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Roust Hungary: Affordable luxury on the spirits market

Roust was founded in 1992 by the Russian businessman Roustam Tariko and quickly developed into a leading business group in the sale of premium spirits brands. One of the world’s leading vodka producers, the company is present in more than 80 countries. Roust owns production plants and distribution centres in Hungary, Russia and Italy. The comprehensive portfolio includes the flagship vodka brands of Russian Standard, Green Mark, Parliament and Zhuravli.

Thanks to its extensive knowledge in sales and marketing and its commitment to responsible alcohol consumption, Roust Hungary has become the leading supplier on the domestic spirits market. The largest premium spirits company in Hungary also sells the Royal, Zubrówka, Russian Standard, Gancia, Grants, Jägermeister and Metaxa brands.

For years, Royal Vodka has maintained its position as the most popular and well-known vodka brand in Hungary, and also remains market leader in terms of volume and turnover. Royal Vodka is produced using natural ingredients, from the grain to the well water, which contributes to its mild taste.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Royal Original Vodka, and bronze for Royal Raspberry Liqueur.

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.

Horvath’s Spezereyen Kontor: Enjoying goodness

Horvath’s Spezereyen Kontor und Lebensmittelproduktion GmbH is an Austrian family business based in Deutsch-Wagram, north-east of Vienna. Its extensive range boasts over 300 different products, such as spirits, food and culinary gifts both for export to third countries (USA, China) and for the European market. In Austria, the company is known especially for classic and creative liqueur specialities. The secret is the combination of fruit juice with milk and cream, resulting in especially creamy and fruity liqueurs. Classics include the Gänserndorf egg cream liqueur, hazelnut cream liqueur or marzipan liqueur, while special creations are also on offer, from strawberry-vanilla to peppermint cream. The selection of spirits includes fruit and cream liqueurs, brandies and schnapps, bitters and absinthe. Vodka made from potatoes (Vodka Kartoff, Vodka Monopolowa) is exported to the USA, Poland (J.A. Baczewski Vodka), Italy, France and Ukraine. Liqueur specialities go to Shanghai, among other places.
70% is destined for export, and Horvath’s is appreciated worldwide for its quality and good value for money. In addition to the retail trade, the company also supplies the restaurant and catering industry and has established itself as a solid partner in the beverage sector.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Gold & World Spirits Award (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Double Gold for Wiener Brise Peppermint Liqueur and Gänserndorfer Limoncello Cream Liqueur (Spirit of the Year 2025), Gold for Gänserndorfer Hazelnut Cream Liqueur and Gänserndorfer Egg Cream Liqueur, and Bronze for Horvath’s Zirberl (arolla pine).

Rum Enterprise: A new era of Cuban rum

Towards the end of 2020, the French spirits company Moët Hennessy announced the market launch of Eminente Reserva. The rum was developed with César Martí, Maestro Ronero of the enterprise Cuba Ron. He experiments with different degrees of maturation of aguardientes, especially aromatic and complex sugar cane distillates, in different surroundings and barrels. Eminente Reserva represents a combination of the two Cuban rum types, the intensive-dry Occidente and the fruity-mild Oriente, inspired by the 19th century, enriched by a mix of different sugar cane distillates that have been stored for years in whisky barrels made of white oak. The proportion of 70 percent by volume aguardientes is one of the highest in the country and sets new benchmarks. Eminente Gran Reserva, a ten-year-old rum that received a three-month finish in French oak barrels, matured in a cellar where water evaporates faster than alcohol, hence the above-average alcohol content.

The Eminente rums are among the few in Cuba that carry the Denominación de Origen Protegida status. The protected designation of origin regulates authenticity and high standards. The newcomer is the aromatic Carta Oro, a five-year-old Cuban rum, which corresponds to the minimum ageing period of its most recent aguardientes in barrels. It matures in white oak barrels that were previously used for whisky, and at 40.3% vol. follows the Cuban rum tradition.

Eminente Reserva, Eminente Gran Reserva Edition N°2 and Eminente Carta Oro won Gold at the World Spirits Award.