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Cezana: Gin and rum from the south of Romania

The Magura Zamfirei distillery is situated in the Greater Wallachia area in the south of the country. After over 15 years of experience in agriculture and the cultivation of wheat, barley, rye and corn, Cezana implemented the latest technology, automation software and digitisation at all levels in 2021, following the logical progression from farming to alcohol production. All the natural ingredients were available, as well as the expertise for manufacturing first-class products. In 2022, they worked with two small facilities, an 85-litre hybrid still and a 50-litre iStill. 15,000 bottles a year can be distilled with the pot stills. A 1,000-litre mash tank and a 1,100-litre fermentation tank are equipped with an automation system for controlling all mashing and fermenting processes. Filling and labelling are semi-automatic, with a capacity of 1,000 bottles per day.

Dry Gin No. 4 is the first 100% hand-crafted Romanian gin, processing juniper berries, citrus fruits, hibiscus, chokeberry and blackberries, as well as local herbs. Moonlight Gin is distilled at full moon from 15 botanicals, along with juniper there is also coriander, cardamom, blackcurrants, orange and lime peel, pink pepper, ginger, angelica root, liquorice root, vanilla, cinnamon, grains of paradise (Guinea pepper), iris and Clitoria ternatea blossom. The latter provides the unusual ultramarine blue colour. For Haiduc Rum White, sugar cane molasses from South America is traditionally processed by the master distiller.

At the World Spirits Award, gold was awarded to Moonlight Gin and Haiduc Rum White, and silver to Dry Gin No. 4.

Aura Proizvodi: Delicacies from Croatia

This family business invests a great deal of handicraft and devotion into every product. Aside from jams made of figs, plums, dandelion, cornel cherries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, apricots, oranges and cinnamon, they offer 29 brandies made from fruits and herbs, as well as four gins. The basis of all these is homemade brandy from pomace, pears or apples. This is used for Biska (mistletoe brandy), Medenica (honey brandy) and Teranino (red wine liqueur), spirits made of figs, carob, cornel cherries, almonds, olives, peppermint, plums, rose blossom, sage, forest fruits, wild apples, wild pears and even more besides. The product range also includes a herb liqueur with wormwood, Millefrutti (made of macerated wild fruits), Biska extra (made of white mistletoe), Limoncello, Orancello, Fernet Amaro 78, the first Croatian aperitif Ora d’Oro and the new Premium Pelinkovac Victoris. The product range is headed by Premium Gin Karbun (made of wheat distillate, juniper berries and 20 spices). The gin is filtered through active carbon that is also offered when serving. The products are sold at wine shops, delicatessens, hotels, restaurants and airports. They have their own shops in Hum, the smallest town in the world, in Buzet, the town of truffles, in Novigrad, in Grožnjanu, the artists’ village, in Porec, Motovun, Rovinj and Pula. They also supply to Rijeka, Split, Vrbnik on the island of Krk and the island of Cres. Starting in 2024, they have opened shops in Slovenia as well.

At the World Spirits Award, this Master Class Distillery 2026 won Gold for Aura Premium Pelinkovac Victoris, Aura Limoncello and Aura Teranino, and Silver for Aura Fernet Amaro 78, Aura Gin Karbun and Orancello.

2B Hemp Gin: Styrian gin experience

Two visionaries, Armin Breinl (doctor, drink creator, musician) and Wolfgang Thomann (gin maker), have created a completely new gin experience with real hemp powder: 2B HEMP GIN (inspired by AEIJST). On 17th November 2018, the two invited guests to the first tasting of 2B HEMP GIN in the AEIJST GIN distillery in St. Nikolai in the Sausal Valley.

Made from organic juniper berries, this innovative gin has an impressive, mild and fruity taste and a typical hemp note. Due to its unique aroma, it not only tastes good neat, but also creates a ‘wow’ effect in cocktails – as proven in the long drink Styrian Pale Gin AEIJST refined with 2B HEMP.

For thousands of years, hemp has been grown as a valuable plant, be it for rope, fabric, paper or as an active ingredient in ointments and tinctures. Hemp has always been highly valued for its medicinal properties, yet recently has been demonised as an addictive drug and has suffered under its ensuing prohibition, originating in the USA. These days hemp is regaining importance and is being used more as a luxury food as well as in medicine as a therapeutic agent.

The Lifestyle Trading company, run by Armin Breinl, is an innovative beverage producer, which is already known amongst trade professionals for its sugar-free ‘func- tional fruit drinks’. The drinks have a high fruit content (more than 50 per cent) and additional natural, vital substances and have an energising, relaxing and regenerative effect.

At the World Spirits Award, there was silver for 2B HEMP GIN.