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WoifGin: Sustainability and organic certification

Markus Peherstorfer has been refining the family tradition of distilling in his Waldviertel hometown and experimenting with it himself for years. His initial results were good but lacking focus. Then, in 2020, his good friend and neighbour Hubert Krenn asked him why he didn’t want to do ‘something proper’. Over the course of a long night of discussion, the idea for a Waldviertel Premium London Dry Gin was born. After long experimentation with a two-litre mini distillery, he had finally created something excellent. This is how the Woif brand originated, with the focus on something special right from the start: a quality product with an unusual name and the development of an organic line.

After converting the stables on his parents’ farm into a tasting room, the ‘Woifshöhle’, and its opening in September 2021, things happened quickly: WoifGin GmbH was founded at the beginning of December 2021, events were attended, marketing was driven forward, the online store was opened and more. There was already great success in the first year when ‘Das goldene Stamperl’ won Bronze at the Destillata and became the Lower Austrian regional champion. These accolades drove the development of further gin variants. The results are LuXX (with notes of lemon, lavender and lemon balm) and FiNK (sloe gin with the aroma of sloe harvested after the frost) as well as the cocktail punch creation NEPoLUXX (turmeric, ginger and more). WoifGin has been certified organic since February 2022, followed by LuXX in May. All ingredients come from controlled organic cultivation by regional partner companies. This sustainability strategy is an essential part of the corporate philosophy.

At the World Spirits Award, there was Gold for Luxx Waldviertler Premium BIO Gin and Woif Waldviertler Premium BIO Gin London Dry, and Bronze for FiNK Waldviertler Premium BIO SLOE Gin.

Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG: An aromatic experience from the Appenzellerland region

In 1902, Emil Ebneter and Beat Kölbener laid the foundation stone for Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG. They developed a natural product of excellent quality and with an incomparable aroma, even recommended as a medicinal product by doctors: Appenzeller Alpenbitter with 42 selected herbs. Only two people from the founding and owning family have access to the recipes and compose the blends for further processing in the herb chamber. The original recipe of the most popular bitter in Switzerland is a well-guarded secret. Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG is an exclusively family-run business even today, founded in 1908 as the cooperative Emil Ebneter & Co. In 2006, it was renamed as Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG as a subsidiary of the Emil Ebneter & Co. AG holding.

Thanks to its consistent quality, as well as accomplished marketing and wide distribution, Appenzeller Alpenbitter has become one of the strongest selling spirits on the Swiss market. The traditional product regularly receives awards – from the Exposition Internationale 1907 in Paris through today. The company values innovation and in recent years has added to the product range with various specialities with a prime focus on quality, care and the use of natural raw ingredients. In addition, Appenzeller Alpenbitter AG manufactures licensed products for international suppliers and is the general representative in Switzerland for other spirits.

At the World Spirits Award, this World Class Distillery 2026 also received the title of Distillery of the Year Gold with an Award and Gold for Abbacella Apéritif Orange, Kuuhl Minz, Amarno - Amaro Alpino, GIN 27 Appenzell Dry Gin, Appenzeller Alpenbitter and GIN 27 WOODFIRE Appenzell Glow Gin, and Silver for GIN 27 SOUL OF WOOD Appenzell Old Tom Gin and Tschinscha Ginger Liqueur.

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.

Aldi Ireland: Gin and whiskey in retail

Aldi Ireland has several top products in its spirit range: Boyle’s Gin from the Blackwater Distillery and Ardfallen Whiskey from the West Cork Distillery, in addition, Mo Chara Passionfruit & Mango Gin from the Old Carrick Mill.

The Blackwater Distillery has been an Aldi partner since 2016 and developed the private label Boyle’s Gin exclusively for the Irish and British retail market. The product volume of the Blackwater Distillery for Aldi has risen strongly in recent years, whereby 140,800 bottles of the gin series were sold in 2018. The successful gin brand is manufactured in Blackwater Valley, West Waterford, with selected imported ingredients as well as regional apples, blackcurrants and elderflower. CEO Peter Mulryan – former TV producer and author of the book ‘The Whiskeys of Ireland’ – explains, “The partnership with Aldi has helped us to increase turnover enormously, and also to have the security to invest and expand. This includes on-site bottling facilities and a visitor centre.” Ardfallen Whiskey from the West Cork Distillery got its name from the region in County Cork where the malted barley comes from, and is only manufactured in small batches. The business was founded in 2003 by childhood friends who started out with only two small stills they had bought in Switzerland. Now the largest distillery in the country, it currently employs over 80 staff and exports to around 70 countries.

At the World Spirits Award, there was Gold for Ardfallen 10 Year Old Whiskey and Boyle’s Gin, and Silver for Boyle’s Sloe & Damson Gin and Ardfallen Whiskey.