The Radermacher Distillery

The 1st World War marked the beginning of a difficult period for the family and its six children who survived thanks to the yield of agricultural activities. Moreover, the copper stills were seized during the German Occupation. Fortunately, the family was able to assemble sufficient capital for the acquisition, after the end of the war, of a new distillation column.

In 1920, Leonard Radermacher died at the age of 69. His three sons, Pierre, Willy, and Lambert took over the family business. They continued and diversified the distillery's activities by adding the bottling of wines bought in barrels to the production of genever and liqueurs.

Pierre Radermacher fell at the very beginning of the 2nd World War. Following Lambert and Willy's refusal to join the National Socialist party, the Nazis then banned them from producing alcohol, and the distillery was forced to suspend its activities. All the tools were confiscated. Again, the family survived thanks to farm activities.

The situation improved after the war. Exhausted by long deprivations, the distillery was finally able to restart its economic activities and increase its turnover tenfold. In 1948, brothers Lambert and Willy abandoned agricultural activities, bought new stills, and received ministerial authorization to distill by acquiring an official distillation license. In 1953, Willy Radermacher passed away, and his brother Lambert henceforth shouldered the distillery's activities.

Lambert Radermacher passed away in 1983, regretting the absence of a son to whom he could hand over his activities. But he didn't count on his grandson, Bernard Zacharias, who inherited the passion and love for the trade from his grandfather. After the death of his grandmother in 1989, Bernard took over the distillery at the age of only 22. His enthusiasm, creativity, but above all his diligence and respect for family traditions repositioned the distillery to its rightful place on the Belgian spirits chessboard.

In 1995, Whisky Lambertus was born, created in memory of Lambert Radermacher, one of the most significant pillars of the family distillery. Also, Line Zacharias was born, the 6th generation, who would join the distillery in 2019.

Radermacher Distillery is the first in Belgium to embark on the production of certified organic spirits. In 2014, the organic range 1836 was born. Referring to the year the distillery was founded, it consists of several gins, a rum, and a vodka.

In 2019, the 6th generation entered the family business. A real challenge that Line Zacharias decided to take up, allowing the company to consider long-term future projects.

Significant expansion works began in March 2021. An additional 1500 m2 are planned to optimize and modernize production, increase capacities, but also to better meet all aspects of food safety. A visitor center opened at the end of the works in September 2022 with the ambition of introducing the general public to the fabulous world of distillation.

· How does Radermacher Distillery differentiate itself from other Belgian distilleries? How does it work for ecology and IFS FOOD certifications?

Radermacher Distillery is not only certified organic but is also one of the few distilleries to be able to present the IFS FOOD food certification. The IFS Food standard allows the assessment of compliance of products and processes in terms of food safety and quality. We attach great importance to environmental protection. That's why a significant part of the distillery's investments is dedicated to reducing its ecological footprint (photovoltaic panels, energy flow recovery system, insulation, LED, triple glazing, storm basin, …)."

· How did Radermacher Distillery embark on the development of an organic product range, and what does this mean for the company?

Radermacher Distillery decided to launch its first organic range in 2014, with the release of the first Belgian organic gin: the 1836 range, in line with a sustainable development perspective. Organic food products are strictly controlled and grown without pesticides, colorings, or additives. It's better for our health!

Moreover, located in Raeren, a village at the heart of the German-speaking community, the distillery aims to integrate perfectly into the rural setting of the village while preserving the environment as much as possible. It thus wishes to protect biodiversity.

· How does the distillery maintain its tradition while remaining competitive on the European market, particularly through technology?

Almost two centuries of know-how and a rigorous selection of raw materials are the real secrets of the art of distillation. Uncompromising on quality, the distillery remains faithful to ancestral traditions while combining them with the requirements of modern production, the rule of art for producing distillates of exceptional quality.

· How does Radermacher select its raw materials to produce distillates of exceptional quality?

Radermacher Distillery scrupulously selects its raw materials. It sources from reliable suppliers known for a long time. Respect for traditions and ancestral recipes, passed down from generation to generation, allows the distillery to produce distillates with exceptional character and unique delicacy."

· How does Radermacher Distillery adapt to changes in consumer tastes?

First of all, it is necessary to listen to the customer. One of the missions of our "research and development" department is to understand the major changes in consumer behaviors. The idea is to identify and understand these changes that occur in customer consumption habits to act/react accordingly. With the pandemic, for example, consumer standards are more focused on safety and reliability.

· Can you introduce us to your partner Panda Gin, and explain what makes you proud of this collaboration?

Choosing a reliable business partner is not always easy. Several aspects need to be considered, such as shared goals and values.

But above all, there are the people behind every project. Mutual respect, trust, and complicity are the necessary foundations for any partnership.

We are extremely proud of this partnership because the two companies are in perfect harmony: Panda Gin is a pioneer (the first gin in the world to contain lychee) and prioritizes quality. It takes great pride in satisfying customers with an innovative and quality product. And most importantly… it has trusted us since the beginning of our partnership.

· As a master distiller, how do you explain the success of Panda Gin with the public? How does it differ from other gins?

For success to be achieved, a perfect alchemy must be created between the design, the product, and the company's philosophy.

The four partners are true lovers of spirits. They are bold, professional, diligent, but above all passionate. The French writer Denis Diderot once said, “One must be enthusiastic in one’s profession to excel in it.

Panda Gin is extremely powerful in marketing and stands out from other gins with a completely novel recipe: it is the first gin in the world to contain lychee. During the product’s development, the aromatic profile was identified to determine the best distillation process to apply.