Burning passion For the connoisseur, a fine spirit is the crowning glory of a good meal. It has a long tradition and, when enjoyed in moderation, is known to be entirely beneficial to one's health.
This also applies to fruit brandies – which are currently experiencing a true renaissance. While in the past, these were often understood to be simple blends of fruit brandies (as the name suggests), whose harshness made it impossible to identify the specific fruit variety, today a fine fruit brandy is a true delicacy, not just among gourmets. Many an expensive whiskey or grappa simply can't compete in terms of flavor. The distilled aromas melt beautifully on the tongue. The nose is utterly captivated by the aroma of these fine spirits. It's fortunate, then, that the cradle of fruit brandy lies right here in the Schussental valley and its surroundings. For here, the finest raw materials have ripened in abundance for generations: the renowned Lake Constance fruit. Thanks to the mild climate and abundant sunshine, our extensive orchards provide precisely the fully ripened, highly aromatic fruit needed to produce top-quality brandies. Robert Gierer, a true Lindau native with a keen sense for good fruit in all its forms, also relies on these single-variety, top-quality fruits. When he opens the wrought-iron gates to his brandy paradise, one immediately thinks of a holiday in Tuscany or somewhere else in warm Europe. What lies hidden in the Lindau hinterland, amidst orchards and fields, certainly has little in common with what one typically imagines a classic regional distillery to be. Gierer is more than just a barn, and that's his motto. The so-called barn isn't really a barn at all, but rather a threshing floor, a fine threshing floor. The completely restored rooms welcome the eye at first glance. You immediately recognize that a detail-oriented perfectionist was at work here. Everything is truly handmade, crafted, hammered, and collected, and arranged so that in the end, everything comes together to form a perfectly harmonious whole. The idea of spending a pleasant evening here with friends, leisurely savoring exquisite brandies, immediately springs to mind. Even those venturing into uncharted territory, because the topic of "spirits" hasn't been on their radar before, will be impressed by the variety of Gierer's fine brandies and even more so by the way the owner himself moderates the fruit brandy tasting. True to his motto, "Different and better!" After graduating from high school and completing an apprenticeship in fruit growing, Gierer earned his master fruit grower certification. From then on, he was truly obsessed with fruit distilling. You can tell right away when he passionately begins by talking about the art of choosing the right glass, so crucial for good taste. The goal must be to ensure that the delicate taste buds on the tongue are properly directed to the fine spirits, allowing the aromas to unfold beautifully. Incidentally, at Gierer's, distilling doesn't happen whenever there's time, but when the time is right. Only the owner knows exactly when that is.
When he opens the wrought-iron gates to his paradise of brandies, one's first thought is of a holiday in Tuscany or somewhere else in warm Europe. His skills were honed and refined on his many forays into distilleries both at home and abroad, always in pursuit of perfection. What this "golden touch" in fruit brandy means becomes clear to me, a "fruit brandy novice," at the latest during the first tasting: the distilled aromas melt beautifully on the tongue. The nose is exquisitely captivated by the scent of these fine spirits. This is by no means a "spirit" that—as is usually the case—frightens unsuspecting people, but rather a distilled wild raspberry that fascinates: mild, elegant, and intensely fruity all at once. But that's not all: Now Gierer reveals a truly fascinating distilled spirit: Imagine opening a fresh jar of hazelnut spread and holding your nose to it – that's exactly how magnificently intense Gierer's hazelnut spirit unfolds its aroma, a spiciness that must be experienced with all the senses. But it gets even better; the crowning glory of the house is ELVADOS®, a proprietary creation available exclusively from Robert Gierer. With this delicacy from the Schussental valley, this veritable firework display of highly concentrated aromas that unfold almost explosively, experience has shown that whiskey lovers in particular will be in their element. The closely guarded secret is an optimal blend of Elstar and Calvados, aged for approximately one year in a French Limousin oak barrel. The wood of this special oak variety is particularly soft and thus releases its inimitable aroma upon contact with the alcohol. After being changed to a different barrel, this specialty is aged for a further five years. After that, it's ready for the palates of spirits lovers from near and far. But sour cherry, quince, and damson plum (you don't know what a damson plum is? The editor didn't either! – it's a type of wild plum!) or wild cherry are also a dream. Then there are Gierer's liqueurs, all of which are also small but significant fruity taste sensations: sometimes such an abundance of fruit aroma hits your palate that you're tempted to start chewing. Delicious raw ham and tangy Swiss cheese are served as a perfect accompaniment. And plenty of water, of course, because unfortunately, there's no bus service right outside the door yet. My conclusion: you can probably guess: an evening of tasting with the head of the Schussental distillery is a taste experience you'll want to repeat tomorrow.