World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Wyborowa and Ostoya: Polish vodka for the world

The name Wyborowa translates as ‘selected’ and stands for a product that has shown for decades how a good rye vodka should taste. The brand is deemed the oldest internationally sold vodka brand in the world. Wyborowa fulfils the requirements of the protected geographical indication ‘Polska Wódka’, according to which every production step has to take place in Poland. The production process is based on the Polish distillation tradition, which has been perfected over almost 600 years and requires Polish ingredients of the highest quality. It was first produced in 1926, has been part of Pernod Ricard since 1999 and is one of the ten best-selling vodkas in bars around the world.

The basis of the vodka is 100% Polish rye from the region. It is milled, fermented and distilled in small, local and owner-run agricultural enterprises, to produce raw alcohol, the ‘heart’ of the spirit. Distillation is threefold in traditional pot stills, then it is filtered three times through charcoal and carbon and thinned with softened and demineralised well water. It is exported to over 80 countries.

Ostoya was the first wheat vodka to be produced in Poland. The spirit is made from fine grains grown in Bieszczady, one of Poland’s most unspoilt regions. It is produced at the Pernod Ricard production plant in Zielona Góra, then distilled and charcoal-filtered for exceptional purity in rectification plants in Poznan. This premium vodka is 100 percent Polish, from the grain to the glass.

Wyborowa Vodka and Ostoya Vodka were awarded gold at the World Spirits Award.

Brennerei Pirker: Masterpieces from Mariazell

Austrian gingerbread and mead production and candle dipping each have a long-standing tradition dating back over 300 years in Mariazell. The Pirker family still practise, preserve and bring to life these fascinating crafts today. Katharina Pirker and Georg Rippel-Pirker run this Upper Styrian model business with lots of enthusiasm and creativity, earning them the Styrian coat of arms. In addition to traditional and local fruit varieties, special fruits are also distilled into organic orange brandy, honey brandy and rice brandy which is sold as far afield as Japan.

At Pirker’s, tradition is combined with zeitgeist: brandies, mead, original Mariazell herb bitter (from local herbs, with no added sugar) and gingerbread liqueur are carefully produced and impressively presented. The company has won numerous awards, confirming its high quality standards – only the very best pure monovarietal fruits, herbs, honey and hand-selected spices are processed and distilled. Pirker’s entire product range is made up of more than 400 homemade specialities, ranging from exquisite brandies, liqueurs and Mariazell honey gingerbread to mead, handmade beeswax candles and high-quality vinegars from their own vinegar production facility.

At the World Spirits Award, the Master Class Distillery 2024 was awarded gold for Gingerbread Liqueur, Blackcurrant, Egg Liqueur, Swiss Pine Spirit, Herb Bitter, Cornel Cherry, Damson and Green Williams Pear, and silver for Orange, Raspberry, Bird Cherry and Rowanberry.

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.