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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.

Family of Hounds – Sought and found

Andrea Frigerio and his English wife, Lina, live in Monaco with their two dogs, Spot and Magda, two wonderful additions to the family. Since they started taking the two for walks in town, they have made many new friends. Andrea and Lina used to be red wine drinkers, who spent their holidays in the wine hills of Italy and France. It was only in 2013, while visiting a country estate in England, that they discovered their love for a good G & T. This developed into a passion, and their discussions soon revolved around what it would be like to create their own gin.

They tasted intensively, discarded aromas they didn’t like, and extracted the aromas they did. Together with the master distiller in an old distillery in Piedmont, they created their recipe for the gin: juniper, lemon and orange peel, pink grapefruit, lavender, thyme, cardamom, ginger and coriander. The first three ingredients come from Italy, the rest from Asia. “The juniper is really loud, like a brightly lit disco floor, and the other botanicals dance around it. Together, they are like a lively, attention-seeking dog that can’t sit still.”

In the future, they are looking to establish a small family of spirits, from gin to vodka and from grappa to vermouth – unmistakable in taste, but accessible to everyone. The core of the philosophy is going out with good friends, enjoying a good meal and even better spirits. The first step has already been taken …

At the World Spirits Award, there was double gold for Family of Hounds Gin.

Hijos de Pablo Esparza: Regional specialities from Navarra

This family business in the north of Spain is located just 80 kilometres from the French border. Present in the market for over 145 years, the business is now run by the fifth generation. Some of the 27 employees have been working with the family for over 40 years. The oldest product is Anís Las Cadenas, which already won awards in Paris in 1909.

As Spanish spirits are not as well-known as whisky, vodka, rum or tequila, customers are usually found in countries with Spanish inhabitants or descendants of Spanish immigrants. As a small business with no international branches, the contact with business partners is paramount, and they need to be well-supplied with information on the products.

One particular speciality of the region is Pacharán, an aniseed and sloe liqueur, which has been popular in Navarra since the Middle Ages. The name is derived from Basaran, a Basque word for sloe. In the 1950s it became more well-known with the aid of commercial production and marketing. Originally, wild sloes were used, but these days they are grown on plantations to meet the increasing demand. As a means of dealing with inferior imitations, a supervisory board for production was set up in 1988, which also awards the seal of quality and origin Denominación de Origen del Pacharán.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Licor de Endrinas Basarana 20, silver for Pacharán Basarana Etiqueta Negra and Anís Las Cadenas, and bronze for Licor de Hierbas Las Cadenas.