Into the woods

RINGED BY MOUNTAINS AND STEEPED IN TRADITION, THE BLACK FOREST REGION IN SOUTHWEST GERMANY HAS INSPIRED CENTURIES' WORTH OF FAIRY TALES. TODAY, ITS STORY REVOLVES AROUND CRAFTSMANSHIP, CREATIVITY AND TIME ITSELF

- YULIA DENISYUK

"The valley we're in is home to over a thousand distilleries producing schnapps - the highest concentration in Europe," says Hannes Schmidt, CEO of the Boar Distillery. He stands in the centuries-old distillery in the village of Bad PeterstalGriesbach in the central Black Forest, explaining that the company switched from schnapps to gin a decade or so ago. Nestled on the slopes of the Rench Valley, the distillery makes limited batches using water from its own spring. And it's not just any gin infused with 19 local botanicals, it's one of the world's most awarded. "The secret," says Schmidt, "is in the Black Forest Burgundy truffle. We experimented for half a year to find just the right amount to add." The Boar Distillery is open for visits and tastings, but can sell out a year in advance.