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Angostura Limited: From elixir to export hit

Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert, a young doctor born in Germany, journeyed to South America after the Napoleonic Wars. In the services of the freedom fighter Simón Bolívar, he worked in a military hospital in the town of Angostura (now Ciudad Bolívar), and perfected the formula for an aromatic bitter in 1824. This elixir proved to be extremely effective with the soldiers’ stomach troubles and digestive disorders – and is said to have helped them to win the fight for freedom against the Spaniards. Soon the fame of the miracle cure was spread by the sailors, and it became used as a versatile flavour enhancer for foods and drinks, and the foundations for a small but regular export business were laid.

In 1875, the company was relocated to Trinidad, and started in the rum business soon after. In 1949, an in-house distillery was established and, by the end of the 1960s, the Angostura company had expanded sales of its aromatic bitters to over 140 countries around the world – and grew even further in the decades that followed. These days, the global market leader in bitters exports to around 165 countries worldwide, a great achievement for the economy of Trinidad and Tobago. The headquarters are located on a 20-hectare site, where guided tours of the distillery, the bitters production area, the museum and the butterfly collection are organised for locals and visitors.

Die World-Class Distillery 2025 erhielt Gold für Angostura 5 year old Rum, Angostura Reserva, Angostura 1919, Angostura 7 year old Rum, Angostura 1824, Angostura Tamboo, Silver für Angostura 1787.

Kaufmann Spirits: Distilled in the mountains

“I’ve always had a passion for distilling schnapps and decided to perfect my skills of the trade by training to be a fine brandy sommelier.” Wolfgang Kaufmann’s first own distillates were first sold in 2014 and are now known and appreciated beyond the borders. Only single-variety fruits of top quality – cultivated naturally, harvested fully mature, selected and washed by hand – are processed into 100% distillates. The ‘aroma of the mountains, distilled in the mountains’ is reflected in Mountain Gin, Mountain Rum and Mountain Whisky. The name stands for its unique and somewhat rough touch – a special highlight among connoisseurs. Furthermore, there are liqueurs and spirits as well as fruit spreads.

In Mühlberg Rem people see themselves as ambassadors of good taste and offer guests a very special place with the first open distillery in Ellmau to look behind the scenes of distilling here. The brandies made here can also be tasted in a relaxed atmosphere whilst their properties are explained. It is especially important to Wolfgang Kaufmann to offer a special experience and to convey traditional drinking culture.

The World Class Distillery 2022 received double gold for Elsbeerbrand (wild serviceberry brandy), gold for Vogelbeere Holzfass (rowanberry from the wooden barrel), Traubenbrand Gelber Muskateller (grape brandy), Johannisbeerbrand (blackcurrant brandy), Mountain Gin, Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Weichselbrand (sour cherry brandy) and Weißbierbrand Holz (beer brandy, wood). Silver was awarded to Brombeerbrand (blackberry brandy) and Vogelbeerbrand (rowanberry brandy).

Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).