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Berentzen Group: 260 years of cultured distilled spirits

Berentzen Group is an innovative beverage company that boasts a wide portfolio and develops, produces and markets varied and fashionable drinks concepts. The portfolio includes spirits, alcohol-free beverages and fresh juices. With over 260 years of experience, they are one of the oldest national manufacturers of spirits and have a market presence in over 60 countries to date, with brands such as Berentzen and Puschkin as well as reasonably priced private label products.

In April 2023, Norden Sea Salt Gin was launched on the German market under the Doornkaat brand. It is a speciality on the gin shelf, as selected North Sea botanicals create an extraordinary and intense taste experience: juniper provides the spice, sea buckthorn and rosehip the fruity tartness. Norden Sea Salt Gin is rounded off with a pinch of sea salt. This spirit spreads the genuine nature and authenticity of the North Sea coast throughout Germany. It is versatile and can be enjoyed neat, on ice or mixed as a long drink or cocktail.

Tres Países Premium Rum combines distillates from Guatemala, Panama and the Dominican Republic. After being stored for up to eight years in American white oak bourbon casks, they come to Europe for refinement by the master blender. The characteristics of the countries provide the taste profile: vanilla and butterscotch, elegant fruit, banana and chocolate. It is also available in a port cask finish, which is refined in aged casks for another six months.

At the World Spirits Award 2026, there was Gold for Tres Países Premium Rum and Silver for Doornkaat Norden Sea Salt Gin.

2B Hemp Gin: Styrian gin experience

Two visionaries, Armin Breinl (doctor, drink creator, musician) and Wolfgang Thomann (gin maker), have created a completely new gin experience with real hemp powder: 2B HEMP GIN (inspired by AEIJST). On 17th November 2018, the two invited guests to the first tasting of 2B HEMP GIN in the AEIJST GIN distillery in St. Nikolai in the Sausal Valley.

Made from organic juniper berries, this innovative gin has an impressive, mild and fruity taste and a typical hemp note. Due to its unique aroma, it not only tastes good neat, but also creates a ‘wow’ effect in cocktails – as proven in the long drink Styrian Pale Gin AEIJST refined with 2B HEMP.

For thousands of years, hemp has been grown as a valuable plant, be it for rope, fabric, paper or as an active ingredient in ointments and tinctures. Hemp has always been highly valued for its medicinal properties, yet recently has been demonised as an addictive drug and has suffered under its ensuing prohibition, originating in the USA. These days hemp is regaining importance and is being used more as a luxury food as well as in medicine as a therapeutic agent.

The Lifestyle Trading company, run by Armin Breinl, is an innovative beverage producer, which is already known amongst trade professionals for its sugar-free ‘func- tional fruit drinks’. The drinks have a high fruit content (more than 50 per cent) and additional natural, vital substances and have an energising, relaxing and regenerative effect.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for 2B HEMP GIN.

finch® Whiskydestillerie: Masterpieces from the high plateau of the Swabian Alps

Amidst unspoilt nature on the high plateau of the Swabian Alps, 700 metres above sea level, you can find one of the largest pot still distilleries in Germany, which produces 250,000 litres of whisky and 100,000 litres of other alcohol every year. The best ingredients come from their 350-hectare farm, where special grain varieties such as black emmer (also called the original grain), spelt, rye, barley, wheat and corn are grown. The unique natural landscape of the uplands with its special ecology and climate elicits exceptional qualities.

Hans-Gerhard Fink produced his first New Make in 1999. He is in charge of the entire production process which takes place on site. True to the maxim ‘From the field to the bottle’, finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky combines traditional craftsmanship with modern technology and professional barrel management. Around 6,000 barrels in the whisky warehouse offer sensational combination and choice options, as well as the respective delivery readiness. In the meantime, 10 of the 14 whiskies are already eight, ten and even twelve years old, incomparable in Germany.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky DISTILLERSCHOICE Single Malt Sherry Cask and finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky DISTILLERSCHOICE Barrique R, and silver to finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky PRIVATEEDITION Single Malt 12 Years, finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky DISTILLERSCHOICE Single Malt Smoky and finch® Schwäbischer Hochland Whisky PRIVATEEDITION WM Whisky 2022.

KeyPharm Laboratories: Team work for organic gin

Master distillers, mixologists and the research and development team at KeyPharm – a Belgian company spe-cialising in medical plants and herbs – stand behind a special organic gin which involves 50 carefully selected plants and herbs. The botanicals are divided into six groups, according to their aromas: herbs (juniper, pep-per, ginger, rosemary, angelica, gentian, cardamom, coriander, marjoram, etc.), blossoms (lavender, camo-mile, lilac, rose, etc.), leaves (lime, eucalyptus, myrtle, green tea, etc.), fresh tangerines, limes and berries (‘Biotona Superfruits’).

After 72 hours of separate maceration in 96% organic alcohol, distillation takes place in a traditional copper still, and spring water is added later to reach the desired drinking strength of 44 percent by volume. The re-sult is a gin with a delicate aroma, a complex body and good balance.

The Herbalist can be served in many ways, some recipes can be found on the website https://theherbalist.bio – along with instructions for making the perfect Gin & Tonic.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for The Herbalist.