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Porta – Vodka from Argentina

The Italian Porta family left their homeland of Lombardy in 1882 and migrated to Argentina, where they set up a distillery. The company has been under the direction of its fourth generation of managers since 1981 and has extended its fields of business in various directions since then. It has also moved its location to the industrial site of Cordoba where modern distilling and vinegar making are now possible within this new setting – the country is in fact the market leader in the country for Balsamic vinegar production. The company has its own research labs where new developments are made in the areas of cosmetics and disinfection. The diversity and complexity of the range of products on offer is guaranteed by highly qualified specialists.
When producing its spirits, the company places a great deal of importance on natural raw materials and skilled craftsmanship. Recipes handed down over many generations are implemented using modern technology and adhering to strict quality controls. The traditional Fernet 1882 brand as well as rum and liqueur made from wild cherries and coffee have recently been complemented by the addition of Nikov vodka to the range which comes in four different flavours – classic, mandarin, vanilla and red fruits. The Nikov vodka has been awarded the Superior Taste Award by the International Taste & Quality Institute in Brussels. This independent organisation of chefs and sommeliers works to assess, award and promote foods and beverages with exceptional flavour.
Nikov vodka also impressed at the World-Spirits Award and was awarded a gold by the jury.

Heidebrennerei Bosselmann: Chemist and botanist, hunter and gatherer

The Heidebrennerei Distillery lies amidst the Luneburg Heath at the gateway to Hamburg. All their botanicals grow in the immediate vicinity in the largest heather biosphere reserve amidst moors and the 4,000-year-old burial mounds that characterise this rough landscape. The basis of their range is always formed by a strong hint of juniper, rounded off with a fruity body of sloe, wild blackberries and cranberries. The fresh citrus flavour of the Heidegin (heath gin) is provided by lemon balm, lemon verbena and fresh Douglas fir. Further botanicals include juniper branches and heather.

Gerhard Bosselmann and two herb ladies – the heart of the distillery – gather many ingredients themselves. Nearly all the botanicals are ground by hand to best release the essential oils. The mash is processed in stages over 72 hours and the distilling process ends at 40% to ensure an optimal taste. The gin is always unfiltered. Barrel Aged Gin is a speciality for which previously used oak and chestnut barrels are utilised.

The softest water from sources under filtering moors and sand dunes is guided over rose quartz and semi-precious stones after an ion exchange to relax it. “The distillery is a 120-litre facility, we produce the smallest batches in a London Dry Gin procedure in Germany’s purportedly smallest private gin distillery – under the motto of slow distillation at a low temperature. I am determined not to focus on quantity and profit. Only in this way can the fragile aromas release slowly, without partially dissolving the wood-body of rose hip, sloe and currant pips. Each bottle is a little work of art that is filled, sealed and labelled by hand”, as Mr. Bosselmann says.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Heidegin and bronze for Master Destillerie Cut London Dry barrel aged.

Prevelon: Premium vodka by order of the Kremlin

Kremlin Premium Vodka was created as the official drink for all diplomatic receptions and banquets at the Kremlin and was intended as the hallmark of high-ranking events. The decision in favour of the most traditional Russian drink was unanimous. It was only produced on special order and in limited amounts. The first large batch of this ‘protocol’ vodka was ordered in February 1945 for the Yalta Conference. Kremlin Award Grand Premium came on the market in 2011 and is exported to 38 countries, and in many of them it holds the top position in the ultra-premium vodka category. Since 2016, the product range has included Kremlin Award Classic, which enjoys great popularity amongst all partners.

Two products have been added to the product range. Kremlin Award Organic is based on alcohol that is produced from the highest quality organic wheat, and on natural drinking water. The vodka passes through a multi-stage purification through pure birchwood charcoal. The alcohol for Kremlin Award Vintage is made from organic grains from the same harvest. The wheat grains are stored in a grain silo until they reach their physiological maturity in order to get a high-quality base product. The ‘luxury alcohol’ is then mixed with natural drinking water and, after purification, is granted a resting period. Production is limited to the year stated on the label.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Kremlin Award Organic and Kremlin Award Vintage.