World-Spirits Online Guide Abo – order now

Silent Pool Distillers: Creators of handmade premium spirits

Silent Pool Distillers are located in the Surrey Hills on the Albury Estate of the Duke of Northumberland to the south-west of London. The distillery is near the legendary Silent Pool, an old source that is fed from an aquiferous layer of chalk. The crystal-clear water for their gin production is taken directly from it. The plant substances processed in the spirits come from the region as much as possible. The hardwood for the customised still also comes from the Albury Estate.

Even though the products clearly differ, they are united by a common aim and a shared vision. Each recipe is a symphony of aromas that complement each other. Instead of relying on one unique ingredient, each serves a purpose without dominating the palate. The balancing is a long, laborious process every time. The distillers have experimented with hundreds of flavour combinations over the years before finding the perfect recipe. When comparing the products, it becomes evident that they share the same DNA: handmade, multilayered and full of complex aromas that unfold during tasting. There are many ways to produce gin, most of them simpler than the four-tier procedure used here, but the additional effort is worth it.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Silent Pool Rare Citrus Gin, and silver for Silent Pool Rose Expression Gin and Silent Pool Gin.

Absintissimo – An unusual distiller career

René Wanner used to be a police detective in Geneva, these days he is one of the most well-known absinthe distillers in Val-de-Travers, the traditional region of production in the Swiss canton of Neuenburg. Just like all the people who live there, he can tell many stories about the colourful history of the “green fairy”. Once taken as a medicine, it was later marginalised and then, in 1908, prohibited. Only since 2005 has absinthe again been produced legally. René Wanner revives ancient recipes, distils slowly according to olden specifications and only in small amounts. The result is very aromatic, yet mild and agreeable. A lot of effort is necessary: for 3,000 bottles you need about a ton of wormwood (Artemisia absinthium), in addition to large amounts of green aniseed and star aniseed, mint and balm, coriander and fennel, hyssop and liquorice.

Aside from his talent as a distiller, René Wanner also has a talent for promoting and selling his products. He greets his visitors to the sounds of an alpenhorn, he also learnt yodelling after retirement, and he guides the degustations multilingually: in German, French, Italian and Swiss-German. This is accompanied by anecdotes from moonshiner times – and also, on request, by dishes refined with absinthe from his small kitchen. As a member of a gastronomic brotherhood, he naturally keeps the recipes very secret. The icing on the absinthe cake are the originally designed bottles.

At the World Spirits Award, the absinthe range impressed the judges: gaining gold for La 68…harde, Bleue à Fernand, Bloody Fairy, Cinquante & Une, La Cavassonne, La Fée de la Rade and La Fée Verte, as well as silver for Bleue Bacchus and De Bleu de Bleu.

Klippenziege: New era in the world of gin

In December 2015, four friends captured the ‘spirit’ of an idea: they were thinking about gin. Nearly a year later a small batch was bottled by hand. The individuality of a gin lies in the combination of the botanicals, in this case it is the exotic selection: mate tea, goji berries, physalis and a hint of rose. The Klippenziege is a New Western Dry Gin, in which juniper plays the main role amongst the other botanicals.

It is produced in the Habbel Distillery, which guarantees excellent quality thanks to its experience – it was established in 1878 and is now in the family’s fourth generation. The former Korn distillery in Sprockhövel with adjoining farmland is now the largest fruit distillery in the Ruhr region, as a traditional manufacturer it stands out with its attention to detail. The entire manufacturing process at Klippenziege can also be observed on-site.

The bottle and the label are also special. Designer Levent Aydin drew it carefully by hand, and then digitalised it before perfecting it. First it is printed, then coated, then stamped and embossed. The elegant result stands for friendship, solidarity and love. Working together in a friendly and familiar atmosphere connects people with a passion for life who share one important belief: that the product should encourage people to slow down, allowing for mindful enjoyment.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for Mate Dry Gin.