Christmas Event in May
Since our traditional Christmas event was cancelled the last two years due to the pandemic, we decided to make up for it as a May outing. So, we travelled to Winterthur in perfect weather, where we tried our hand at indoor skydiving at the Windwerk. After a short introduction and dressed in smart overalls, everyone was able to “fly” for a good minute three times each. We were pleasantly surprised that everyone, without exception, managed to hover more or less elegantly in the air. It was also interesting to see how the speed of the frequency converters for the fans was adjusted according to the weight and air resistance of the flying objects. We fortified ourselves with a snack and then moved into our hotel rooms in the centre of Winterthur.
The excitement was again great as to where the next part of the trip would take us. The excursion is always organised by two staff members; for everyone else it is a trip into the blue. We finally ended up at the Orator distillery in Pfungen, where we had another aperitif and learned about the company philosophy and the products manufactured there. It was impressive to hear Christian Orator talk and philosophise with such great knowledge and dedication. Sentences were uttered such as: “We don’t create taste. Nature does. We only preserve it.” – “Juniper is not a berry, but the cone of a mini cypress.” – “Williams pears are perfect for burning if the wasps like them. If the bees like them, they are already too ripe.” In addition, Mr Orator explained nuclear fission to us using a yeast molecule in the “Williams smoothie”. He started with the pollination of the flowers and eventually ended up with long-chain molecules like hammocks, in which the flavours felt at home.
With the consistent processing of only the best raw materials in organic quality and with the aforementioned expertise, Christian Orator and his team succeed in extracting the aromas in an exceptionally pure quality. From ten of these brandies and spirits (juniper, coriander seeds, lemongrass, ginger, rosemary, pepper, orange blossom, and others) we now had the task of blending a gin to our liking. In groups and with minimal tips from the expert, we mixed four different variations, from which a winner was chosen and bottled as the Deleproject blend.
After the in-depth study of flavours and aromas, it was finally time to end the day with a piece of grilled meat and its accompaniments. We enjoyed dinner in the production hall, right next to the stills and storage tanks. Afterwards, in keeping with tradition, we explored Winterthur’s nightlife and enjoyed the balmy summer night with refreshing drinks until the early hours of the morning.
Many thanks to the organisers Jonathan and Tobias for the great ideas and the perfect organisation of our team event!