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Privatdestillerie Hermann Pfanner – The art of distilling since 1856

A love of fruit and the passion for producing high-quality products from the treasures of nature is the motto of this traditional family business. The company was founded by Max Hermann Pfanner, who purchased the “Landgasthaus zum Hirschen” guesthouse in Lauterach in 1856. In addition to a small beer brewery, brandies and liqueurs have been produced here for the catering industry from the outset. Williams pear brandy was launched onto the market for the first time in the early 1950s – a speciality of the day which remains a flagship product of the company even today, accounting for 80% of the overall production. Pfanner is Austria’s largest producer of genuine Williams pear brandy.

The goal of Walter Pfanner is to produce elegant and pure brandies, a distinct intensity and refined balance with a character typical of the fruit in question. The ripe fruits are selected with care and some 500,000 kilograms are refined each year using a professional approach and the latest production techniques. The name “Pfanner – der Edle” (Pfanner – the exquisite) is no coincidence.

The range of varieties on offer – Williams pear, Williams pear with honey, Subirer pear, raspberry, apricot, fruit brandy, plum, cherry, gentian and rowanberry – are presented in a confident modern design, defined by their long-standing tradition. The first Vorarlberg single malt whisky was distilled in 2005 and presented in 2009 following three years of storage in wooden barrels. This addition to the product variety was a great success. New to the range is an elegant cigar brandy creation made from Golden Delicious apples and stored in Limousin oak barrels.

Pfanner ranked 16th among the fruit brandies at the World-Spirits Award as a “Master-Class Distillery”, winning two golds and three silvers. The innovative whisky was also awarded gold by the discerning jury.

Franco Fiorito: Limoncello from the Netherlands

With Fiorito, the Dutch brothers Benno and Franco Fiorito have created an exceptional Limoncello and fulfilled a dream at the same time. The recipe is based on an old family tradition which they became familiar with on a visit to the Italian island of Sicily. Back home, the first Limoncello was handmade at the kitchen table. From this moment on, a dinner with friends was always rounded off with homemade Limoncello.

They soon began to ask themselves whether the Limoncello should also be put on sale, and they decided to produce it in larger amounts. And so, while the hobby turned not only into a job but into a calling, the products continued to be handmade. The brand name Fiorito was born; an authentic product in a stylish, modern bottle. These days, the successful portfolio also includes Fiorito Rum and the Li brand in various flavours, as well as Fiorito Limoncello.

The base for the mild, fresh liqueur made according to the family recipe are the best lemons from Sicily, the Limone di Siracusa IGP. The fruits are picked, selected and peeled by hand. In this way, the wafer-thin zest can unfold its full, natural aroma. Fiorito tastes good ice-cold and neat as a digestif, with prosecco as an aperitif or with tonic water and basil as a long drink.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Fiorito Limoncello.

Georg Hemmeter – XUXU, Escorial, SILLA EL FUERTE

Georg Hemmeter – strawberry drinks with exceptional flavour guaranteed

The name Georg Hemmeter – a company of the Underberg Group – stands for innovative spirits, in particular the XUXU range. The fresh and fruity strawberry drink contains 66 percent fruit plus crystal-clear vodka, rounded off with a dash of lime. The harmony between the sweetness of the fruit and just 15% alcohol by volume is created using a special production method. XUXU Ten, the little luxury in a 250 ml aluminium bottle with only 10% alcohol by volume, is dressed to party – it is still relatively new to the market, yet is already at home in all the world’s top party venues.
XUXU can be served in so many different ways: chilled, neat, on crushed ice, as a dessert topping, with sparkling wine or with other mixers – XUXU tastes heavenly and offers fresh and fruity pleasure. Welcome to Berrydise!

Initially the absolute top star in Greece, XUXU is now also number 1 in Russia, and extremely popular in Turkey and Italy too.


XUXU Strawberry & Vodka Drink and XUXU Ten won Gold at the World Spirits Award 2014.

Jim Beam Distillery – Bourbon straight on

Knob Creek is named after a rivulet in Kentucky, the home of President Abraham Lincoln. His steadfast attitude seems to serve as an example for this straightforward bourbon. The square ‘chemist’s bottle’ suits these traditional values perfectly, as does the striking label which is reminiscent of the old tradition of wrapping bottles in newspaper. To this day, a mixture of experience and craftsmanship is the recipe for success for the bourbon from Knob Creek.

The bourbon was at the peak of its success in 1919, when the nationwide prohibition of the sale, manufacture and transport of alcohol began – lasting until 1933. Following this, a new start was impossible for many distilleries; others couldn’t finance the customary long maturing process of the bourbon. This situation motivated Booker Noe to revive the traditional bourbon style from the time before the prohibition: rich in aroma, with discreet sweetness due to year-long maturation in strongly ‘toasted’ wooden barrels from American white oak. In 1950, he joined the family business – his mother was the daughter of Jim Beam, which meant bourbon was already in his blood – and completed his training as Master Distiller. With the small series of premium bourbon he launched, the term ‘batch’ (small) was established and revolutionised the industry. His son, Fred Noe, continues with this clear strategy: “I learnt the business from scratch, listened to my father and learnt on the job. I know what it means to make perfect bourbon. Each bottle is a reflection of my family.” Since 1992, the Knob Creek brand has represented these values with the perfect combination of tradition and top quality.

A golden trio was successful at the World Spirits Award: Knob Creek Rye Whiskey Small Batch, Knob Creek Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon and Knob Creek Straight Bourbon.