, a wonderful view of the vineyards opens up, but visitors can also direct their eyes to the attractive round bar where they can choose the "noble brew" they would like to taste.
A rich diversity in pleasures and a variety of settings - that's the motto that Ruedi and Franziska Käser follow in all their activities on the idyllic farm estate in the Aargau Fricktal valley that invites adventurous visitors to enjoy highly spiritual and culinary experiences. Nature, with its variety of ingredients, yields numerous inspirations. Vineyards, orchards and vegetable patches supply the basic ingredients for spirits, wines, seasonal dishes and delicatessen.
Ruedi Käser's single variety spirits give sensual pleasure, impressions of fragrance and taste with unmistakable aromas. Trial and error was and is the motto here, and the imaginative distiller will certainly not run out of ideas soon.

This year's successes at the World-Spirits Award included a 10th place ranking and title of Master-Class Distillery with gold for the blackthorn and Williams pear and silver for the two cherry brandies and a beer distillate.