The spirit of Swissness

28 Mar 2016
|
2 min read
The Swiss DIWISA distillery in Willisau is a family business which has been able to withstand the rest of time with irrepressible innovative strength and highly motivated employees since 1918…
Combining tradition and high-tech innovation

The Swiss DIWISA distillery in Willisau is a family business which has been able to withstand the rest of time with irrepressible innovative strength and highly motivated employees since 1918. Optimally combining traditional craftsmanship and innovation, the DIWISA distillery has become the market lead in producing and distributing alcoholic beverages in Switzerland.

The distillery was founded by Hans Affentranger in 1918 in order to produce spirits, liquors and syrup. Because the natural surroundings of Willisau were predestined to grow various fruits it seem no wonder that the family business soon gained competence in the field of fruit distillation. Today, DIWISA is one of Europe’s most modern distilleries which surprises customers with numerous pioneering products.

Their premium vodka brand XELLENT, for example, leaving nothing to chance. Great vodka combines good ingredients and high-quality water and this is exactly what XELLENT puts a special focus on. Solely processing pure Swiss ray from local cultivation areas, the distillation process starts in a small, traditional copper pot still before the vodka comes into a specifically manufactured column with 45 plates. Here, it gets cleaned, all remaining unwanted components are removed and thus, the taste is further refined, harmonized and softened. After a resting period of several months, the vodka gets diluted to drinking strength with water from Central Switzerland’s Titlis glacier. A concluding, multi-stage filtration process gives Xellent Swiss Vodka pure perfection. The result is a high-quality product full of character with a slightly sweet taste.

This vodka also builds the basis for the XELLENT Swiss Edelweiss Gin containing 25 selected botanicals. The edelweiss comes from a farm where it isgrown following organic guidelines. Lemon balm and lavender are grown by the Master Distiller Franz Huber himself, in the company’s own herb garden. He finds woodruff and elderflower in abundance on his long woodland walks around Willisau. Once cut or gathered, the herbs and berries are slowly dried, so that they retain their flavour and the essential oils. After the slow drying, the flowers and leaves are plucked from the stems and mixed with the fresh herbs to make a blendfollowing the Master Blender’s recipe. The herbs give the gin a very special touch without dominating the typical juniper flavor. After a fourth gentle distillation and another reduction to drinking strength with Titlis glacier water, XELLENT Edelweiss Gin is now also ready to be enjoyed.

Contemporary design and holistic “Swissness” makes Xellent the perfect product for connoisseurs of fine distillates. Xellent Swiss Edelweiss Gin has already celebrated substantial success with the ginhavingbeen awarded a gold medal from the “World Spirits Award”.

It comes as no surprise that their high-quality pure and tasty innovations have made DIWISA the leading company on Switzerland’s spirit market.

DIWISA Distillerie Willisau SA

Menznauerstrasse 23

CH-6130 Willisau

+41 41 972 72 72

diwisa.ch