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Pussanga: Inspired in South America, handmade in Germany

A liqueur as mysterious as its name: the recipe contains pomegranate, the love apple of mythology, ginger and chilli, cardamom, bourbon vanilla and aphrodisiac plants from South America with the Indian name Pussanga. The root was discovered by the natural product chemist Petra Spamer-Riether in the Peruvian jungle when she was collecting medicinal plants for a scientific project.

Pussanga is a high-proof liqueur: it is fruity, subtly spicy and slightly bitter. On its own, it is a high-quality digestif thanks to its high cardamom content, and it also offers many creative possibilities for extravagant cocktails and aperitifs. The spirit is produced by HS Heidelberg Spirits GmbH by hand at Gut Schwechow in Mecklenburg-West Pomerania. Following Petra Spamer-Riether’s recipe, the plants from all over the world are manually macerated in stages for 14 days, then filtered several times and stored. Each bottle is filled and labelled by hand. The fine liqueur was already one of the 100 most innovative spirits in the world at Cocktail Spirits Paris in 2015. Pussanga has now celebrated its tenth birthday, as a new batch with a balanced spiciness. There was a magnificent creation for the occasion: Tropical Negroni – Pussanga and rum. Over the past ten years, three more exceptional products have been created in the search for that special botanical: Schrödinger’s Cat Gin with catnip in 2017, Destiller’s Cut with clary sage in 2019 and Anna Famosa with peach and spicy roses in 2021. The Anna Famosa recipe dates from 1900 and is based on family botanical experience.

Pussanga won silver at the World Spirits Award.

RhochzweiLiquids: Two master brewers from Ulm with gin in their sights

Korbinian Rau and Dominik Russ met in 2013 in the master school in Ulm. They then each went their own way, workwise, but in 2017 they found themselves working together in the same brewery. As a hobby they started to experiment with a small, homemade pot still. The results were sampled by friends and found to be rather drinkable. Their main profession as master brewers enabled the two of them to improve their distillates with creativity and passion, and so they decided to start up their own small company in February 2018.

RhochzweiLiquids Gbr was the beginning of turning their hobby into a side business. The sales figures are still small but are growing healthily – and the first product, Ulmer Ginger Gin, has received posi-tive feedback in the region. The gin stands out amongst the huge range because some of the ingredi-ents they use are ones you would expect to find in a brewery, and this appeals to the whole Ulm bar scene. Their aim is not to grow quickly, but rather to keep the hobby as such and to consistently guar-antee the highest quality with regional ingredients and passion.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Ulmer Ginger Gin and Ulmer Ginger Gin Winter Edition.

Clint Wilfred & Sons – Good taste for rapidly expanding markets

Clint Wilfred & Sons Ltd brings a carefully selected portfolio of drinks to the Gulf region and Southeast Asia. The young company targets fast-moving products in the HORECA – Hotel/Restaurant/Café and Hotel/Restaurant/Catering market segment. It is run by Clint Wilfred, whose family has been in the spirit production and distribution business for over four decades.

One main focus of business activities lies in the United Arab Emirates. To offer new products on this rapidly growing market is a great challenge, as the demand for premium and niche products is constantly increasing and customers’ wishes are very diverse. The range, therefore, also includes non-alcoholic and carbonated soft drinks, still and sparkling water, ready-to-drink teas, energy sport drinks and other New Age drinks. There is also a strong focus on a wide selection of packaging sizes and formats.

One special product in the spirits product category is Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky, a premium blend with a high malt content from the Scottish Speyside region and with some lowland malt for added depth and character.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Count Cristo Blended Scotch Whisky.

2B Hemp Gin: Styrian gin experience

Two visionaries, Armin Breinl (doctor, drink creator, musician) and Wolfgang Thomann (gin maker), have created a completely new gin experience with real hemp powder: 2B HEMP GIN (inspired by AEIJST). On 17th November 2018, the two invited guests to the first tasting of 2B HEMP GIN in the AEIJST GIN distillery in St. Nikolai in the Sausal Valley.

Made from organic juniper berries, this innovative gin has an impressive, mild and fruity taste and a typical hemp note. Due to its unique aroma, it not only tastes good neat, but also creates a ‘wow’ effect in cocktails – as proven in the long drink Styrian Pale Gin AEIJST refined with 2B HEMP.

For thousands of years, hemp has been grown as a valuable plant, be it for rope, fabric, paper or as an active ingredient in ointments and tinctures. Hemp has always been highly valued for its medicinal properties, yet recently has been demonised as an addictive drug and has suffered under its ensuing prohibition, originating in the USA. These days hemp is regaining importance and is being used more as a luxury food as well as in medicine as a therapeutic agent.

The Lifestyle Trading company, run by Armin Breinl, is an innovative beverage producer, which is already known amongst trade professionals for its sugar-free ‘func- tional fruit drinks’. The drinks have a high fruit content (more than 50 per cent) and additional natural, vital substances and have an energising, relaxing and regenerative effect.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for 2B HEMP GIN.