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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.

Walter Trausner: New beginnings with gin

Mr Trausner’s story begins at the start of the 1990s. After studying distillery and fermentation technology, he founded the Gasser-Trausner distillery in the Lungau region in the province of Salzburg, but was forced to close it less than ten years later. At the beginning of 2000, Walter Trausner and his wife, Eva, founded the ‘Trausners Genusswerkstatt’ factory and made a name for themselves with jams and sweets. In 2015, he invented ENZO Alpin, the world’s first soft drink made from gentian. Cordials soon followed, and then a second ENZO Alpin soft drink and two spirits: a bitter liqueur based on citrus fruit and gentian, and a London Dry Gin.

From 2019, Walter Trausner once again started to apply himself to the art of distillation and combined his experience with his usual perfectionist demands of the products. As well as gin, he also plans to distil single-variety grain distillates and whisky. Each kind of grain has its own particular taste – and this advantage is used to create a suitable distillate for each grain. The regional components also play a vital role, as the Lungau microclimate and pure mountain spring water offer ideal conditions for the maturing and mashing processes.

The first distillate from the Trausner company was a classic London Dry Gin made from wheat brandy, 23 botanicals and fresh organic bitter orange peel. The recipe dates back to 1997, when the distiller was one of the first in Austria to take a chance on what, at that time, was just a novelty: gin. He currently reinterprets old knowledge from monastery distilleries and produces liqueurs using an elaborate procedure – the basis are homemade grain spirits from local types of grain.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Lungaus Gentle Giant – New Single Malt, and silver for Lungaus Gentle Giant – Herb Liqueur and Lungaus Gentle Giant – APERO Liqueur.

Peter Kronbichler: TIROLIKUM from Walchsee

At the foot of the Kaisergebirge mountain range, directly on the shores of Lake Walchsee, lies the Kronbichler family’s small distillery. Three generations are involved in the production, whereby distilling, bottling and labelling are done by hand. The products are available in the two Tiroler Laden® shops in Walchsee, and in their online shop as well. The product range of fruit brandies and liqueurs is enriched by their own London Dry Gin. Under the brand TIROLIKUM they also produce a gin liqueur and a herb elixir. Elixier Klar (herb spirit) and London Dry Gin Overproof with 57% are the novelties in the product range. For the first time in 2023, a fine herb bitter under the trademark ALPARI is being offered. Pure or as ALPARI Spritz with wine or tonic water, its fragrance unfolds and its fine aroma infuses the palate.

The botanicals are largely sourced regionally and are subject to strict quality criteria. The modern copper still ensures a variety of expressions: in the nose the elegant freshness of citrus and herbs, subtle hints of spices with roots and light blossom aromas, while on the palate sweet-tangy with juniper and coriander, leaving a soft, slightly tart finish. Herbs, roots and the finest juniper are the most important elements for the modern Gin Liqueur – always enjoyable as an aperitif or long drink with ice. For the Elixier, 46 herbs, roots and spices are processed through a sophisticated procedure of maceration and distillation. Storage is in medium toasted oak barrels.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for TIROLIKUM Gin, TIROLIKUM Elixier and TIROLIKUM Gin Likör, and silver for ALPARI.