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Mey Diageo: Lion’s milk from Turkey

Raki is a typical Anatolian product with a manufacturing process specific to Turkey. The ingredients (grapes, raisins and aniseed from Anatolia) are distilled in traditional copper vats (maximum 5,000 litres), followed by at least one month of maturing in tanks or oak casks. The aniseed adds an unmistakable fragrance and creates the ‘white cloud’ when it is diluted with water – hence the fitting name ‘lion’s milk’. Raki has been trademarked due to its geographical origin since 2009.

Mey Diageo (with more than 30,000 members of staff in 180 countries) has a wide selection of brands that represent a culture of 500 years. These include Yeni Raki, Tekirdag Rakisi, Kulüp Raki, Altinbas Raki and Izmir Raki, and it exports to more than 30 countries. Yeni Raki has been produced since 1937 and is the ‘World’s Number 1 Raki Brand’ (IWSR 2020 with regard to volume). Since 2019, new recipes have been developed in ‘miniature’ pot stills (1/10 of the normal size) at a production site in Alasehir. The first product developed in this way is Yeni Raki Uzun Demleme (Long Distilled), and the second innovation is Yeni Raki Giz, inspired by whisky at cask strength (68%).

Raki is usually served in tall, thin glasses. Connoisseurs use an ‘Ehl-i keyf’ which simply means ‘bon vivant’. The glass is cooled in a cylindrical copper vessel and the outer edge is then filled with water and frozen before serving. Serefe!

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kulup Raki Deluks SoY 2024, and gold for Yeni Raki Ala.

Kapruner Edelbrände: Hiking with a high-spirited reward

Not far from Kaprun town center, on the Maiskogel mountain, lies the cosy Unteraigen inn. Homemade delicacies and home-distilled schnapps are served here, accompanied by the wonderful panoramic views over the Kaprun Valley and the surrounding mountains. The establishment is run by the Rattens-berger family with charisma and warmth and is a popular place to stop for people on hikes or to take a break from skiing. You can visit the distillery, if you like.

In 1995, Albert Rattensberger had the facility designed and built, and in 2001, he founded the Kaprun-er Edelbrände company. In 2014, Anton ‘Toni’ Rattensberger took over the distillery, which produces fine fruit distillates with love and experience. “In schnapps you will only find what the fruit has to give, sometimes with a little yeast to improve fermentation. Basically, we keep to the motto: good fruit = good fermentation = good schnapps,” says Toni.

Distillation takes place all year round, but the main season is between September and December. When the distillation plan is drawn up, the fruit is delivered. Depending on demand, between 500 and 1,500 litres of schnapps are distilled every year. In total, there are 11 varieties, including apple, multi-fruit schnapps (Obstler), sour cherry, cherry, apricot and Williams pear, all made with fruit sourced from local Styrian farmers. They also produce rowanberry spirits – including Ukrainian field rowan – as well as gentian and even a rich egg liqueur.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for gentian, Williams Pear an apricot.

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.