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Tradition Mexico – Tequila without compromises

The friends behind Padre azul, the new tequila in the premium segment, stand united on one matter: their passion for Mexico. “We appreciate high quality tequila, and with Padre azul we are bringing an exclusive product to Europe. We searched for the perfect distillery for a long time. At Tres Mujeres in Jalisco in the highlands of Mexico we found what we were looking for.” 100% Mexico – 100% handcraft – 100% agave.

These requirements and quality criteria apply to the whole production process, which is why each bottle also wears the sought-after quality seal from the Mexican authorities, “Consejo Regulador del Tequila” (CRT). There were no compromises when it came to the design of the bottles: they are made by hand and adorned with a 270g skull which represents the skull culture of Mexico.

Padre azul is available in three grades of maturity, depending on the length of storage. The Añejo usually spends eighteen months in French oak barrels to achieve a mature, full-bodied taste. The Reposado needs at least eight months in barrels for its subtle vanilla tone. The Blanco is a clear tequila which is bottled straight after distillation – it is soft and mild in taste. None of the three need salt or lemon – you can enjoy them neat. True to the motto: no compromises.

At the World Spirits Award, the trio was very successful: there was double gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul anejo, gold for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul reposado, and silver for Super Premium Tequila Padre azul blanco.

Freimut Spirits – Vodka with an original taste

The new premium vodka with a name that speaks volumes. Freimut (‘frankness’) breaks with tradition and has a mild taste of rye – rather unusual for the industry. “I asked myself whether almost endless distillation processes or filtering through diamonds or gold really helped produce a better taste”, says Florian Renschin. The businessman from Wiesbaden is a perfectionist who doesn’t simply accept the status quo, but questions everything. This caused him to produce a vodka himself, which matches his demands and his passion for high-quality spirits.
“When I took on the task of making a really good vodka, ‘made in Germany’, it quickly became clear that I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own”, he says. “That is why I looked for a partner who shared my vision of a new, tastier vodka, which can convey the character of the rye as much as possible. The secret to perfect vodka is to use just a few, high-quality raw materials and to have complete influence on all production phases.” The North German Champagne Rye from the Niederlausitzer Heideland region, an ancient strain, was basically the only ingredient for Freimut vodka. 30 percent is prepared in a specialised Bavarian malthouse, the rest of the grain goes directly to the distillery, is crushed shortly before the mash is prepared and added to the malt of the same type. Fermentation takes four times longer than industrially produced vodka, which is how the spicy flavour and the subtle sweetness develop. Soft spring water from the Nordenau slate mine is used to bring it down to a drinking strength of 40 percent alcohol by volume. Following the motto ‘as natural as possible’, all ingredients carry the EU organic certificate and come from Germany, so that transport distances are also kept short.

At the World Spirits Award, the Freimut Vodka was awarded silver.