Skip to main content
The cart is empty

World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

The ultimate guide through the world of spirits - with current ratings of the best distilleries and commercial enterprises.
Order it now on-line: for Euro 72.- per

Destillerie

Company:
Yerevan Brandy Company
Address:
BC “Imperial House”, Yakimansky pereulok, 6
Place:
119049 Москва 49
Country:
Russian Federation
Products:
  • Weinbrand
Yerevan Brandy Company – Ararat: Cultural heritage from Armenia

The history of wine-growing in Armenia dates back over 3,000 years, and brandy has been distilled for over 150 years. Businessman Nerses Tairjanz, inspired by his cousin Vasily Tairov, a wine-growing expert, founded a wine and schnapps factory in the capital Yerevan in 1877. His entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity were his starting capital, the natural resources lay in the ideal conditions of the Ararat valley for the quality of the grapes. In a few decades, the Armenian brandy gained recognition far and wide.

In 1899, the company was sold to the Russian merchant dynasty Schustow, a large alcohol distributer in Eastern Europe. At the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900, the brandy was awarded the ‘Grand Prix’ and received the right to be called ‘Cognac’. In 1922, Armenia became a Soviet Republic and the company was nationalised. It had a monopoly on the manufacture of brandy in the Armenian SSR and brought in high tax revenues over 70 years. Following the demise of the USSR and the new founding of the state of Armenia in 1991, the company lost the monopoly. In 1998, it was privatised and sold for 30 million US dollars to the Pernod Ricard Group. More than 90 percent of the products of the Yerevan Brandy Company are exported worldwide to 35 countries. The flagship brand is Ararat Brandy, of which there are varieties stored in a ‘treasure chamber’ for decades.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Ararat Ani and Ararat Akhtamar, and silver for Ararat Nairi.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 92Ararat Ani2017Details
Gold 91.3Ararat Akhtamar2017Details
Silver 88Ararat Nairi2017Details

Destillerie

Company:
Destillerie Josef Hofer e.U.
Address:
Hauptplatz 32
Place:
8952 Kienach
Country:
Austria
Products:
  • Liköre
Destillerie Josef Hofer: The finest stone pine schnapps

In the Styrian Enns Valley, at the foot of Mount Grimming, lies Irdning-Donnersbachtal. The Josef Hofer family business has been on the main square since 1797, now in the eighth generation. The stone pine schnapps plays an important role in the production of spirits and liqueurs. Since 2005, the Zirbenz Stone Pine Liqueur has been exported to the best resorts in the United States.

A stone pine spirit in its original form only needs pure alcohol and some sugar. 35 percent alcohol by volume gives an ideal combination of flavour and sharpness. The colour is typical with light blue-violet tones. Picking the cones is a risky job, as they hang on the outermost branches. And it has to be done quickly, because, due to the exothermal fermentation processes, the resin begins to seep out, leading to a bitterness which makes the cones unusable. Production begins after visual inspection of the cones: perfect examples are red throughout when cut open. They are left in a mixture of alcohol and water, depending on temperature and maturity, for two to three weeks. Once the sugar has been added, the alcohol content is regulated and, after a short resting period, the filtration and bottling follow.

‘Zirbenz trifft Barrique’ (Zirbenz meets barrique) is matured for six months in a new barrique made of American oak. The reddish-brown colour evokes whisky, while the aroma brings together stone pine with kiln-dry notes, hints of rum, tobacco and wood. A schnapps with strong bitter aromas from the roots of yellow gentian, which are washed and set in pure alcohol for two weeks, is a rarity.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Zirbenz, as well as silver for Zirbenz trifft Barrique and Enzian (gentian).
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 90Zirbenz2022Details
Silver 88.3Enzian2022Details
Silver 84Zirbenz trifft Barrique, Zirbenz meets Barrique2022Details

Handel

Company:
Roust Hungary Kft.
Address:
Alkotás utca 50
Place:
1123 Budapest
Country:
Hungary
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
Roust Hungary: Affordable luxury on the spirits market

Roust was founded in 1992 by the Russian businessman Roustam Tariko and quickly developed into a leading business group in the sale of premium spirits brands. One of the world’s leading vodka producers, the company is present in more than 80 countries. Roust owns production plants and distribution centres in Hungary, Russia and Italy. The comprehensive portfolio includes the flagship vodka brands of Russian Standard, Green Mark, Parliament and Zhuravli.

Thanks to its extensive knowledge in sales and marketing and its commitment to responsible alcohol consumption, Roust Hungary has become the leading supplier on the domestic spirits market. The largest premium spirits company in Hungary also sells the Royal, Zubrówka, Russian Standard, Gancia, Grants, Jägermeister and Metaxa brands.

For years, Royal Vodka has maintained its position as the most popular and well-known vodka brand in Hungary, and also remains market leader in terms of volume and turnover. Royal Vodka is produced using natural ingredients, from the grain to the well water, which contributes to its mild taste.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Royal Original Vodka, and bronze for Royal Raspberry Liqueur.
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 90.3Royal Original Vodka2022Details
Bronze 78Royal Raspberry Liqueur2022Details

Handel

Company:
Bimmerle KG Private Distillery
Address:
Önsbacherstraße 40
Place:
77855 Achern
Country:
Germany
Products:
  • Spirituosen Wiederverkauf
  • Destillerie
Bimmerle: Know-how meets regionality and trend awareness

At the production site in the Black Forest town of Sasbach, which was opened in 2015, this family business sets innovative standards in technology, sustainability and environmental protection. For the last five decades, Bimmerle has strived for the highest quality, with focussed know-how, modern high-tech and the traditional art of distilling. This is the first distillery in Germany where all the heating requirements and power generation are covered by the burning of fruit stones combined with woodchips from the region.

In Germany and on the European market, Bimmerle is a leader in the fruit brandies sector with the Lörch brand. In order to make the ‘playground’ more interesting, the brand identity was modernised in 2024 and will be extended in 2025 by a fruit brandy range matured in wooden casks. Needle Black Forest Gin is among the top 5 most widely sold gins in Germany. The portfolio has been expanded since 2018 with WOOD STORK Spiced Rum and the EVERMANN Black Forest whiskies Theo & Wilhelm introduced in 2022. The Black Forest distillery has enriched the liqueur and aperitif market with as many as five exciting creations under the DON PASQUALE brand.

The World Class Distillery 2025 & Distillery of the Year 2025 – Bronze (Bitters & Liqueurs) received Gold for Don Pasquale Limoncello Liqueur, Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Wood Stork Spiced Rum, Lörch Waldhimbeergeist (wild raspberry spirit), Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör (vanilla cream liqueur), Needle Gin Green, Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Liqueur, Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Liqueur, Don Pasquale Hazelnut Liqueur and Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör (Linzer tart cream liqueur). Silver was awarded to Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand (pear brandy), Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser (damson spirit), Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin, Needle Gin Rosé, Don Pasquale Pistachio Cream Liqueur, Lörch Bratapfel Sahnelikör (baked apple cream liqueur), Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne (pear brandy), Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (pear spirit aged in a wooden cask) and Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (apricot spirit aged in a wooden cask), and Bronze to Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert (fruit spirit aged in a wooden cask).
AwardsPointsSpiritEventDetail
Gold 95Don Pasquale Aperitif Bitter Likör2025Details
Gold 94Lörch Linzertorte Sahnelikör2025Details
Gold 94Wood Stork Spiced Rum2025Details
Gold 92.7Don Pasquale Espresso Martini Likör2025Details
Gold 92.3Zünftler Waldhimbeergeist2025Details
Gold 92.3Needle Gin Green2025Details
Gold 92Don Pasquale Haselnuss Likör2025Details
Gold 92Don Pasquale Limoncello Likör2025Details
Gold 90Lörch Vanillekipferl Sahnelikör2025Details
Gold 90Lörch Waldhimbeergeist2025Details
Silver 89Needle Blackforest Distilled Dry Gin2025Details
Silver 88Don Pasquale Pistazien Sahnelikör2025Details
Silver 87Zinselhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand2025Details
Silver 87Zünftler Alte Williams Christ Birne2025Details
Silver 85Lörich Bratapfel Sahnelikör2025Details
Silver 84Lörch Williams Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert2025Details
Silver 83Lörch Altes Schwarzwälder Zwetschgenwasser2025Details
Silver 83Kronenhof Alter Williams Christ Birnenbrand2025Details
Silver 83Needle Gin Rosé2025Details
Silver 82Lörch Alte Williams Christ Birne2025Details
Silver 81Lörch Marille Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert2025Details
Bronze 79Lörch Obst Spirituose im Holzfass gelagert2025Details
We use cookies

Usamos cookies en nuestro sitio web. Algunas de ellas son esenciales para el funcionamiento del sitio, mientras que otras nos ayudan a mejorar el sitio web y también la experiencia del usuario (cookies de rastreo). Puedes decidir por ti mismo si quieres permitir el uso de las cookies. Ten en cuenta que si las rechazas, puede que no puedas usar todas las funcionalidades del sitio web.