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Magi – Rivo Gin: Magic in a bottle

The mountains, the wind, deep blue water, sparkling waves – the essence of all this is captured in each bottle of Rivo Gin and it conveys the magic of this location. You can feel yourself transported to a sunny spring day on Lake Como. A light breeze brings fresh fragrances of the herbal flowers, which grow on the mountainsides. Over centuries, they have been gathered by the women in the area to make traditional medicines, some even say they have magical healing properties. ‘Foreaging’ – the art of gathering wild herbs in ‘the wilderness’ – provides a connection to nature. The special combination of plants, which have never before been joined together in a gin, resulted in the ‘aroma bouquet’ of the Rivo as a unique imprint of the natural beauty of the region.

The twelve botanicals include thyme, aniseed and lemon balm, combined with juniper, coriander, cardamom and angelica. The aromatic herbs are harvested three times a year. A lot of time and skill is needed, but it is deeply satisfying manual work. Only the finest Italian corn brandy is used, and each ingredient is separately macerated and distilled. The botanicals are used when fresh, to intensify the aroma. Magic as a theme also inspires the packaging and labelling of Rivo Gin. Geometric lines combine to form abstract elements, which are symbolic of the mountains and the waves of the lake.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for RIVO Lake Como Foraged Gin.

WoifGin: Sustainability and organic certification

Markus Peherstorfer has been refining the family tradition of distilling in his Waldviertel hometown and experimenting with it himself for years. His initial results were good but lacking focus. Then, in 2020, his good friend and neighbour Hubert Krenn asked him why he didn’t want to do ‘something proper’. Over the course of a long night of discussion, the idea for a Waldviertel Premium London Dry Gin was born. After long experimentation with a two-litre mini distillery, he had finally created something excellent. This is how the Woif brand originated, with the focus on something special right from the start: a quality product with an unusual name and the development of an organic line.

After converting the stables on his parents’ farm into a tasting room, the ‘Woifshöhle’, and its opening in September 2021, things happened quickly: WoifGin GmbH was founded at the beginning of December 2021, events were attended, marketing was driven forward, the online store was opened and more. There was already great success in the first year when ‘Das goldene Stamperl’ won Bronze at the Destillata and became the Lower Austrian regional champion. These accolades drove the development of further gin variants. The results are LuXX (with notes of lemon, lavender and lemon balm) and FiNK (sloe gin with the aroma of sloe harvested after the frost) as well as the cocktail punch creation NEPoLUXX (turmeric, ginger and more). WoifGin has been certified organic since February 2022, followed by LuXX in May. All ingredients come from controlled organic cultivation by regional partner companies. This sustainability strategy is an essential part of the corporate philosophy.

At the World Spirits Award, there was Gold for Luxx Waldviertler Premium BIO Gin and Woif Waldviertler Premium BIO Gin London Dry, and Bronze for FiNK Waldviertler Premium BIO SLOE Gin.

Berentzen Group: 260 years of cultured distilled spirits

Berentzen Group is an innovative beverage company that boasts a wide portfolio and develops, produces and markets varied and fashionable drinks concepts. The portfolio includes spirits, alcohol-free beverages and fresh juices. With over 260 years of experience, they are one of the oldest national manufacturers of spirits and have a market presence in over 60 countries to date, with brands such as Berentzen and Puschkin as well as reasonably priced private label products.

In April 2023, Norden Sea Salt Gin was launched on the German market under the Doornkaat brand. It is a speciality on the gin shelf, as selected North Sea botanicals create an extraordinary and intense taste experience: juniper provides the spice, sea buckthorn and rosehip the fruity tartness. Norden Sea Salt Gin is rounded off with a pinch of sea salt. This spirit spreads the genuine nature and authenticity of the North Sea coast throughout Germany. It is versatile and can be enjoyed neat, on ice or mixed as a long drink or cocktail.

Tres Países Premium Rum combines distillates from Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic. After being stored for up to eight years in American white oak bourbon casks, they come to Europe for refinement by the master blender. The characteristics of the countries provide the taste profile: vanilla and butterscotch, elegant fruit, banana and chocolate. It is also available in a port cask finish, which is refined in aged casks for another six months.

At the World Spirits Award 2026, there was Gold for Tres Países Premium Rum and Silver for Doornkaat Norden Sea Salt Gin.