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Hohenkammer Castle – Setting an example with sustainability

An idyllic rural landscape, traditional cultivation and sustainable agriculture – all just 30 kilometres from Munich. The beautifully restored Hohenkammer Castle is located in a small community with a history dating back over 1,200 years and houses a top-class seminar centre. The castle offers 162 rooms, 26 seminar and conference rooms plus various areas for hosting celebrations.

The agricultural estate of Gut Eichethof comprises 300 hectares of land and 500 hectares of forest which also supply raw materials for energy production. The area has been consistently ecologically farmed since 1992 and has enjoyed considerable economic success. The principle of sustainability is a means of devising a successful future rather than a return to the good old days.

Guided by high quality standards, scientific expertise is just as important as practical experience. The core business of farming is the reproduction of organic seeds of which the estate is one of the biggest producers, including being number one in Bavaria. Angus cattle, Mangalitza pigs and various chicken species are reared here for the company’s own use. Further top products based on its own organic farming include pumpkin seed oil and various fruit vinegars.

More than 1,000 fruit trees and shrubs provide the raw materials for fine brandies ranging from apple to damson. 24 high-quality products are available nowadays, of which five are matured in Italian oak casks. The brandies are sold in particular to guests at the conference centre and at the castle restaurant.

At the World Spirits Award, the company achieved classification as a First Class Distillery 2014. There was also gold for the Rheinischer Bohnapfel (apple brandy), Traubenbrand Holzfass (a grape brandy aged in a wooden cask) and Vogelbeer Maulbeerfass (rowanberry aged in a mulberry cask).

Highclere Castle Spirits: Traditional gin with style

Highclere Castle is a manor house in the neo-Renaissance style dating back to the 19th century, located in the county of Hampshire to the south-west of London. The exquisite country house has been the home of the Carnarvon family for more than 300 years and clearly has a long and rich past. The typically English park is located within the 1,000 hectare grounds of gentle hills and woodlands. Over the centuries, visitors have included kings and artists, statesmen and authors. The etiquette involved in playing host to such noteworthy guests has been perfected over generations.

Today, Lady Carnarvon still welcomes friends and guests in the drawing room or on the lawn with a gin cocktail or traditional gin and tonic – traditionally with the juice and peel of fresh oranges and a sprig of rosemary from the garden. Juniper has grown wild on the grounds since Roman times and forms the backbone of the first-class London Dry Gin. In the family archives, recipes can be found from the early 20th century, which were painstakingly fine-tuned over the space of two years. At the heart of it all is juniper, which is joined by lavender, lime blossom and orange peel. The unusual addition of oats as a botanical creates a creamy note.

Highclere Castle Gin is produced in England’s oldest gin distillery from the 19th century, above an ancient underground spring. Continuous improvements and a long tradition have led to a facility being established in which worldwide prize-winning gins of the highest quality are produced.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Highclere Castle Gin.

Schwarze & Schlichte – Brand personalities from Westphalia

The family business Schwarze & Schlichte from Westphalia has been representing the highest quality spirits for the last 345 years with a distinct range of national specialities, regional traditional brands and successful international innovations. This top quality is based on a distilling tradition acquired over centuries which has been passed down over twelve generations. Even today, distilling and maceration still take place at the company’s own distillery where plenty of time and skill are invested. The selection and processing of the best raw materials and continuous control of the production process ensure a consistently high quality. One factor for success is the ongoing brand management in accordance with the specific requirements of the various brand personalities.

Three Sixty Vodka is one of the purest and mildest vodkas in the world. A fourfold distillation process ensures tangible softness and exceptional clarity while the purity of the vodka is all down to the time-consuming “Diamond Filtration” process: the finest filters are used, set with crystals like diamond dust, to remove even the smallest of suspended particles from the distillate. Even the packaging is unique: the facet-cut bottle of pure white shiny glass sets off this premium vodka to perfection. A black velvet label completes the sophisticated design.

The Grappa Bianca from Scavi & Ray is characterised by its full-bodied balanced flavour with powerful and intense aromas of marc. This crystal-clear brandy is soft and deliciously balanced thanks to the exquisite skill of the master distillery. The intense and fruity aroma is reminiscent of the sun-soaked vineyards in Italy.

Both products received a silver medal at the World-Spirits.