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BOAR Distillery: Appreciation as a tradition since 1844!

The roots of the small traditional distillery go back to 1844. Making use of the distillery licence dating back to that time, they began to develop a gin in 2014, using everything that their homeland offered: native, authentic ingredients in their purest form. It took over a year to find the perfect recipe. The result was a very good gin, but with a slightly bitter and sharp finish like many others. Whilst searching for a solution, they stumbled on an exciting discovery. Germany used to be a well-known truffle nation. When truffle searching was forbidden in 1935 by the German Reich nature conservation law, the black gold was forgotten about – and it only became an integral part of this gin concept much later. At the end of 2015, a discovery helped the distillers achieve their aim: the truffle removed the bitterness and sharpness from the gin, depending on the method and timing of the addition. The crowning finale had been reached – the harmony of the elements: the BOAR effect.

Mineral-rich deep spring water drenches the soil of the Black Forest and refines the ingredients into their purest form – above and below the ground. Wild-growing, natural botanicals are combined in this composition, refined and accentuated through essences of the rare Black Forest gold, the Black Forest Burgundy truffle. Handmade and distilled in small batches, this gin is an ambassador for the pleasures offered by this unique region in southern Germany.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for BOAR Gin (Spirit of the Year & World Spirits Award), and silver for Berry Herb Liqueur Caliber 1844.

Destillerie & Brennerei Heinrich Habbel: A maker of special products

Founded in 1878, the grain distillery and adjoining farm is run by the fourth generation of the family. In keeping with tradition, the focus is on classic craftsmanship with great attention to detail. In 2013, the new Hillock Park Distillery was built with pot stills and state-of-the-art technology, named after their established brand of whiskies and liqueurs. The distillery and the western-style saloon make an ideal venue for monthly tastings with changing themes. The distillery is a popular destination in Sprockhövel, excellent for combining shopping in a historic setting with a visit to the cosy restaurant and best whisky bar. The distillery has been named one of the best whisky stores in Germany every year since 2011.

Particular attention is paid to sustainability, with raw materials coming from the region over the shortest possible distances. Well water from their own forest spring guarantees purity and unadulterated taste. Barrel selection is also very important. In addition to first-fill barrels of various origins, new barrels have also been stored in the Hillock Warehouse with the OXOline barrel storage system since 2022. The innovative barrel management system also allows for limited special bottlings. The single malts Hillock 6 ex-Bourbon, Hillock 6 Portwine and Hillock 6 Triple Wood were made from former rum, port and bourbon barrels and were released recently.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Deputat, silver for Hillock Honey & Herbs Single Malt Whisky Liqueur, Hillock Honey Single Malt Whisky Liqueur, Hillock 12 Single Malt Whisky, Hillock 6 Portwine Single Malt Whisky and Hillock 6 ex-Bourbon Single Malt Whisky, and bronze for Single Malt Whisky.

Luding Group: Vodka Tchaikovsky as a high-spirited homage to the famous composer

At the beginning of the 1990s, the modern distillery ‘Fortuna’ was launched in a green field in the south of Russia – in the Krasnodar region, a strip of land with spa resorts and health centres. The distillery has specialised in unusual products, in a region with a particularly green fingerprint. The vodka created in honour of the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky is special. The concept for this exceptional product is comparable with one of his musical scores: the work ‘Swan Lake’ served as an inspiration. Art enthusiasts can thus immerse themselves in the history of Russian estate life in the 19th century. The traditional white and blue colours underline the purity of this vodka.

The technical particularities span a wide quality-orientated spectrum: from the selected wheat, their own well water and the special treatment of the distillate with skimmed milk powder to the crystal-clear filtration with active birch coal. With so much perfectionism and monitoring of the individual production steps, the result is an especially gentle, animating and very typical vodka based on wheat. After the diluting of alcohol and pure distillate, the production process is continued with maturation in steel tanks. The aim is to ‘wed’ both ‘waters’, resulting in an especially harmonious vodka.

At the World Spirits Award 2022, Vodka Tchaikovsky was awarded double gold and honoured as the best vodka with the title ‘Spirit of the Year’.

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.