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Kisrét Manufaktúra – A family team producing Pálinka

The grandfather of master distiller Árpád Nagy was a conscientious and warm-hearted man who was so popular with his employees that they distilled a delicious schnapps just for him as a thank you. Árpád senior has been distilling here since 1978, and the secrets of Pálinka-making have already been shared with Árpád junior.
There are many good Pálinkas in Hungary but this family is meticulous about the quality of its products in order to maintain a leading role. The new Árpád and Vadasz brands were developed in early 2009 following numerous awards at local and international competitions.
The family cultivates plums over 6 hectares of their own land. The harvest is reliable and the quality high – the ideal basis for these classic distillates. The other fruits used are very carefully selected. The well-equipped distillery is growing constantly and is fitted with the latest technology – featuring, for example, oxygen-free fermentation.
Árpád junior is responsible for the technology, the selection and purchasing of the fruit, the quality management, product development and expansion of the distillery, as well as the distillation process. His sister Monika Hegedus is responsible for the design, PR, marketing and communications. The bottling and packaging is carefully carried out by hand by Árpád’s mother who looks after the small yet crucial details.
This family teamwork bore fruit at the World Spirits Award with classification as a Master Class Distillery 2012. There was also a double gold for the plum – Lepotica Szilva, gold for the Plum Wood Aged – Érlelt Szilva, silver for the Raspberry – Málna and Wild Pear – Vackor and bronze for the Apricot – Magyar Kajszi and Cornel – Erdei Som.

Hijos de Pablo Esparza: Regional specialities from Navarra

This family business in the north of Spain is located just 80 kilometres from the French border. Present in the market for over 145 years, the business is now run by the fifth generation. Some of the 27 employees have been working with the family for over 40 years. The oldest product is Anís Las Cadenas, which already won awards in Paris in 1909.

As Spanish spirits are not as well-known as whisky, vodka, rum or tequila, customers are usually found in countries with Spanish inhabitants or descendants of Spanish immigrants. As a small business with no international branches, the contact with business partners is paramount, and they need to be well-supplied with information on the products.

One particular speciality of the region is Pacharán, an aniseed and sloe liqueur, which has been popular in Navarra since the Middle Ages. The name is derived from Basaran, a Basque word for sloe. In the 1950s it became more well-known with the aid of commercial production and marketing. Originally, wild sloes were used, but these days they are grown on plantations to meet the increasing demand. As a means of dealing with inferior imitations, a supervisory board for production was set up in 1988, which also awards the seal of quality and origin Denominación de Origen del Pacharán.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Licor de Endrinas Basarana 20, silver for Pacharán Basarana Etiqueta Negra and Anís Las Cadenas, and bronze for Licor de Hierbas Las Cadenas.

Kweichow Moutai: China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.