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Ron Elba – Rum from the Elbe

At Ron Elba the clue is in the name – a rum from the Elbe. It is produced by hand by two young men from Hamburg: Hannes, a process engineer, has a penchant for concentrating aromas in distillates. That means he was probably made to manufacture rum. Daniel, a businessman and sports lover, found Hannes to be a congenial partner following his conversion to a cognoscente of fine drink. Both men are neither marketing professionals nor large investors; they see themselves as ‘men of conviction, who have made rum with a love of detail’. They worked over two years on producing a rum which stands out immediately from industrial products. With it they attract people who are also not entirely satisfied with what’s on offer.

The choice molasses comes from the island of Mauritius. Cultured yeast is also used. The rum is surprisingly fruity and complex, it needs neither artificial aromas nor sugar, and is therefore described as a ‘dry’ rum. Distillation (still) takes place at a colleague’s distillery in a three-stage rectifier with a special process stage, which makes the distillate especially smooth. From mashing to fermentation tracking to distilling and blending with northern German well water and filling into bottles, both aficionados are always present. The objective is to grow organically, in order to purchase their own distilling equipment as soon as possible and to establish a new rum distillery in Hamburg.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Ron Elba – Hamburg Dry Rum.

Dons of Gin: Redevelopment of a classic

Two friends tell the story of how they arrived at their own gin: “We were in Paris, the city of love. Our wives had gone out and we were minding the children. When they were fast asleep, we pursued our favourite hobby: sampling gins, on this occasion local French ones. It was then that we decided to create our own London Dry Gin, without an overtone but with the rarely used Schinus berries, the fruit of the Brazilian pepper tree. This crackpot idea resulted in our first gin and many samplings and tastings followed with friends in order to determine where to go with the taste. With our master distiller, we then went into detail and reduced the botanicals – including ginger, lime and lemon zest – to show that sometimes less complexity is required, just like in life. The result is a gin with 18 botanicals that stimulates our senses and releases new nuances with every sip.”

The Dons of Gin want to appeal to all those who value a relaxed atmosphere with their loved ones, who like to slow down and enjoy carefree time together. Of course, a good gin is part of this, whether pure or with an Indian-style tonic water. The two of them know a lot about this and have put together quite a little ‘library’ – from the history of gin and different types to cocktails and food pairing.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Dons of Gin.

MBG International Premium Brands – Brands with added value

“We Love Liquids.” This slogan has accompanied MBG on its worldwide path of success since it was founded in 1993 under the name P.O.S. Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH: Strong brands have been established around the world in nearly 60 countries, with innovative own brands, renowned retail brands, great ideas and a lot of energy. With over 250 employees, the MBG Group currently generates over € 200 million and, every year, more than a million hectolitres are produced. The portfolio in Germany includes 12 own brands and 6 retail brands (from non-alcoholic drinks to low proof drinks to wines & spirits) for 90,000 customers.

“Our recipe for successful brands is the mixture of passion, conviction and knowledge of the market. If all goes well, names and products become new worlds which consumers love. Success is not always predictable, which means that courage is needed above all. The right moment has to be found and hard work put in, just like with a hit single: some are one hit wonders while others become classics.” Little can be added to this definition from Managing Director Andreas W. Herb. From the MBG Group headquarters in Paderborn, a great deal of expertise makes successful brands, tailored to the respective target group and the market segment. Many brands that are well known on shop shelves and in the gastronomy sector have played a role in the history of the company.

Participation in the World Spirits Award yielded gold for Dos Mas Nasty Nuts Shot.

Tradition Mexico – Tequila without compromises

The friends behind Padre azul, the new tequila in the premium segment, stand united on one matter: their passion for Mexico. “We appreciate high quality tequila, and with Padre azul we are bringing an exclusive product to Europe. We searched for the perfect distillery for a long time. At Tres Mujeres in Jalisco in the highlands of Mexico we found what we were looking for.” 100% Mexico – 100% handcraft – 100% agave.

These requirements and quality criteria apply to the whole production process, which is why each bottle also wears the sought-after quality seal from the Mexican authorities, “Consejo Regulador del Tequila” (CRT). There were no compromises when it came to the design of the bottles: they are made by hand and adorned with a 270g skull which represents the skull culture of Mexico.

Padre azul is available in three grades of maturity, depending on the length of storage. The Añejo usually spends eighteen months in French oak barrels to achieve a mature, full-bodied taste. The Reposado needs at least eight months in barrels for its subtle vanilla tone. The Blanco is a clear tequila which is bottled straight after distillation – it is soft and mild in taste. None of the three need salt or lemon – you can enjoy them neat. True to the motto: no compromises.

At the World Spirits Award, the trio was very successful: there was double gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul anejo, gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul reposado, and silver for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul blanco.