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Tokara - Brilliant Brandy from South Africa

The South African Tokara vineyard is situated but a few kilometres from the historical winemaking town of Stellenbosch, offering breathtaking views of Simonsberg, False Bay, Table Mountain and Idas Valley. The estate's buildings impress with their combination of clear architecture and natural building materials. A continuation of this philosophy is found at Tokara Restaurant on top of Helshoogte Pass between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch. Through a giant glass wall, diners can follow the proceedings in the kitchen.

The winemaking is just as transparent and innovative in its use of cutting-edge technology. The product line is deceptively simple and clear, you might well call this sophistication. The focus with white wines lies on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, and Tokara have wisely restricted themselves to only two reds: a blend of Bordeaux and a red cuvée named 'Queen of Night'. The top wines are elegant, well-balanced and age well, as John Platter, South Africa's foremost wine writer, confirms.

Tokara's brandy was distilled from Chenin Blanc grapes harvested in January of 2002. The base wine was extremely fruity, with a broad range in aroma from citrus and pineapple to pear and green apple. The distillate was filled into a combination of 300 litre new and 20-year-old French oak barrels and left to mature for five years.

Their first appearance at the World Spirits Award resulted in a gold medal for their brandy: no wonder, given the clear business philosophy.

Mürli GmbH: Regional liqueurs from Mecklenburg

Angelika Wagner-Schnurrbusch and Jörg Schnurrbusch fell in love with the Müritz region in their earliest years. Childhood boat holidays in the lake district eventually led to their new home, where they chose to retire. But this was not enough for the two ‘vibrant, enthusiastic and enthusing elective Müritz locals’. They composed a herb liqueur as a showpiece for the whole region.

Every exciting day in the lake district tends to end with a good dinner, rounded off with a herb liqueur. Standard herb schnapps did not always meet expectations, thus the idea of a high-quality regional product was born. Over two years, recipes were tried out and tested with the help of a distilling master. The aim was a herb liqueur that represents the region, its particularities and diversity. The result is Mürli, where a variety of botanicals – from angelica and gentian, mugwort and vermouth, cinnamon and cloves, along with bitter orange – allow their soothing effect to unfold. The label – black and lime green with a stylised herb fairy – adorns the striking triangular bottles. Marketed from the lake district to the Baltic region, Mürli is appreciated by customers in gastronomy and retailing, as well as their guests and customers. As an alternative to the typical sea buckthorn products, an egg liqueur was also created as a tribute to the region.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Mürli Premium Herb Liqueur, and silver to Mürli Premium Egg Liqueur.

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

Baijiu is the most popular alcoholic drink in China and Moutai the most famous brand, with 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 frequently served at official state banquets and is used as the official state gift. Its protected source is the village of Maotai in the Guizhou province on the banks of the Chishui, the Red River. These days, more than 30,000 tons of the 53 percent alcohol Moutai are produced. In cooperation with Camus, a limited edition was launched as an homage to the greatest poets: after Li Bai in 2013, Du Fu followed in 2018. The elegant bottle showing a painting of a poem is made from the finest porcelain.

Traditional methods are used for the distillation of regional raw materials: organic sorghum and wheat and the best water. Fermentation takes place at high temperatures. During the production process, which takes a year, fresh grain is added twice to the boilers, then several boiling and fermentation processes take place. Every batch of the distillate is separated according to age, production cycle and aroma. It then matures slowly in terracotta containers and, during the storage period of at least five years, develops a fine soya aroma. Master blenders make sure that the characteristic, full flavour is preserved. The secret lies in the humid climate, the water from the Chishui, as well as in the distillation technique and maturing period.

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Kweichou Moutai Du Fu Edition.