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Horvath’s Spezereyen Kontor: Enjoying goodness

Horvath’s Spezereyen Kontor und Lebensmittelproduktion GmbH is an Austrian family business based in Deutsch-Wagram, north-east of Vienna. Its extensive range boasts over 300 different products, such as spirits, food and culinary gifts both for export to third countries (USA, China) and for the European market. In Austria, the company is known especially for classic and creative liqueur specialities. The secret is the combination of fruit juice with milk and cream, resulting in especially creamy and fruity liqueurs. Classics include the Gänserndorf egg cream liqueur, hazelnut cream liqueur or marzipan liqueur, while special creations are also on offer, from strawberry-vanilla to peppermint cream. The selection of spirits includes fruit and cream liqueurs, brandies and schnapps, bitters and absinthe. Vodka made from potatoes (Vodka Kartoff, Vodka Monopolowa) is exported to the USA, Poland (J.A. Baczewski Vodka), Italy, France and Ukraine. Liqueur specialities go to Shanghai, among other places.
70% is destined for export, and Horvath’s is appreciated worldwide for its quality and good value for money. In addition to the retail trade, the company also supplies the restaurant and catering industry and has established itself as a solid partner in the beverage sector.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Gold & World Spirits Award (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Double Gold for Wiener Brise Peppermint Liqueur and Gänserndorfer Limoncello Cream Liqueur (Spirit of the Year 2025), Gold for Gänserndorfer Hazelnut Cream Liqueur and Gänserndorfer Egg Cream Liqueur, and Bronze for Horvath’s Zirberl (arolla pine).

Levante Spirits: Tuscan gin from the amphora

The idea for the company Levante Spirits was born in Florence, inspired by the wind of the Levant, which in the past led many explorers into exotic worlds and promoted the trade of goods. This is evoked by the Old Sailor Coffee Liqueur, a drink based on rum, which recalls Adriatic seafarers at the end of the 18th century. Today it is all about innovative impulses for spirits according to traditional recipes – based on the conviction that what is truly novel can only be made using regional resources.

The navy-blue London Dry Gin is made exclusively from organic raw ingredients of Tuscan origin. The wheat for the basic alcohol comes from Mugello to the north of Florence, while the juniper – ginepraio which literally means ‘juniper thicket’ – comes from three different regions, along with coriander, angelica root, orange and lemon peel, strawflower and briar rose. The distillation in a specially constructed still is followed by a six-month refinement in environmentally friendly containers: handmade amphora from cocciopesto, a raw material made of recycled materials. It was already known in ancient Rome as a building material for baths and aqueducts. The mix of ground bricks, clay, sand, spring water, cement and natural reinforcement fibres displays a remarkable porousness after weeks of natural hardening – perfect for the refinement of texture and taste.

At the World Spirits Award, double gold was awarded to Ginepraio Amphora Navy Strength (Spirit of the Year 2022), as well as gold to Ginepraio Organic Tuscan Dry Gin.

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).