Michael La Terriere and Timon Helbing about the launch of Macaronesian Gin at Wein Wolf

With Macaronesian Gin, Spanish Grupo Varma brings a taste of the Atlantic to the bottle. Inspired by the unique nature of the Canary Islands, this premium gin stands for provenance, craftsmanship and a clear brand story – qualities that are more important than ever in the increasingly selective gin segment. Following its successful launch in Italy and Hungary, the next step is now market entry in Germany. Wein Wolf is taking over distribution of the gin.

We spoke to Michael La Terriere, International Sales Director at Varma, and Timon Helbing, Commercial Director at Wein Wolf, about the special features of Macaronesian Gin, the strategic importance of the German market and their shared goals for the future.

Michael, first tell us a bit about Varma. How is the company structured? Which brands are in your portfolio?

Michael La Terriere: Varma is structured as a family-owned group with two specialized business units, which allows us to maintain a leadership position across different sectors after more than 80 years in the market.

• Varma Food & Care: This division focuses on leading consumer goods, personal care, and household brands.
• Varma Spirits & Wines: This is our core division, where we are true market leaders in Spain. We manage an extensive portfolio of more than 50 brands, competing in every major category.

Our spirits portfolio includes the absolute Spanish market leader, Barceló Rum, alongside prestigious international names like Glenfiddich, Bollinger, Moskovskaya, Fireball, and Beluga among others. Additionally, we have our own wine group, Bodegas y Viñedos del Marqués de Vargas, with a presence in the top Spanish designations of origin (Rioja, Ribera del Duero, and Rías Baixas).

Your Macaronesian Gin captures the ‘Canary Islands in a bottle’. What is special about this product?

Michael La Terriere: The Canary Islands are a very special and unique part of this planet. They are of volcanic origin and have been adrift in the Atlantic Ocean for millennia giving rise to spectacular landscape and an extraordinary wealth of unique flora and fauna.

Macaronesian Gin captures the exotic nature of the Islands with every sip. The water we use is pure mineral water filtered through the volcanic galleries, and the botanicals are inspired by the ancient Laurisilvan forest indigenous to the islands.

The result is a well-balanced refreshing Gin that is smooth to the taste and easy to combine for bartenders.

At the end of 2025, you launched the gin in Italy and Hungary as your first export markets and now in Germany. Why are these markets important to you?

Michael La Terriere: Germany and Italy are the largest Premium Gin markets in the European Union, so they were the obvious first targets for us. Germany was of particular interest because of the strong connection with The Canary Islands, as nearly 3 million German tourists travel to the Canaries every year.

At the same time, Hungary is currently the fastest growing Premium Gin market in the European Union, which made it an attractive market at a time when the Gin category, like most spirits categories, has been facing some challenges in other European markets.

Wein Wolf is taking over distribution in Germany. Why did you choose this group? What do you expect from the partnership?

Michael La Terriere: Wein Wolf is one of the leading distribution companies in Wines and Spirits in Germany, with a strong positive dynamic particularly in Spirits. They also have a particular strength and affinity with Spanish origin products covering wines, sherries and other Spanish spirits.

So from the first moment it felt like a perfect fit for Macaronesian Gin. I have no doubt that they will use that strength to provide a strong foundation from which to build Macaronesian Gin in the German market over the coming years.

Timon, why does Macaronesian Gin fit perfectly into your portfolio – and onto the German market?

Timon Helbing: Macaronesian Gin fits perfectly into our portfolio because it embodies everything our portfolio stands for: brands with strong origins, a distinctive flavour profile and a credible history.

The botanicals from the Macaronesian region give it a special depth and freshness that clearly sets it apart from classic gins. It’s a perfect addition to our gin portfolio and our future direction in the gin segment.

As Michael already mentioned, the Canary Islands are very popular with German holidaymakers. That surely plays into your hands too?

Timon Helbing: Absolutely! The popularity of the Canary Islands among German holidaymakers makes Macaronesian Gin particularly tangible and, above all, something that can be experienced on holiday. Many people associate the islands with sun, nature and joie de vivre – and Macaronesian Gin conveys precisely these associations.

This creates an emotional connection that facilitates entry into the German market. Our task now is to ensure availability in Germany.

Through which channels do you distribute Macaronesian Gin?

Timon Helbing: We distribute Macaronesian Gin primarily through specialist retailers, selected catering customers and online partners. This ensures that it is easily accessible for gin fans at home as well as for bars and restaurants.

What activities and measures have you planned for the market launch?

Timon Helbing: To make the brand accessible and tangible, we are welcoming Macaronesian Gin with a launch event in Munich. In addition to enjoying the product, the heritage and story of the brand will be conveyed in an adjacent exhibition.

What are your short- and long-term goals with the brand and in collaboration with Varma?

Timon Helbing: In the short term, we want to successfully establish Macaronesian Gin on the German market and increase its awareness among gin lovers. In the long term, we see great potential in further developing the brand together with Varma, expanding the portfolio and strengthening the connection to the Canary Islands as a unique selling point.

Macaronesian Gin | Website | Instagram

Varma | Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

Wein Wolf | Website | Instagram | LinkedIn

+++ We would like to thank Michael La Terriere and Timon Helbing for the open and very interesting interview! If you also have an interesting brand, then we should talk. Just send us an e-mail with the subject “about-drinks interview” to redaktion@about-drinks.com – we look forward to hearing from you! +Macaronesian Gin++