In 1989, two friends, Pius Regli and Jörg Hinck decided that Stylt restaurant “Manne Pahl” in Kampen would be the place for Skiclub Kampen. They started the venture with just four bottles of wine. Every year, the two would have a skiing race among themselves in Zermatt. The winner would become the club president for the next year until the race was held again. Once Skiclub Kampen was established, the pair felt they wanted to apply for the 1993 Alpine World Ski Championships for their mutual love for the sport. 

While that wasn’t a success as the event was eventually held in Japan, something else was emerging that would become a success story for the pair. A high-quality spirits factory was set up by the two of them. In 2021, Pius and Jörg’s spirits were among the winners at the London Spirits Competition. The London Spirits Competition is an annual spirit judging competition that rates spirits on their quality, value and packaging. The quality aspect judges how well the spirit is made from a consumer’s point of view. The value criteria determines how well the spirit is priced in terms of the quality it delivers. The final criteria is packaging which judges how well the spirit is presented in a bottle, its look and more. 

The Skiclub Kampen Collection, Source Facebook

Two of Skiclub Kampen’s spirits were awarded silver medals at the competition. The first one was the North Sea Vodka which scored 88 points. A particularly mild vodka, it has a fruity and citrusy aroma. The palate delivers a smooth and creamy texture with notes of sweet caramel and white chocolate. 

The second medal winner was the North Sea Gin which scored 80 points. Packaged in a brilliant white bottle and with wonderful aromas, the North Sea Gin draws inspiration from the North Sea Vodka. The gin contains botanicals like juniper, coriander, lavender, marjoram and lemon balm. The gin has a light mouthfeel and a smooth, buttery palate. The North Sea Gin’s easy-drinking quality makes it a great choice for a cocktail base. 

To use this very benefit of the gin, Skiclub Kampen decided to stir up a cocktail of their own, the Gin Minze. Here’s how the cocktail is made:

Ingredients:

• 40 ml North Sea Gin
• 125 ml North Sea Pure Mint
• 5-6 ice cubes
• 2-3 fresh mint leaves 

Method:
Open the mint leaves 2-3 times on the back of the hand so that their essential oils unfold. Place the mint leaves in a wine glass and add the ice cubes. Pour the North Sea Gin onto the cubes. Once this is done, only then open the North Sea Pure Mint and carefully pour it into the glass. 

The resulting drink has a delightful turquoise blue colour that will catch your eye. While this is one of their best cocktails, Skiclub Kampen’s cocktail list is full of amazing concoctions. Try their Gin Orange, the Ocean Sunrise, the Kikeriki or the Kampfire. The cocktails all look sublime and can be served at your next big party or when you're looking to impress!

Header Image- Skiclub Kampen, Source Facebook