World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

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.

Klippenziege: New era in the world of gin

In December 2015, four friends captured the ‘spirit’ of an idea: they were thinking about gin. Nearly a year later a small batch was bottled by hand. The individuality of a gin lies in the combination of the botanicals, in this case it is the exotic selection: mate tea, goji berries, physalis and a hint of rose. The Klippenziege is a New Western Dry Gin, in which juniper plays the main role amongst the other botanicals.

It is produced in the Habbel Distillery, which guarantees excellent quality thanks to its experience – it was established in 1878 and is now in the family’s fourth generation. The former Korn distillery in Sprockhövel with adjoining farmland is now the largest fruit distillery in the Ruhr region, as a traditional manufacturer it stands out with its attention to detail. The entire manufacturing process at Klippenziege can also be observed on-site.

The bottle and the label are also special. Designer Levent Aydin drew it carefully by hand, and then digitalised it before perfecting it. First it is printed, then coated, then stamped and embossed. The elegant result stands for friendship, solidarity and love. Working together in a friendly and familiar atmosphere connects people with a passion for life who share one important belief: that the product should encourage people to slow down, allowing for mindful enjoyment.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Mate Dry Gin.

Gyulai Pálinka – A manufactory on historic soil

The first distillery was founded in 1731 in the city of Gyula: Baron Johannes Georg Harruckern of Upper Austria received the area as a gift from the Kaiser following his military career. The Baron brought German settlers to the area and promoted agriculture, trade and industry. Based on this long-standing tradition and supported by the latest technologies, the Gyulaer Palinka Manufaktúra has been developing here since 2008: the first series of distillates bears the name of Baron Harruckern and the design skilfully combines the past and future.

The master distillers aim to produce top quality in manageable quantities. The raw materials are top-quality fruits which are selected and washed by hand, ranging from traditional varieties to woodland and wild fruits. The importance of fruit brandy in the region is emphasised by the large spring festival with its Hungarian state-wide Pálinka competition.

The town of Gyula in the country of Békés at the gateway to Transylvania has plenty on offer for tourists, including its historical atmosphere with its brick castle and one of the most beautiful thermal baths in the region. Around a million visitors come to these healing springs each year and some of them also sample the soothing effects of a genuine Pálinka!

The products also impressed at the World-Spirits Award: gold and the title of “Best in Category” for the blackberry, gold for the quince and seven silver medals for various fruit brandies. This resulted in a ranking of 3rd place overall in the fruit brandy category as a “Distillery of the Year” (bronze) and classification as a “World-Class Distillery”.

Grasovka: Vodka with the pure mildness of nature

Grasovka, the vodka with the power of bison grass, has been a brand of the Underberg Group since 1976. The special feature of this Polish vodka speciality is based on its flavouring with bison grass, which grows in the Bialowieza National Park on the border between Poland and Belarus. Its excellent quality is also evident from the premium packaging with the embossed bison on every bottle. The modern, fresh look is underlined by the ice-blue cap, a symbol of the cold, clear water of Polish lakes.

The farmers in Bialowieza started flavouring their ‘drop of water’ with this lush grass centuries ago. The bison grass in the forest clearings is harvested by hand in early summer, dried in the sun, bundled together and cut to the right length. Then vodka is poured over the grass several times to acquire an aromatic essence. Following a strictly guarded recipe, this extract is combined with vodka made from grain until the colour, aroma and flavour meet the premium standards. Finally, the vodka is filtered once again and bottled together with a hand-picked stem of bison grass as its typical hallmark. Due to its pleasant, mild taste, this original Polish vodka is mostly enjoyed neat, but can also be used to prepare a number of mixed drinks and cocktails.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Grasovka Bisongrass Vodka.