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Stock Polska – Prestige products with history

Polmos Lublin (known today as Stock Polska) was founded by the industrialist Emil Plage in Lublin in 1906 and was able to survive both world wars and the communist state leadership. The company was nationalised in 1948 and re-privatised in 2001. It traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange until 2005 and was sold in 2006. The new owners, Oaktree Capital Management, purchased the spirits division from Eckes Stock in 2007 and thereby laid the foundations for the current Stock Spirits Group. The company has its headquarters in Luxembourg, its service centre in Great Britain and its production sites in the Czech Republic, Italy and Poland.

Stock dates back to the year 1884 when Lionello Stock founded a beverages business in Trieste. He purchased a distillery in 1920 in what is currently part of the Czech Republic with the aim of tapping into new markets. This was followed by distilleries, bottling plants and warehouses in Italy, Austria, Poland, Hungary and Yugoslavia. In the 1920s, Stock was one of the biggest companies of its kind in Europe.

After an absence of 70 years, Stock returned to Poland and began to manufacture at the historic site of Lublin, 150 kilometres south-east of Warsaw. Intensive investment led to the creation of the most modern distillery in Poland and a leadership position on the vodka market. Poland’s most popular flavoured vodka is produced here: Zoladkowa Gorzka.

Lots of Stock products are produced by traditional recipes. These classical brands appeal to connoisseurs all over the world. In return, work is constantly being done on innovations that correspond to modern tastes and new drinking cultures. Quality standards are constantly upheld in both areas, of course.

The quality of the products was recognised at the World Spirits Award with a gold medal for the Orkisz Spelt Vodka.

Rhumerie de Chamarel - Rhumerie de Chamarel – A newcomer with vision

This high-quality rum from the island of Mauritius is produced in line with ecological guidelines. The products are distributed in Austria by the company Wind GmbH, based in Traiskirchen (www.wind-plast.at).

The road leads through extensive pineapple plantations and fields of sugar cane up to the distillery at an altitude of 300 m in the South-West of the island. Designed by a renowned architect, the building is elegant and authentic and a fine example of modern construction with its natural materials such as wood, stone and water. The comprehensive concept also incorporates the L’Alchimiste restaurant where up to 80 guests can savour the sophisticated regional cuisine. At the “Sugar Cane Spirit” boutique, various types of rum are on offer (White Rum, Le Coeur de Chauffe (fine brandy), Rum Paille (stored in wooden casks), Rum Arrange (flavoured with fruits and spices) as well as an exclusive clothing range, hand-made products and a small jewellery collection.

The location and climate of the fertile valley promote the growth and quality of the sugarcane. The sugarcane is harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning and processed at the mill within four hours. The fields are not normally burnt, as is usually the case, to make harvesting easier. Even when distilling at the highest modern levels of technology, nothing is wasted: the bagasse – the fibrous remnants of the sugar production process – is burnt to obtain energy. The chimney contains the very latest smoke filters and the ash is used to fertilise the fields.

The company yet again impressed at the World-Spirits Award, with one gold and four silvers.

Wirtshausbrennerei Hans Krenn – Innkeeper and medal collector

Under the banner of ‘pure inn-keeping culture’, Martina Krenn spoils guests with products from this culinary region – authentic Waldviertel specialities and spicy horseradish dishes. And speaking of spice: distiller and brandy sommelier (in one!) Hans Krenn serves his brandies with these dishes. The spirits have won numerous high-calibre national and international awards since 1995. Indeed, a shower of medals is almost the company trademark.

The food and drink are served in the stylish stone pine lounge or guestroom with its tiled stove. In summer, guests can enjoy their meals in the garden. The programme features regular brandy sampling and tasting menus – to our luck there are more than enough peaceful and comfortable areas, including four well equipped gourmet rooms, and a spa area with sauna to ensure guests can indulge in full relaxation. Speaking of pure and clear: Hans Krenn only produces quality fruit brandies made from natural, organically harvested fruits. The majority come from the south of the Waldviertel area; the apricots and quality fruits are mostly from Wachau, while the wild fruit varieties are obtained from fruit traders and the surrounding area. The fruits are then carefully distilled in a copper vessel and subject to ongoing checks in a specially designed wood-fired distillery.

The Master Class Distillery 2022 received gold for Schlehenbrand (sloe brandy), Kriecherlbrand (Mirabelle plum brandy) and Zwetschkenbrand im Eichenfass (damson brandy in an oak barrel), and silver for Kren Gin (horseradish gin), Marillenbrand (apricot brandy), Kaiserholzbirnenbrand (pear brandy) and Rote Williams (pear).

RhochzweiLiquids: Two master brewers from Ulm with gin in their sights

Korbinian Rau and Dominik Russ met in 2013 in the master school in Ulm. They then each went their own way, workwise, but in 2017 they found themselves working together in the same brewery. As a hobby they started to experiment with a small, homemade pot still. The results were sampled by friends and found to be rather drinkable. Their main profession as master brewers enabled the two of them to improve their distillates with creativity and passion, and so they decided to start up their own small company in February 2018.

RhochzweiLiquids Gbr was the beginning of turning their hobby into a side business. The sales figures are still small but are growing healthily – and the first product, Ulmer Ginger Gin, has received posi-tive feedback in the region. The gin stands out amongst the huge range because some of the ingredi-ents they use are ones you would expect to find in a brewery, and this appeals to the whole Ulm bar scene. Their aim is not to grow quickly, but rather to keep the hobby as such and to consistently guar-antee the highest quality with regional ingredients and passion.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Ulmer Ginger Gin and Ulmer Ginger Gin Winter Edition.