Leadership and recognition in the Lithuanian beverage market have been secured: The Nines, a cannabis and citrus-flavored spirit drink, has won the gold medal. Altogether, this Lithuanian brand has garnered more than 50 awards in Lithuania and abroad. This latest achievement was celebrated in a dedicated display at the “Choose a Lithuanian Product 2024” exhibition, showcasing the award-winning The Nines, crafted by artisans at Stumbras, part of MV GROUP Production. According to the exhibition organizers, the gold medal in the food and beverages category is a unique honor, signifying both value and assurance to consumers that the product meets the highest quality standards.

Long list of criteria – top evaluation

The Food & Beverages category is one of the most popular, attracting the most renowned Lithuanian producers and their products every year. This year’s competition for the best products was the twelfth in the history of the show. The jury judged the products presented in the competition on a comprehensive list of criteria – from the choice of raw materials, environmental friendliness and production technology to sensory qualities such as smell, taste and colour. It also awarded points for the product appearance and packaging design.

Vaida Paulikė, Production Director of Stumbras, says that it was not difficult to choose a product worthy of taking part in this year’s competition because The Nines brand has a long history and embodies uniqueness, which starts with the careful selection of the plants and other raw materials, and the entire production process consists of 9 stages. On the other hand, the combination of cannabis and citrus flavours reveals the creativity of the production masters and their constant search for innovation.

According to the production technologists, the aim in creating the limited edition product was to maintain the flavour of The Nines and to give the drink a cannabis versatility. As a result, the product has a distinctive aroma of fibrous hemp seeds and citrus fruits, which lingers for a long time and combines with a mild sweet apple note, leaving a balanced sweet and sour taste.

More than 50 awards in Lithuania and abroad

The ability to combine its own traditions and the latest trends in beverage production in an original way opens the door to international recognition for The Nines brand. For many years now, the brand’s drinks have been returning from exhibitions and prestigious competitions abroad with various awards and medals. Paulikė estimates that after the latest triumph, the list of awards for The Nines includes as many as 54 global awards.

The Production Director of Stumbras notes that the cannabis and citrus-flavoured The Nines have been well received in Poland, a country with a long tradition of spirits and draught drinks. The gold medal was won at the Warsaw Spirits Competition 2022 in Warsaw, where beverage experts evaluated the taste characteristics of the products. Meanwhile, the Lithuanian product design won a bronze medal in the Hidden & Secret category of the international packaging design competition A’ DESIGN.

“Every victory and award strengthens our confidence as we enter new markets where The Nines represents Lithuania and promotes our products. This creates an even stronger commitment to the highest quality and heritage, which is perfectly reflected in the unique composition of The Nines beverages made from locally sourced ingredients: various herbs and leaves, roots, bark, flowers and fruits,” says V. Paulikė.

The Nines on the podium alongside international stars

Among the latest international awards, she also mentions the victory of The Nines Aperitif in the World Drinks Awards 2024, where it was named the best herbal liqueur in the world this year. In the same competition, another product of the Stumbras factory, The Nines Botanical, was awarded silver.

Moreover, in the prestigious competition in the USA “San Francisco World Spirits Competition 2024” this year the name of Lithuania was also heard more than once, as the Kaunas-produced beverages The Nines Botanical and The Nines Aperitif were awarded a silver medal each and found themselves in the list of laureates alongside the world’s most famous beverage producers.

According to Paulikė, the recent recognition shows that The Nines brand has all the key attributes needed for international success and expansion. The foundation of all this is the emphasis placed on naturalness and expertise in production, without fear of unexpected solutions and bold challenges.