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Klippenziege: New era in the world of gin

In December 2015, four friends captured the ‘spirit’ of an idea: they were thinking about gin. Nearly a year later a small batch was bottled by hand. The individuality of a gin lies in the combination of the botanicals, in this case it is the exotic selection: mate tea, goji berries, physalis and a hint of rose. The Klippenziege is a New Western Dry Gin, in which juniper plays the main role amongst the other botanicals.

It is produced in the Habbel Distillery, which guarantees excellent quality thanks to its experience – it was established in 1878 and is now in the family’s fourth generation. The former Korn distillery in Sprockhövel with adjoining farmland is now the largest fruit distillery in the Ruhr region, as a traditional manufacturer it stands out with its attention to detail. The entire manufacturing process at Klippenziege can also be observed on-site.

The bottle and the label are also special. Designer Levent Aydin drew it carefully by hand, and then digitalised it before perfecting it. First it is printed, then coated, then stamped and embossed. The elegant result stands for friendship, solidarity and love. Working together in a friendly and familiar atmosphere connects people with a passion for life who share one important belief: that the product should encourage people to slow down, allowing for mindful enjoyment.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Mate Dry Gin.

Feldfrucht Agrar: Controlled quality from an old entailed estate

Werner, Christine, Franz and Eva Lehner live and work on an old entailed estate. They know from documents that both the building and the family history go back to 1620. Presumably it has been in existence for much longer, although there is no written record. The thinking in terms of generations and the demand for sustainability also determine the type of land usage, which is environmentally friendly, suited to the location and in harmony with nature. Tradition, a close bond with the earth, as well as the courage to innovate have made the vegetable farm a strong partner for gastronomy and food retailing. The enterprise is a member of the “Wasserbauern” association, in order to set targeted measures for preserving water quality.

Production is according to the EUREP-GAP programme. On the one hand it is more costly, on the other it guarantees the best and most reliable food quality. This should be an incentive for the consumer to buy Austrian products. The products flourish on the deep, fruitful earth at the heart of Leonding in Upper Austria. The main products are sweetcorn (since 1986) and pumpkin (since 1999). In addition, there is a wholesale business with all kinds of vegetables, developed from over 50 years of successful cultivation. A trademark of the enterprise has always been specialities and novelties first in vegetable cultivation and later also in trade. The customers include gastronomy, homes and hospitals, where the controlled quality is valued.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Roots Sweet Potato Vodka.

Mey Diageo: Lion’s milk from Turkey

Raki is a typical Anatolian product with a manufacturing process specific to Turkey. The ingredients (grapes, raisins and aniseed from Anatolia) are distilled in traditional copper vats (maximum 5,000 litres), followed by at least one month of maturing in tanks or oak casks. The aniseed adds an unmistakable fragrance and creates the ‘white cloud’ when it is diluted with water – hence the fitting name ‘lion’s milk’. Raki has been trademarked due to its geographical origin since 2009.

Mey Diageo (with more than 30,000 members of staff in 180 countries) has a wide selection of brands that represent a culture of 500 years. These include Yeni Raki, Tekirdag Rakisi, Kulüp Raki, Altinbas Raki and Izmir Raki, and it exports to more than 30 countries. Yeni Raki has been produced since 1937 and is the ‘World’s Number 1 Raki Brand’ (IWSR 2020 with regard to volume). Since 2019, new recipes have been developed in ‘miniature’ pot stills (1/10 of the normal size) at a production site in Alasehir. The first product developed in this way is Yeni Raki Uzun Demleme (Long Distilled), and the second innovation is Yeni Raki Giz, inspired by whisky at cask strength (68%).

Raki is usually served in tall, thin glasses. Connoisseurs use an ‘Ehl-i keyf’ which simply means ‘bon vivant’. The glass is cooled in a cylindrical copper vessel and the outer edge is then filled with water and frozen before serving. Serefe!

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kulup Raki Deluks SoY 2024, and gold for Yeni Raki Ala.