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EDMUNDs Liköre: Modern liqueurs following old pharmacy traditions

In the Rats-Apotheke pharmacy in Bötzingen am Kaiserstuhl, Dr. Martin Kullmer produces four herb liqueurs by hand and in small batches. Only the very best raw materials are used, which meet the stringent requirements of the European pharmacopoeia. The enthusiasm for pharmaceutical preci-sion, the love for high-quality spirits and an accidentally discovered recipe for liqueur awakened an unexpected passion for liqueurs in the pharmacist. And so, in autumn 2017, the EDMUNDs brand was founded – in memory of his deceased grandfather, Edmund Dunkel. He was also a passionate phar-macist and principled connoisseur, who impressed his customers with his homemade liqueurs. Based on this traditional recipe, his grandson has developed four new, individual liqueurs to suit modern-day tastes.

The elegant Maranera bitter combines the aromas of aniseed, fennel and coriander with the subtle spiciness of ginger, galangal and cubeb pepper, complemented by the invigorating acerbity from bit-ter orange and wormwood. Krambambuli is a complex liqueur with floral, spicy, fruity and bitter components. The leading role with Kolanitida, an intensively fragrant liqueur, is played by the kola nut. And the powerful Bitterfürst is characterised by tangy herbal notes and spicy sweetness – exciting and impressive.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for EDMUNDs Bitterfürst and EDMUNDs Krambambuli, and silver for EDMUNDs Maranera and EDMUNDs Kolanitida.

The Shropshire Gin Company – Passion and a fighting spirit for gin

The company Van den Berg is newly founded, at the end of 2019, with an online shop also opening at the same time. “Our shop is simple, but very aesthetic and reflects what our spices are: elegant, colourful, tasteful and incredibly versatile. It invites you to go where discoveries and journeys never end. For us there are no boundaries here, because spices have never known any either,” is how marketing manager Fabian Held explains it. The passion for fine aromas and exceptional tastes is evident in around 250 spices and herbs from A to Z – available pure and as the finest blends according to their own recipes. All of this can be found at the manufacturing site in Graz, with direct sales, a sampling room, a lounge and a production hall.

And then there are herbs and spices whose aroma only really unfolds in a dissolved form such as in gin or vermouth, because alcohol helps even the finest aromas to develop. The London Dry Gin presents itself with a distinct juniper fragrance, fine herbal nuances with rosemary and others, as well as elegant hints of fruit and a pinch of citrus and peach. The Distiller’s Cut Gin has a surprising aroma that evokes lemon, lime and bergamot, a citrus fruit that grows wild in the south of Italy. The basis for the Wermut rosso is a Zweigelt from the highest altitude vineyard in Styria. The gin used complements the wine with a fine tanginess.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Van den Berg London Dry Gin, Van den Berg Distiller’s Cut and Van den Berg Wermut rosso.

Rhumerie de Chamarel - Rhumerie de Chamarel – A newcomer with vision

This high-quality rum from the island of Mauritius is produced in line with ecological guidelines. The products are distributed in Austria by the company Wind GmbH, based in Traiskirchen (www.wind-plast.at).

The road leads through extensive pineapple plantations and fields of sugar cane up to the distillery at an altitude of 300 m in the South-West of the island. Designed by a renowned architect, the building is elegant and authentic and a fine example of modern construction with its natural materials such as wood, stone and water. The comprehensive concept also incorporates the L’Alchimiste restaurant where up to 80 guests can savour the sophisticated regional cuisine. At the “Sugar Cane Spirit” boutique, various types of rum are on offer (White Rum, Le Coeur de Chauffe (fine brandy), Rum Paille (stored in wooden casks), Rum Arrange (flavoured with fruits and spices) as well as an exclusive clothing range, hand-made products and a small jewellery collection.

The location and climate of the fertile valley promote the growth and quality of the sugarcane. The sugarcane is harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning and processed at the mill within four hours. The fields are not normally burnt, as is usually the case, to make harvesting easier. Even when distilling at the highest modern levels of technology, nothing is wasted: the bagasse – the fibrous remnants of the sugar production process – is burnt to obtain energy. The chimney contains the very latest smoke filters and the ash is used to fertilise the fields.

The company yet again impressed at the World-Spirits Award, with one gold and four silvers.