Zug,25.09.2017

Etter company voted Distillery of the Year 2017

The Etter Söhne AG company has been voted Distillery of the Year 2017, thanks in no small way to two of its master distillers Urs Wiss (on the left in the photograph) and Tobias Hauser (on the right).
 
Hauser actually learned much about drinks technology at the Ofa company of Affoltern am Albis in the canton of Zurich but after the firm went into liquidation he was fortunate enough to be able continue and complete his apprenticeship at the Fremo company in Muri in the canton of Argovia. It was not long later that Hans Etter, the proprietor of the company, asked him if he would like to become a master distiller there, as the current one was due to retire. “I said yes and was fortunate enough to be trained by my predecessor for two years before he stood down,” said Hauser. “In fact it was very much like a second apprenticeship, albeit one without a certificate. But being able to train at Etter was better than any piece of paper,” he added.
 
The other master distiller at Etter is Urs Wiss, who trained initially as a confisier before applying for a job eight years ago as an allrounder at the distillery. He, too, had to learn all about distilling from the outset, learning by watching others, but he felt it was a great honour to be able to be employed by the firm.
 
Both master distillers have been particularly proud this week, and rightly so, after their company was voted Distiller of the Year, due in no small way to their contributions. “The pair complement each other perfectly,” said managing director Gabriel Galliker-Etter, who, along with his wife, Eveline, and father-in-law, Hans Etter, tastes and checks each product before it is bottled and sold. “We are certified to ISO quality standards, with all recipes of our products duly registered,” he assured.
 
The company is rightly proud of the fact that their kirsch is a top brand product. “Of course, there is not just one type of kirsch; there is Classic Kirsch, the best, followed by Vieille Kirsch, Morello and Wild Cherry Kirsch. Then there are the Williams and Vieille Prune Barrique varieties, too,” explained the expert.
 
Hauser modestly put the success of the company in being awarded no fewer than four gold medals down to teamwork. “And, of course, you need good fruit to start off with,” he said. The Etter Söhne AG company of Chollerstrasse in the city of Zug fully intends, of course, to continue providing top quality produce, if not better. “Naturally, we would be very pleased if we won at least four gold medals and were again voted Distiller of the Year in two years’ time,” said Galliker-Etter,
 
Connoisseurs will be interested to know that National Distilling Day is to take place on Saturday 11 November. Further information can be found on www.die-schweiz-brennt.ch.