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Absintherie Celle à Guilloud: A legend with a past and a future

The homeland of absinthe is an area which defies borders: from Val-de-Travers in Switzerland to Pontarlier in France. A wormwood herb with an exceptional flavour grows here in the French-Swiss Jura, which gives absinthe its shared heritage – historically, industrially, socially and culturally. After being re-licensed in Switzerland and France, the region has set itself the goal of promoting the original absinthe and its origins. This has given rise to the ‘Route de l’Absinthe’ with interesting places, events and products relating to the ‘green fairy’ along the way. One such station is the small Absintherie Celle à Guilloud in Fleurier, Val-de-Travers.

For centuries, the location in the canton of Neuchâtel has been a centre of the watch-making industry and the homeland of two Nobel Prize winners. Here, the legend of the valley (formerly also a centre of absinthe distilling) lives on. Daniel Guilloud’s different versions of the mysterious, aromatic drink are far from the industrial standard – visitors can see this for themselves on a tour of the distillery. The beautifully furnished store sells absinthe in various forms, as well as limited editions, hand-blown glass bottles, accessories and much more; above all, though, riveting stories about the mysterious past of absinthe, told by Pierre-André Matthey, the successor to founder Daniel Guilloud. Both received the World Spirits Award 2025 honoris causa for their lives’ work.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Absinthe La Guilloudtine 68°, gold for Absinthe Celle du Docteur 54° and for Absinthe Celle à Guilloud 54°.

HeHo Distilling: The spirit of excellence

Born out of a moment of inspiration and with the idea of developing a modern aperitif, TIRÉH was created; a ‘handmade symphony of first-class vermouth and fine fruit brandies’. The golden colour and harmonious texture based on thirteen specially selected botanicals are the result of purely natural ingredients, without additives or colourants. The spirit originates in the southern part of the German Wine Route, where great importance is attached to the use of regional raw materials during production. The cuvée for the vermouth comes from vineyards in the Palatinate, a blend of Müller-Thurgau, Kerner and Scheurebe, matured in neutral wooden barrels. The botanicals include wormwood, hibiscus, lemongrass, chicory roots, rose petals and blackberry leaves. Having finalised the recipe, the first bottling in high-quality bottles followed in 2022. TIRÉH is best enjoyed neat on ice, as a spritz or with tonic water.

As part of the collaborative RETHINK MARKET ENTRY! project, TIRÉH Premium Aperitif emerged under the direction of Timo Holtappels, co-founder of the company, and René Heß, co-founder and lecturer at the Brand University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg. Strategies were developed for the market launch in Germany, from which they derived recommendations and concrete steps for further marketing activity. In other words, the modern approach matches the modern product. More on the various ideas and recipes can be found at https://tireh-aperitif.com.

TIRÉH Premium Aperitif won silver at the World Spirits Award.

Schwarze & Schlichte – Brand personalities from Westphalia

The family business Schwarze & Schlichte from Westphalia has been representing the highest quality spirits for the last 345 years with a distinct range of national specialities, regional traditional brands and successful international innovations. This top quality is based on a distilling tradition acquired over centuries which has been passed down over twelve generations. Even today, distilling and maceration still take place at the company’s own distillery where plenty of time and skill are invested. The selection and processing of the best raw materials and continuous control of the production process ensure a consistently high quality. One factor for success is the ongoing brand management in accordance with the specific requirements of the various brand personalities.

Three Sixty Vodka is one of the purest and mildest vodkas in the world. A fourfold distillation process ensures tangible softness and exceptional clarity while the purity of the vodka is all down to the time-consuming “Diamond Filtration” process: the finest filters are used, set with crystals like diamond dust, to remove even the smallest of suspended particles from the distillate. Even the packaging is unique: the facet-cut bottle of pure white shiny glass sets off this premium vodka to perfection. A black velvet label completes the sophisticated design.

The Grappa Bianca from Scavi & Ray is characterised by its full-bodied balanced flavour with powerful and intense aromas of marc. This crystal-clear brandy is soft and deliciously balanced thanks to the exquisite skill of the master distillery. The intense and fruity aroma is reminiscent of the sun-soaked vineyards in Italy.

Both products received a silver medal at the World-Spirits.

MBG International Premium Brands – Brands with added value

“We Love Liquids.” This slogan has accompanied MBG on its worldwide path of success since it was founded in 1993 under the name P.O.S. Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH: Strong brands have been established around the world in nearly 60 countries, with innovative own brands, renowned retail brands, great ideas and a lot of energy. With over 250 employees, the MBG Group currently generates over € 200 million and, every year, more than a million hectolitres are produced. The portfolio in Germany includes 12 own brands and 6 retail brands (from non-alcoholic drinks to low proof drinks to wines & spirits) for 90,000 customers.

“Our recipe for successful brands is the mixture of passion, conviction and knowledge of the market. If all goes well, names and products become new worlds which consumers love. Success is not always predictable, which means that courage is needed above all. The right moment has to be found and hard work put in, just like with a hit single: some are one hit wonders while others become classics.” Little can be added to this definition from Managing Director Andreas W. Herb. From the MBG Group headquarters in Paderborn, a great deal of expertise makes successful brands, tailored to the respective target group and the market segment. Many brands that are well known on shop shelves and in the gastronomy sector have played a role in the history of the company.

Participation in the World Spirits Award yielded gold for Dos Mas Nasty Nuts Shot.