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INDUSTRIAL EL ROSARIO: Traditional pisco from Chile

Bou Barroeta is located in Viña El Rosario in the heart of the Huasco Valley, known as the Garden of Atacama. Lush, colourful flora unfold in the middle of a desert landscape, where excellent pisco has been produced for generations. Pisco is based on handpicked muscatel grapes and distilled in traditional alembics. The wood for the barrels in which the pisco matures comes from the mountains near Lago Calafquén in the heart of the Mapuche region. For these indigenous people, the Coyan oak symbolises new life and the immortality of the soul. In this sense, the barrel storage is also a promise for the longevity of the distillate.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was a large wave of immigration from the Spanish Balearic Islands to the areas of Coquimbo and Atacama in northern Chile. 19-year-old Francisco Bou Suñer, a master distiller, belonged to one of these first settler families of Majorcan origin. In 1903, his younger brother Antonio and his sisters joined him to settle in Vallenar, the capital of the province of Huasco. Antonio was one of the first pisco producers in Atacama to present his pisco at the Ibero-American Exhibition in Seville in 1930. In 1940, he married Celestina Barroeta Arrieta, and they had four children. After Antonio’s death in 1961, his son Francisco continued production and the pisco was registered as Bou Barroeta pisco in the 1980s. Today, his descendants are in charge of the El Rosario company.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, there was Gold for Bou Barroeta Marías, and Silver for Cofradía de Bou Barroeta, Luxstelle de Bou Barroeta and Noor de Bou Barroeta.

Milano Dry Gin – As clear and structured as ice

Milan’s first real London Dry Gin has an unusual name: Giass – which means ice. Five friends who enjoy meeting up for an aperitif in the evening are behind it: Andrea and Simone Romiti, Richard D'Annunzio, Francesco Niutta and Francesco Braggiotti. The simple, time-honoured ritual is the same as the process that turns clear water into a structured block of ice – transparent and brilliant in its recurring irregularity. This idea would eventually lead to a very individual gin.

Within the framework of the EXPO 2015, Andrea and Simone worked on a project on wine, food and quality drinks. Richard, a passionate barman who likes to spend his time creating new drinks, joined them. For gin-based cocktails he turned his kitchen into a lab, the dishwasher became an improvised ‘distillery’, where he ‘brewed’ herb extracts in 30 minutes at 65 degrees. So the idea emerged to produce their own gin – and they bought a 3-litre distillation flask.

In search of the botanicals, the friends decided on 18 ingredients: juniper berries, coriander seeds, angelica root, dried apple, dried orange peel, rose petals, camomile flowers, violet flowers, orange blossom, hibiscus flowers, ground almonds, mint leaves, fennel seeds, lemon verbena, cardamom seeds, lemon balm, cinnamon and thyme. The gin is sold in an elegant, screen printed bottle, inspired by the floors of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for London Dry Gin.

Jim Beam Distillery – Bourbon straight on

Knob Creek is named after a rivulet in Kentucky, the home of President Abraham Lincoln. His steadfast attitude seems to serve as an example for this straightforward bourbon. The square ‘chemist’s bottle’ suits these traditional values perfectly, as does the striking label which is reminiscent of the old tradition of wrapping bottles in newspaper. To this day, a mixture of experience and craftsmanship is the recipe for success for the bourbon from Knob Creek.

The bourbon was at the peak of its success in 1919, when the nationwide prohibition of the sale, manufacture and transport of alcohol began – lasting until 1933. Following this, a new start was impossible for many distilleries; others couldn’t finance the customary long maturing process of the bourbon. This situation motivated Booker Noe to revive the traditional bourbon style from the time before the prohibition: rich in aroma, with discreet sweetness due to year-long maturation in strongly ‘toasted’ wooden barrels from American white oak. In 1950, he joined the family business – his mother was the daughter of Jim Beam, which meant bourbon was already in his blood – and completed his training as Master Distiller. With the small series of premium bourbon he launched, the term ‘batch’ (small) was established and revolutionised the industry. His son, Fred Noe, continues with this clear strategy: “I learnt the business from scratch, listened to my father and learnt on the job. I know what it means to make perfect bourbon. Each bottle is a reflection of my family.” Since 1992, the Knob Creek brand has represented these values with the perfect combination of tradition and top quality.

A golden trio was successful at the World Spirits Award: Knob Creek Rye Whiskey Small Batch, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon and Knob Creek Straight Bourbon.

Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).