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Family of Hounds – Sought and found

Andrea Frigerio and his English wife, Lina, live in Monaco with their two dogs, Spot and Magda, two wonderful additions to the family. Since they started taking the two for walks in town, they have made many new friends. Andrea and Lina used to be red wine drinkers, who spent their holidays in the wine hills of Italy and France. It was only in 2013, while visiting a country estate in England, that they discovered their love for a good G & T. This developed into a passion, and their discussions soon revolved around what it would be like to create their own gin.

They tasted intensively, discarded aromas they didn’t like, and extracted the aromas they did. Together with the master distiller in an old distillery in Piedmont, they created their recipe for the gin: juniper, lemon and orange peel, pink grapefruit, lavender, thyme, cardamom, ginger and coriander. The first three ingredients come from Italy, the rest from Asia. “The juniper is really loud, like a brightly lit disco floor, and the other botanicals dance around it. Together, they are like a lively, attention-seeking dog that can’t sit still.”

In the future, they are looking to establish a small family of spirits, from gin to vodka and from grappa to vermouth – unmistakable in taste, but accessible to everyone. The core of the philosophy is going out with good friends, enjoying a good meal and even better spirits. The first step has already been taken …

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Family of Hounds Gin.

Rhumerie de Chamarel - Rhumerie de Chamarel – A newcomer with vision

This high-quality rum from the island of Mauritius is produced in line with ecological guidelines. The products are distributed in Austria by the company Wind GmbH, based in Traiskirchen (www.wind-plast.at).

The road leads through extensive pineapple plantations and fields of sugar cane up to the distillery at an altitude of 300 m in the South-West of the island. Designed by a renowned architect, the building is elegant and authentic and a fine example of modern construction with its natural materials such as wood, stone and water. The comprehensive concept also incorporates the L’Alchimiste restaurant where up to 80 guests can savour the sophisticated regional cuisine. At the “Sugar Cane Spirit” boutique, various types of rum are on offer (White Rum, Le Coeur de Chauffe (fine brandy), Rum Paille (stored in wooden casks), Rum Arrange (flavoured with fruits and spices) as well as an exclusive clothing range, hand-made products and a small jewellery collection.

The location and climate of the fertile valley promote the growth and quality of the sugarcane. The sugarcane is harvested by hand in the early hours of the morning and processed at the mill within four hours. The fields are not normally burnt, as is usually the case, to make harvesting easier. Even when distilling at the highest modern levels of technology, nothing is wasted: the bagasse – the fibrous remnants of the sugar production process – is burnt to obtain energy. The chimney contains the very latest smoke filters and the ash is used to fertilise the fields.

The company yet again impressed at the World-Spirits Award, with one gold and four silvers.

Obsthof Wiesmeier: I hope you are organic?

“Quality is the product of a love of detail.” Following this motto, as well as fresh fruit, various fruit-based products are produced at Obsthof Wiesmeier. The constant quality controls are carried out ac-cording to high standards, from the beginning of production through to storage and packaging. Aside from fruit brandies in numerous varieties, also Frizzante, ciders, jams and fruit juices are produced. The quality of the raw materials is paramount, a large part of which are grown directly on the farm, and seasonal workers are hired to cope with the workload.

The fruity range includes apples, apricots and damsons, fine brandies, liqueurs, Frizzante, juices, ci-ders, vinegar, syrup and nectar, dried apple slices, jams, fruit snacks and muesli, seasonal products, and more. The farm shop is open on Tuesdays and Fridays from 8am until 6pm and Saturdays from 8am until 12 noon, and offers organic fruit of all shapes and sizes.

Managers Gerhard and his son Paul Wiesmeier are joined by his wife Wilma and daughter Marie-Theres in the key functions of the business. And so the next generation is already firmly involved.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Muscat-Bleu Wood Cigar Brandy, and silver for Second Try Gin.

HirschRudel: Herb liqueur following an old family recipe

HirschRudel herb liqueur is made using a very elaborate procedure. To achieve a perfect high-quality result of course requires plenty of dedication, therefore importance is attached to manual work. Each production comprises around 4,000 bottles of 0.5 litres, along with individual magnum bottles in very small batches. All the bottles are filled and labelled by hand with individual numbering and the filling date. Natural cork with a tin lid and the recipe complete the package. But the most important feature is of course the taste!

HirschRudel was brought to life by Dirk Verpoorten, a partner in the egg liqueur dynasty from Bonn. In his grandma Elly’s heirlooms he found an old trunk where she kept a book of mementos, in which she recorded a recipe for a herb liqueur she had created herself on the occasion of a family celebration. Dirk Verpoorten tried out the recipe and was so delighted with the taste that he decided to bring the herb liqueur back to life under the name HirschRudel in memory of his grandmother.

At the World Spirits Award, HirschRudel Herb Liqueur was awarded gold.