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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.

Kweichow Moutai – China’s ‘national schnapps’ on the rise

Moutai is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and enjoys a similar status to vodka in Russia or tequila in Mexico. Its origins go back over 2,000 years to the time of Emperor Wu of Han. These days, the national drink is served at all official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the southwest of the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. Maotai was connected to the road network just short of 30 years ago, which meant that the port became less important. Schnapps production, however, went through the roof. These days, 25,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol is produced – with enormous increases, year for year.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: Johnson grass, wheat and water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes nearly a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then boiling and fermentation processes take place. During the many years of storage, a fine soya aroma develops. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, and also in the distillation technique.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for KWEICHOW MOUTAI – Legendary China Collection, Dufu Edition.

STIN Styrian dry Gin: Homage to Styria

Johannes Firmenich, a true southern Styrian, and Reinhard Jagerhofer, a nature lover from Hartberg, discovered their love of gin during their years at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences in Vienna. Shortly before they graduated, they had the idea of STIN as a friendship project – a gin according to their taste, with ingredients from their homeland. The two most important ones grow conveniently right on their doorstep: Johannes contributed the south Styrian apples, Reinhard the east Styrian elderberries. Both of them also have a good feeling for what makes a good gin: traditional craftsmanship, careful distilling and of course what goes into it.

28 botanicals provide the diverse aromas and complexity of the Classic Proof. Besides juniper, it is above all the citrus fruits – lemon and orange – as well as south Styrian apples and east Styrian elderberry that make this gin so multifaceted. Other fine spices such as coriander, caraway, cardamom, pepper and ginger form its spicy body. In the limited Distiller’s Cut, pears from south Styrian gardens replace the apples, while the rest remains the same. The Overproof – with the ingredients of the Classic Proof – is reduced to 57 volume percent with Styrian spring water after distillation. The dash of colour in the product range is Sloeberry, macerated and distilled according to the basic recipe, then set again with sloeberries and sugar and macerated again over several weeks.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for The STIN – Distiller’s Cut, and silver for The STIN – Classic Proof, The STIN – Overproof and The STIN – Sloeberry.