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Várda Drink – Hungarian specialist for bitter liqueurs

One of the oldest and largest manufacturers on the Hungarian spirits market is also one of the leading producers in the country due to its broad range of products. The predecessor of the present-day company was founded in 1922 in the northeast-Hungarian town of Kisvárda, was nationalised in 1950 and re-privatised in 1993.

The town gives its name to one of the main products in the diverse product range: Várda Keseru is a liqueur speciality, full of character, pleasantly sweet, bitter and spicy at the same time, made from 34 different herbs and spices. Várda Keseru Szilva is made with plum extract and is matured for some time in wooden barrels. This variety is very popular with traditional sweets – or simply to warm yourself up. In 2017, the company developed a new range of products with the name Hunor, which rounds off the bitter character with fruit tastes such as orange, lime and blueberry.

In Hungary, bitters is the most popular spirit and Várda Keseru one of the most successful traditional specialities, especially in the east of the country – Hungarians swear by the medicinal effect on their health. In 2018, a re-launch of the features is on the cards with more sophisticated labelling and packaging.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Várda Bitter Liqueur, gold for Várda Bitter Plum Liqueur, Hunor Hunters’ Liqueur, and bronze for Hunor Hunters’ Liqueur Lime.

Glina Destillerie: The finest raw materials from their own fields

Not far from Berlin – about a 30-minute drive from the Reichstag – high-quality spirits have been produced since 1991. Since 2004, rye and single malt whisky have been made from champagne rye and spring barley from their own fields. The sandy earth streaked with loam and clay, combined with the mild climate in the Havel region, offers perfect conditions for crop cultivation, forming the basis for their mild and fruity whiskies. A fundamental role is also played by the water from their own 86-metre-deep Elisabeth spring.

The master distiller and owner Michael Schultz controls every step of the production process. “I am dedicated to my production with all my heart and do everything myself, from cultivation right through mash and distillation to barrel storage and filling.” As one of the few distilleries in Germany, Glina has a ten-year single malt in its product range that matures in three different barrels. Apart from whisky, gin is also produced and since 2020 the striking colour of Sir Henry Magic Blue has been attracting attention. To convey the high quality standards, each bottle bears the handprint of the master distiller. Glina stands for authentic whisky from the Margraviate of Brandenburg. The promise of “My hand for my product” is part of the company philosophy which they live and breathe.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Sir Henry Gin + Grapefruit, Sir Henry Gin + Magic Blue and Glina RYE Whisky made from champagne rye, silver to Der Siedler Gin, Glina Single Malt Whisky in the Bordeaux barrel from Château Clos Fontaine 2012, Glina Single Malt Whisky 8 Years Triple Cask Strength and Glina Single Malt Whisky 10 Years Triple Cask Strength, and bronze to Sir Henry Gin and Glina Single Malt Whisky Ex Siedlerhof Knupper-Kirschwein-Fass and the First Class Distillery classification.

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.

Diageo – From London to the whole world

Approximately 33,000 employees are employed worldwide at Diageo, the market leader in premium spirits, with Smirnoff (vodka), Johnnie Walker (whiskey), J&B (Scotch whiskey), Baileys (liqueur), Captain Morgan (rum), Cuervo (tequila) and Tanqueray (gin), Guinness beer and branded wines. Production takes place all around the world: from Great Britain and Ireland, Italy, Spain and Africa, to the USA, Canada, Latin America, Australia, India and the Caribbean. The global corporation emerged in 1997 from the merger between Guinness and GrandMet. 180 markets around the world are handled from its London headquarters.

A lot of work and lots of attention to detail go into creating the in-depth product descriptions on Diageo’s website. Information and analysis is provided about issues ranging from detailed descriptions of the production down to the most minute ingredients. Finally, they are aware of the size of their company and also of their responsibilities as a supplier of alcoholic products. The name Diageo was also deliberately chosen – it represents their agenda. Put together from ‘dia’ (the Latin word for ‘day’) and ‘geo’ (the Greek word for ‘world’), it means that every day people are celebrating all over the world with products from their company. These products open up possibilities never dreamed of for special days and nights, marking special life events and even making the smaller things in life feel magical.

Participation in the World Spirits Award was magical: there was double gold for Tanqueray No. 10 (Spirit of the Year 2016), gold for Gordon’s London Dry Gin and Tanqueray London Dry Gin, as well as silver for Tanqueray Rangpur.