A good evening often begins with a glass of wine and ends with a distillate that lingers long after the last sip. This is exactly where Strauch comes in, revealing how much elegance lies within grapes.
Strauch Distillery: Origin and Foundation of the Spirits
In the heart of Rheinhessen, in Osthofen in the Wonnegau region, lies the Strauch family winery, rooted in the area since 1545 and now cultivating around 25 hectares organically and vegan. From hand-selected grapes, wines and sparkling wines are created that not only promise enjoyment but also form the foundation for the distillates for which Strauch is known among connoisseurs.
Creation of the Wine Distillate Collection
In 1995, the family decided to consistently pursue the path from wine to the still and founded the Strauch Distillery. Since then, Strauch has developed its own language for wine distillates, deliberately setting itself apart from classic brandy by creating the categories Vinyac, Barrignac, and Cigarrignac, capturing the idea of spirit of wine with precision.
Strauch Spirits in the Copper Alambic
The production follows an approach more reminiscent of grand cask culture than of quick spirits. White and red wine grapes from the estate are first turned into must, vinified, and then predominantly distilled on the fine lees, using a copper alambic with column that has been in operation since 1995.
Character of Strauch Spirits: Cask Maturation and Structure
Strauch distillates act as a bridge between brandy, cask-aged wine brandy, and cigar brandy, uniting fruit, cask spice, and warmth in a remarkably precise balance. On the palate, the grape takes the lead, followed by wood notes ranging from vanilla to toasted depth depending on the maturation, before a calm finish unfolds that feels particularly harmonious as a digestif.
That these distillates pair so well with cigars and pipe tobacco is due to their structure: barrique maturation softens sharpness, builds texture, and develops sweetly woody notes. Strauch does not think in loud effects but in texture—starting gently, unfolding in layers, and finishing aromatically clean.
Serving Recommendation
Ideally serve the distillates at 18 to 22 degrees so that fruit and wood can speak equally. This is when the elegance of a wine distillate from Germany truly reveals itself.
Strauch Distillery at Cigarworld: Spirits at a Glance
In the Cigarworld.de shop, you will find three Strauch distillates that cover different moments of enjoyment while clearly bearing the distillery’s signature style.
Vinyac by the Strauch Distillery: White Wine Distillate
Vinyac comes in a 0.5-liter bottle at 40% vol. and presents itself as a white, pleasantly smooth digestif, created from a cuvée of fruit-forward aromatic white wines and distilled in a classic Cognac still. After around six months in oak casks that no longer impart color, it rests in glass demijohns, preserving a style that remains refined, clear, and highly approachable.
Cigarrignac: A Spirit as a Companion to Cigars
Cigarrignac also comes in a 0.5-liter bottle at 40% vol. and begins as Barrignac, which comes into contact with the notes of a cigar while maturing in small 225-liter barriques. Smoky nuances underscore its fine spice, resulting in a digestif that feels tailor-made as a companion to a good smoke.
Barrignac 5 Years: Aged Wine Distillate with Depth and Barrique Character
Barrignac 5 appears in a 0.5-liter bottle at 42% vol. and matures for five years in 225-liter red wine barriques, giving it a reddish-brown color, warmth, and depth. It is remarkably elegant, especially for those who also appreciate whisky, and according to the range pairs particularly well with flavored pipe tobaccos and Virginia tobaccos.
Strauch Distillery: Recommendation by Taste Profile and Occasion
Strauch stands for premium spirits from Rheinhessen, crafted from estate-grown wine and matured in barrique into a characterful wine distillate best enjoyed neat as a digestif. If you are looking for a gentle introduction, choose Vinyac; if you wish to refine an evening with a cigar, Cigarrignac is the right choice; and if you prefer depth with cask-aged warmth, Barrignac 5 impresses with its confident length.
