South African Brandy sells for R100 000
A rare bottle of South African brandy has sold for R100 000, smashing records and establishing an important milestone for the iconic, home-grown category. The sale to an unnamed buyer was for a bottle of KWV The Centenary, a rare bottling specially blended and released to mark KWV’s 100-year anniversary.
“This is a wonderful and significant achievement that dramatically raises the bar for all producers, simultaneously re-affirming the status of South African Brandy,” says South African Brandy Foundation director Christelle Reade-Jahn. “It is another significant accomplishment for KWV, which carries titles for Brandy/Cognac Producer of the Year from the International Spirits Challenge (ISC) and is the current holder of the International Wine & Spirit Worldwide Best Producer Trophy from ISC, where it was also declared Producer of the Year.”
Only 100 bottles of KWV The Centenary blend have been produced and every sale will see R20 000 donated to a bursary fund for students of viti- and viniculture.
KWV was founded in 1918 and chose to mark the centenary with amongst others, an upgrade to its brandy range and the release of what is arguably South Africa’s most exclusive brandy: KWV The Centenary. The blend includes the rarest and best brandies spanning the company and South Africa’s brandy-making history.
Overseen by master distiller Pieter de Bod, The Centenary includes some of the very first brandy made by KWV back in 1926. It also contains brandy from the only barrel rescued from a fire that raised KWV’s historic cellars in 1942, with the balance completed with KWV’s rarest brandies, averaging 42 years of age.
Many of these brandies had their origin in what is today the House of Fire, a premier exhibition of the art of brandy-making that is located at KWV in Paarl. The House of Fire a member of the Brandy Homes network incorporating diverse experiences for visitors to enjoy, from remote boutique distilleries to the tasting rooms of well-known brandies.
The first brandy in South Africa was distilled in 1672. Continuous evolution in production methods and a pursuit of excellence saw the industry rise to become a cornerstone of the South African wine industry and major contributor to the economy. Created by passionate and skilled brandy masters and pioneers, South African Brandy is acknowledged to be the world’s finest.
Source: PR
Images: Supplied
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