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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.

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.

Burgunderhof – A high-flying young entrepreneur

When Julica Renn gets in her helicopter and flies over the vineyards, it is clear that the former wine princess is no cliché. Together with her parents she runs the Burgunderhof, the first certified climate-neutral and ecologically run winery and hotel on Lake Constance. Since 2016, she has been the managing director and equal partner of the winery, the distillery and the hotel, and with her unusual start-up she has ushered in the generation change to the Burgunderhof with a flourish: MILE HIGH 69® is the name of the protected brand of her exclusive gin label. The laborious batch production is worth it, the end result is a very small edition of a great product – stylishly presented in aluminium containers with lots of 1920s flair: a homage to the pioneer times of the famous Dornier flying boats, which conquered the world from Lake Constance.

These days, Julica Renn conquers the gin world and benefits from over 300 years of family tradition. The standards are high – father Heiner Renn is known for fine fruit brandies and wines. His daughter has inherited his sense of business and fine sense of taste. In the secret recipe of her gin composition you will find juniper, sweet almond, lemon balm and elderflower, as well as kumquats, pine buds, lime and inflorescence from Müller-Thurgau. In the unfiltered distillation, the ethereal components are optimally released and the aromas elegantly highlighted – 19 natural botanicals and pure Lake Constance water promise a pleasurable experience, which Julica Renn presents impeccably: online, on Facebook and in the web shop.

At the World Spirits Award, the gin flew straight to gold.

Drink Syndikat: Enjoy bar culture at home

Since 2014, Erik Pfauth and Jens Hoffmann have been creating cocktail kits for at home use – of the highest standards and inspired by the international bar scene. They cooperate for this purpose with renowned bartenders and independent distilleries. Their fascination for high-quality spirits and the knowledge gathered in recent years are concentrated in the spirits collection. To date, a spirits quartet with innovative character has been created: 3 x rum and 1 x gin.

Erik and Jens are fascinated by rum, because there is scarcely another spirit that is so multifaceted, in their view. It is therefore their centrepiece for the creation of new taste sensations. Nicolas Kröger from Wagemut Produktion GmbH is responsible for development and production. He imports Caribbean rum and refines it in sherry and port barrels, among others – with his expertise and according to the directives of Drink Syndikat.

Cookie Dough Rum has an enticing biscuit-vanilla aroma, integrated into rums from Barbados and Panama, and matured in white oak barrels. Port Cask Rum Panama is a blend of 8, 13 and 18-year-old rum, matured in tawny port barrels. Hazelnut Rum is a duet of rum and spirits with natural hints of roasted hazelnuts. The rum from the renowned Foursquare Rum Distillery from Barbados matured for twelve years in ex-bourbon whiskey barrels. It was ground with the hazelnut spirit of the Black Forest distiller Stefan Marder. The blend matured for three months in freshly emptied Pedro Ximénez sherry barrels.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Cookie Dough Infused Rum, and silver to Hazelnut Rum, Port Cask Rum and the Dry Gin house gin.