Hardenberg Wilthen AG

Hardenberg-Wilthen AG is one of Germany’s oldest and largest spirits producers, with documented origins dating back to 1700, when Fritz-Dietrich von Hardenberg founded the Gräflich von Hardenberg’sche Kornbrennerei at the foot of Hardenberg Castle in Nörten-Hardenberg. The company has remained family-owned for over three centuries and is represented by the historic boar’s head crest, tied to a 14th-century family legend.
Through expansions and acquisitions, Hardenberg-Wilthen today operates two major production sites: the Hardenberg distillery in Lower Saxony and the Wilthen wine distillery in Saxony (established 1842 and acquired in 1992). The portfolio includes Korn, herbal liqueurs, brandies, Danziger Goldwasser, and the Original Lehment Rostocker line, which the company took over in 2012.
Lehment Rostocker products - Doppel-Kümmel, Aquavit, and related herbal spirits—trace their roots to the Rostock distillery founded by Conrad Lehment in 1864. Hardenberg-Wilthen produces them according to the preserved recipes and brand identity, including the traditional “Mann un Fru” emblem. With an annual output placing the company among Germany’s leading spirit manufacturers, Hardenberg-Wilthen combines historical North German brands with modern distillation at the Hardenberg Distillery, opened in 2019.