World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Morikawaratan: Liqueur specialities from Japan

Takanori Mori, who runs a roofing company, started Goodman Kitchen, a mobile restaurant, in 2018. He travelled through Japan with it and got to know wonderful ingredients in every region. Inspired by these encounters, he founded a factory for liqueur specialities in 2022. He began producing liqueurs, for which he processed agricultural products from all over Japan. The first product, Limoncello, was launched in spring 2023, followed by Arancello, plum wine and Bankan, made from unique citrus fruits. Guided tours of the company are also available for anyone interested.

In November 2023, Limoncello was awarded a gold medal and the plum wine a silver medal at ‘The Liqueur Masters’. This is organised by ‘The Spirits Business’ trade magazine, and spirits are tasted by spirits experts in 14 separate categories. The results can also be found at www.thespiritsbusiness.com, which attracts more than 325,000 visitors from almost 150 countries every month. The products also impressed the WSA expert jury.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Hida Craft Lemoniq (Sweet Award & SoY 2024), gold for Hida Craft Lemoniq Bitter, and bronze for Hida Craft Umeshu Den.

Badel 1862: Number one on the Croatian market

Badel 1862 is the largest and oldest producer of spirits in Croatia and the market leader in all categories of alcoholic drinks in Croatia, as well as the whole Adriatic region. This accolade testifies to the quality of the products and the preservation of the rich tradition that is also reflected in the name of the company, coupled with innovations that keep pace with new trends. The portfolio comprises more than 100 products, including brandies, liqueurs, gin and vodka.

The flagship of the portfolio and the most widely sold herb liqueur of the Adriatic region is the traditional Pelinkovac. The secret lies in the original manufacturing process: according to an old recipe, in which a selected mix of herbs is crowned by ‘pelin’ (in Latin, Artemisia absinthium). The ‘rising star’ is Antique Pelinkovac, with its recipe from the founding year of 1862. Originally a medicinal drink, today it is part of the traditional gastronomy.

The most widely sold Hrvatska Stara Šljivovica made from the local plum type Bistrica and matured in Slavonian barrels, is a ‘signature drink’ with cult status. The special character of the Badel Hrvatska Stara Šljivovica Premium Selection is defined by a selection of distillates from different barrels. The Badel Prima Brand Black has been appreciated for generations alongside the original recipe for special wine distillates that are matured for 15 years in Slavonian oak barrels.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Badel Prima Brand Black and Badel Pelinkovac Gorki, and silver for Hrvatska Stara Badel Šljivovica, Antique Pelinkovac and Hrvatska Stara Badel Šljivovica Premium Selection.

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.

Prevelon: Premium vodka by order of the Kremlin

Kremlin Premium Vodka was created as the official drink for all diplomatic receptions and banquets at the Kremlin and was intended as the hallmark of high-ranking events. The decision in favour of the most traditional Russian drink was unanimous. It was only produced on special order and in limited amounts. The first large batch of this ‘protocol’ vodka was ordered in February 1945 for the Yalta Conference. Kremlin Award Grand Premium came on the market in 2011 and is exported to 38 countries, and in many of them it holds the top position in the ultra-premium vodka category. Since 2016, the product range has included Kremlin Award Classic, which enjoys great popularity amongst all partners.

Two products have been added to the product range. Kremlin Award Organic is based on alcohol that is produced from the highest quality organic wheat, and on natural drinking water. The vodka passes through a multi-stage purification through pure birchwood charcoal. The alcohol for Kremlin Award Vintage is made from organic grains from the same harvest. The wheat grains are stored in a grain silo until they reach their physiological maturity in order to get a high-quality base product. The ‘luxury alcohol’ is then mixed with natural drinking water and, after purification, is granted a resting period. Production is limited to the year stated on the label.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Kremlin Award Organic and Kremlin Award Vintage.