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Destileria La Caravedo – Traditional products from Peru

The Destileria La Caravedo, founded by Juan Facundo Caravedo Roque in 1684, is said to be the oldest distillery in America. Located in the heart of the Andes, it is about three and a half hours away from Peru’s capital, Lima. These days, there is a high-tech distillery there, which combines technology, design and environmental awareness. The use of water and energy is reduced. Gravity is used for all steps of production, electric pumps are not used. The plants in the roof garden absorb carbon dioxide from the fermentation process and create oxygen. All this provides a sustainable background for a special product: Pisco Portón.

Traditional methods are paramount and much of the work has to be done by hand until a bottle is filled with the clear spirit. First come the grapes from the regional grape varieties Quebranta, Albilla and Torontel. The juice from the first pressing is fermented, but not completely, in order to retain some natural dextrose. After distillation in copper stills there follows a maturing period of up to twelve months until bottling, strictly controlled by the experienced master distiller, Johnny Schuler. With his signature on the numbered bottles he guarantees the purity and top quality of the Pisco Portón.

Pisco is a perfect partner for cocktails and mixed drinks. The name, by the way, comes from the harbour town in Peru from which the national drink was first exported. In the language of the Quechua Indians the word ‘pisco’ means ‘small bird’. The use of the term is regulated by law, from the grape varieties to distillation (without addition of water or flavours) and storage (no maturing in wood). The three main categories of Pisco are Puro (from one grape variety), Acholado (a blend) and Mosto Verde. In this highest quality, just like with Pisco Portón, only partly fermented juice is used.

Classified as a Recommended Distillery 2015, there was gold for Pisco Portón Mosto Verde Italia and silver for Pisco Portón Mosto Verde Quebranta and Pisco Mosto Verde Acholado.

Black Forest Distillers - Bavarian headdress, turbans and bowler hats

An adventurous past lies behind the "Monkey 47" gin: Montgomery Collins was born in 1909 in Madras and came to Berlin in 1945 as a Commander of the Royal Air Force where he became involved with re-developing the zoo and began sponsoring a monkey there named Max. During the 1950s, he opened a country guesthouse by the name of "Zum wilden Affen" (At the wild monkey's) where he began producing gin according to the British tradition.

The unusual recipe was discovered during renovation works and brought back to life by Alexander Stein from the Jacobi brandy dynasty and Master Distiller Christoph Keller. They describe the 47 ingredients as "Black Forest DNA". In addition to juniper berries, they include "spices" (coriander, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon), "floral fragrances" (acacia, honeysuckle, bergamot and lavender blossom), "tangy flavours" (pomelo, lemongrass, lemon balm, etc.) and "Black Forest flavours" (spruce shoots, mallow, blackthorn, elderflower, dog rose and blackberry leaves). Cranberries add the final touch.

These "botanicals" are mixed with extra soft water from the company's own spring and alcohol and are partly macerated. This is followed by the distillation and steam extraction process using fresh plant material. The distillate is stored for a few months in traditional stoneware vessels and after the maturation period, spring water is added until the mixture reaches a strength of 47% vol.

The complex flavours are ideal for classics like Martini with tonic added to taste, as well as cocktails. The top quality of the products was confirmed by a gold medal at the World-Spirits Award.

Limomacher: Regionally produced – socially labelled

Limomacher is a young Bregenz enterprise, according to their own definition “excellent in graphics, design, customer service, lemonade production, social involvement and coffee drinking”. However, a look at the brief biographies of the four-person team reveals quite a bit about their wide-ranging qualifications. All lemonades are produced regionally in Vorarlberg according to their own recipes. Short pathways right up until labelling – also labels for private customers and companies on request – reinforce sustainability, along with filling exclusively in glass bottles. The labelling, as well as the whole warehousing, are handled by Lebenshilfe Vorarlberg, a support organisation for people with disabilities. This is an indication that social thinking has been of great importance from the beginning.

At the beginning of 2018, the ‘Franz von Durst’ brand started in Spar shops, followed by the start-up shelf at Metro. The company developed a gin along with a tonic water for this purpose, as the first manufacturer in retailing that offers both as a one-stop shop. The gin that is also regionally produced goes perfectly with the tonic water and its animating and aromatic concept offers an exceptionally fruity drinking experience. Aside from the juniper base, five further botanicals play a role: angelica root provides a slight tanginess and supports the homogenous taste; orange peel is characterised by a range of aromatic substances and a fine hint of citrus; liquorice provides a complex sweetness with a slightly earthy note; elderberry has an intensive and refreshing taste; and hops gives it a special something.

“We are delighted that the Vorarlberg locals have received our gin so well and that we can expand step by step also into other provinces,” say the two young entrepreneurs.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was achieved by Franz von Durst Gin, and silver by Franz von Durst Dry Gin Wild.

Ehrenwert GmbH: One recipe – two families

One recipe – two families. Each family has its own carefully guarded secret recipe, and with the Lücke family this remained in the hands of grandfather Heinz and later his son Dieter for many decades. Long enough, thought sons Thomas and Christian. In any case, it is the ‘Felsenfeuer’ herb liqueur that once made the Lücke Distillery one of the most important in Münsterland. After the war they continued the success story which first began in the 18th century, with this herb liqueur, using the recipe that Heinz Lücke worked out. In the 1950s everyone was talking about it, but in the 1960s the era of the distillery and the herb liqueur ended. But not for good – 60 years later it celebrated its resurrection with the ‘Freudenfeuer’.

Whilst searching for a distillery, Thomas and Christian kept to family tradition, as their grandmother was a Sasse, and the Sasses’ fine distillery in Schöppingen is still well known today. Following a traditional recipe from 1947 the new liqueur is distilled in small batches and is bottled by hand after a ten-day rest period. Ready to enjoy: neat and ice cold like in the time of our grandfathers, or smoother, on ice with lightly pressed orange zest, or as a basis for a long drink with tonic water or ginger ale. To old times and new friends!

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Freudenfeuer.