World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

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.

Bonner Manufaktur: Small yet exquisite

The Bonner Manufaktur was born from a dream that originated in 2015 – a dream to produce something unique and handcrafted. Specifically, it was about a spirit, produced with passion and dedication following traditional methods. In the beginning it was the naked GiN, which has since won several national and international awards, joined in 2018 by Mr. Williams pear brandy and Mrs. Williams pear liqueur. The same applies for this pair: quality and tradition are the greatest priorities.

The finest ingredients and gentle distillation methods bring the pear out of its slightly dusty niche, as Daniel Wartacz, founder and ‘number one’ in the company, charmingly remarks. In the sub-Mediterranean climate by Lake Constance, the pears can develop their typical aroma on the tree until the very last moment, before being transformed into liqueur and brandy. What that tastes like can be sampled since 2018 in the Wohnzimmer - drinking office on Bonn’s Theaterstraße, the new home of these spirits and slightly unusual tasting evenings. This combination of shop, event room and office is open on Thursdays and Saturdays for those wanting to stock up on special wine and spirit specialities.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Mrs. Williams – finest Williams Christ pear liqueur, and silver for Mr. Williams – finest Williams Christ pear brandy.

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.