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Luding Group: Vodka Tchaikovsky as a high-spirited homage to the famous composer

At the beginning of the 1990s, the modern distillery ‘Fortuna’ was launched in a green field in the south of Russia – in the Krasnodar region, a strip of land with spa resorts and health centres. The distillery has specialised in unusual products, in a region with a particularly green fingerprint. The vodka created in honour of the great Russian composer Tchaikovsky is special. The concept for this exceptional product is comparable with one of his musical scores: the work ‘Swan Lake’ served as an inspiration. Art enthusiasts can thus immerse themselves in the history of Russian estate life in the 19th century. The traditional white and blue colours underline the purity of this vodka.

The technical particularities span a wide quality-orientated spectrum: from the selected wheat, their own well water and the special treatment of the distillate with skimmed milk powder to the crystal-clear filtration with active birch coal. With so much perfectionism and monitoring of the individual production steps, the result is an especially gentle, animating and very typical vodka based on wheat. After the diluting of alcohol and pure distillate, the production process is continued with maturation in steel tanks. The aim is to ‘wed’ both ‘waters’, resulting in an especially harmonious vodka.

At the World Spirits Award 2022, Vodka Tchaikovsky was awarded double gold and honoured as the best vodka with the title ‘Spirit of the Year’.

Litchquor – Newly defined classics

Gold of Mauritius Dark Rum is a brilliant tribute to the beauty of the island in the Indian Ocean with its multicultural population and their traditions. The production of rum from local sugarcane molasses has a long tradition in Mauritius, dating back to the year 1800. With ‘Gold of Mauritius’, master blender Frederic Bestel wants to express the richness of the island: the breathtaking landscape with distinctive mountain peaks, fertile valleys and beautiful beaches – and the smiles of the people who live there.

The Dark Rum is a blend of various single distillates from the island, refined in an elaborate process which then reaches its harmonious and aromatic flavour after maturing. Only small amounts are produced at one time, monitored personally by the owner. In the production phases, elements and experiences from various sources are employed: for example, the production process from Central America and the barrels from South Africa. This mixture of influences matches the cultural diversity which can be found in Mauritius. Since its entry onto the market in 2014, the ‘new classic of the world of rum’ has achieved wide recognition. Even its bottle reflects how extraordinary the product is: an unusually shaped, heavy glass carafe with elegant gold embossing. Gold of Mauritius Black 48 Edition is an intense version of the classic, with 48% alcohol.

At the World Spirits Award 2025, there was Silver for Heritage Selection Gold of Mauritius Black 48 Edition.

Martin Doll Vintage Distillery - Great Fruit Variety on the Wine Route

Master fruit grower, winegrower and distiller Martin Doll lives and works in a particularly beautiful part of Germany – at the Baden Wine Route. Picturesque timbered houses and bridges festooned with flowers are typical of Durbach, the winegrowing village in the charming landscape between the Rhine valley and the Black Forest. Durbach sprawls over 42 side valleys. Here in the warmest area of Germany, climatic conditions are excellent and farmers grow wine and fruit. Approximately 230 small distilleries provide a broad spectrum of fine spirits, above all, the famous Black Forest Kirsch.
The winery and distillery of the Doll family are located in the Gebirg district of Durbach, surrounded by vineyards and ridges densely covered with chestnut trees. The Doll’s distilling tradition on the estate dates back to 1802. The family’s goal is to develop the estate independent of large trade conglomerates.
They process only fruit from their own vineyards and orchard meadows. The product line comprises brandies made from berries, pomaceous and drupaceous fruits, distillates matured in wooden casks, marc made from various grape varieties, rare products such as medlar, blackthorn and Jerusalem artichoke specialities, and liqueurs and fruit wines. The local favourite is the Black Forest Kirsch. A secret favourite among schnapps connoisseurs, according to Martin Doll, is Zibärtli, a wild mirabelle plum which has been growing here for more than 500 years.
The company’s participation in the World-Spirits Award resulted in an overall ranking of 19th for the fruit brandies as a “First-Class Distillery” with a gold (medlar) and four silvers (blackcurrant, mirabelle plum, Zibärtli and red Williams pear) for the regional specialities.