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Klippenziege: New era in the world of gin

In December 2015, four friends captured the ‘spirit’ of an idea: they were thinking about gin. Nearly a year later a small batch was bottled by hand. The individuality of a gin lies in the combination of the botanicals, in this case it is the exotic selection: mate tea, goji berries, physalis and a hint of rose. The Klippenziege is a New Western Dry Gin, in which juniper plays the main role amongst the other botanicals.

It is produced in the Habbel Distillery, which guarantees excellent quality thanks to its experience – it was established in 1878 and is now in the family’s fourth generation. The former Korn distillery in Sprockhövel with adjoining farmland is now the largest fruit distillery in the Ruhr region, as a traditional manufacturer it stands out with its attention to detail. The entire manufacturing process at Klippenziege can also be observed on-site.

The bottle and the label are also special. Designer Levent Aydin drew it carefully by hand, and then digitalised it before perfecting it. First it is printed, then coated, then stamped and embossed. The elegant result stands for friendship, solidarity and love. Working together in a friendly and familiar atmosphere connects people with a passion for life who share one important belief: that the product should encourage people to slow down, allowing for mindful enjoyment.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Mate Dry Gin.

Kweichow Moutai: China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.

Gyulai Pálinka – A manufactory on historic soil

The first distillery was founded in 1731 in the city of Gyula: Baron Johannes Georg Harruckern of Upper Austria received the area as a gift from the Kaiser following his military career. The Baron brought German settlers to the area and promoted agriculture, trade and industry. Based on this long-standing tradition and supported by the latest technologies, the Gyulaer Palinka Manufaktúra has been developing here since 2008: the first series of distillates bears the name of Baron Harruckern and the design skilfully combines the past and future.

The master distillers aim to produce top quality in manageable quantities. The raw materials are top-quality fruits which are selected and washed by hand, ranging from traditional varieties to woodland and wild fruits. The importance of fruit brandy in the region is emphasised by the large spring festival with its Hungarian state-wide Pálinka competition.

The town of Gyula in the country of Békés at the gateway to Transylvania has plenty on offer for tourists, including its historical atmosphere with its brick castle and one of the most beautiful thermal baths in the region. Around a million visitors come to these healing springs each year and some of them also sample the soothing effects of a genuine Pálinka!

The products also impressed at the World-Spirits Award: gold and the title of “Best in Category” for the blackberry, gold for the quince and seven silver medals for various fruit brandies. This resulted in a ranking of 3rd place overall in the fruit brandy category as a “Distillery of the Year” (bronze) and classification as a “World-Class Distillery”.