South African brandy is being recognised as amongst the best according to international standards. Continuously a South African brandy has the honour to walk away with honours at international competitions.
Click on the spirit to read judges tasting notes
| 2009 INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Category | Award | Spirit | Producer |
| Potstill - no age stated | Gold Best in Class | Barry & Nephews Muscat Brandy | Southern Cape Vineyards |
| Potstill - 5 Year Old | Gold Best in Class | Van Ryn's Viceroy 5 Year Old Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 10 Year Old | Gold Best in Class | Joseph Barry 10 Year Old Pot Still | Southern Cape Vineyards |
| Potstill - 12 Year Old | Gold Best in Class | Van Ryn 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 18-20 Year Old | Gold Best in Class | Van Ryn 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve | Distell Ltd |
| Blended - Solera Aged | Gold Best in Class | Olof Bergh Solera Brandy | Henry Tayler & Ries Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Gold | KWV Founders Reserve Potstill Brandy | KWV Ltd |
| Potstill - 10 Year Old | Gold | Van Ryn 10 Year Old Vintage Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 18-20 Year Old | Gold | KWV 20 Year Old Potstill Brandy | KWV Ltd |
| Blended - no age stated | Silver Best in Class | Klipdrift Premium Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 8 Year Old | Silver Best in Class | Oude Molen 100 Reserve | Edward Snell & Co Ltd |
| Potstill - 14-15 Year Old | Silver Best in Class | Oude Molen VOV | Edward Snell & Co Ltd |
| Potstill - Solera Aged | Silver Best in Class | Nederburg Solera Potstill Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Collison's White Gold Potstill Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Flight of the Fish Eagle | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Klipdrift Gold | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | KWV Imoya VSOP | KWV Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Oude Meester Demant | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Richelieu | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - no age stated | Silver | Sydney Back NV | Backsberg Estate Wines |
| Potstill - 5 Year Old | Silver | Joseph Barry 5 Year Old Pot Still | Southern Cape Vineyards |
| Potstill - 5 Year Old | Silver | Mellow-Wood 5 | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 10 Year Old | Silver | KWV 10 Year Old | KWV Ltd |
| Potstill - 10 Year Old | Silver | Uitkyk Grand Reserve 10 Year Old Estate Brandy |
Uitkyk Estate |
| Potstill - 12 Year Old | Silver | Oude Meester Reserve 12 Year Old | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 14-15 Year Old | Silver | KWV 15 Year Old | KWV Ltd |
| Potstill - 14-15 Year Old | Silver | Van Ryn 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve | Distell Ltd |
| Potstill - 18-20 Year Old | Silver | Oude Meester Sovereign 18 Year Old | Distell Ltd |
| Blended - no age stated | Silver | African Mishale | KWV Ltd |
| Blended - no age stated | Silver | Klipdrift Export Brandy | Distell Ltd |
| Blended - no age stated | Silver | Oude Meester VSOB | Distell Ltd |
| Blended - no age stated | Silver | Wellington VO | Edward Snell & Co Ltd |
JUDGES' TASTING NOTES
All Gold Awards and Silver Best in Class Awards
Barry & Nephews Muscat Brandy
Medium, bright gold. Gorgeous Muscat notes lift eagerly from the glass and then followed by hints of apricot and some floral wafts. Gentle flow across the smooth palate with all the flavor promised by the nose building into a lively wave of complex flavours. Super harmony and lively texture. Long, aromatic finish with a delightful honeysuckle twist.
Van Ryn's Viceroy 5 Year Old Brandy
Medium depth of gold. Absorbing nose with aromas of toffee and caramel followed by dried apricots, raisin and hints of sweet tobacco. Great, rolling mouth with flavours deposited across the smooth palate. Seemingly well matured yet lots of fairly youthful vitality. Great balance and fine spirited bounce gives vigour to all the flavour. Long lasting dry finish.
Joseph Barry 10 Year Old Pot Still
2009 Best Brandy in the World Award Winner Medium depth of bright gold. Nose opens with an almost pungent attack where a whole range of ripe fruit aromas pour out. The pace slackens a bit and vanilla becomes apparent while a great floral backing builds up. Pretty spectacular mouth with deep fruit flavours edged by the sweet spice of vanilla. Silky flow across the palate with fine, lively texture. Well integrated and complex mouth with good balance. Some hints of fruitcake lead into a floral, dry finish.
Van Ryn 12 Year Old Distillers Reserve
Bright amber. Complex nose leads with fine display of floral notes where violets and dark rose feature. Followed by a wide range of ripe and dried fruits with dark berries, plum, dried apricot with lots of spice following. Vanilla, cinnamon and sweet tobacco. All meld together in a wonderfully rounded mouth. Great concentration yet all in super, fine balance. Oak plays a subtle but fine supportive role. Rich and mellow with fine mature notes. Elegant with controlled power. Long, flavour and aroma filled finish. A great brandy.
Van Ryn 20 Year Old Collectors Reserve
Deep, old gold. Magnificent nose packed with aged aromatics where dried fruit and spice mix with ripe fruit and honey. Beautiful floral backing with rose, violet and lavender. Mellow, well rounded mouth filled with deep, mature notes. Velvet smooth and fine texture. Everything the nose promised plus fruit cake, orange, marmalade and some ripe tropical fruit. Great complexity and satisfying brandy. To be sipped slowly and thoroughly enjoyed.
Olof Bergh Solera Brandy
Pale gold. Most attractive floral wave at the start of the nose followed by raisin, apricot, bananas, pear and some herb and lavender. Gentle mouth with fine layers of well integrated flavours which follow the nose. Soft and full across the palate where a light clean spirit gives a fine lift to all the fruit flavours. Touch of citrus and spice. Mellow mouth with long, well fruited, dry finish.
KWV Founders Reserve Potstill Brandy
Pale gold. Ever so typical South African brandy nose with dried fruit, apricot and peach. Hints of honey and vanilla. Fine, well rounded mouth with all the nose promised being repeated with some distinctive oak support. Smooth, sweet sensation gives good, soft flow. Mellow mature notes lead into a fairly full, dry finish.
Van Ryn 10 Year Old Vintage Brandy
Bright gold. Attractive nose beckons with wide range of dried fruit where apricot is the main player. Hints of chocolate and sweet tobacco with some marmalade and fruit cake. Beautifully rounded mouth with smooth, silky flow. Mellow and mature with a delightful and graceful elegance. A fine expression of the epitome of modern South African brandy. Clean, good fruit, mature and not over wooded.
KWV 20 Year Old Potstill Brandy
Deep amber. Very attractive, deep rich bouquet where marmalade, fig, orange peel and some caramel notes all meld together. Followed by cloves, cinnamon and vanilla. Deep, flavour-filled mouth where everything the nose had is somehow highlighted in an even fuller flavour. Silky and smooth across the palate with lots of oak support. Good balance. Gracefully mature and satisfying. Long, well extended finish.
Klipdrift Premium Brandy
Pale gold. Attractive nose filled with all manner of fruits but where apricot is the major attraction. Good combination of mellow mature notes along with an attractive youthful flair. Hints of vanilla, tobacco and some prune. Well rounded mouth gives all that the nose suggested. Smooth flow and lively texture. Good balance, fairly complex. Dry finish.
Oude Molen 100 Reserve
Bright amber. Nose opens with very attractive ripe fruit notes with dried apricot and some peach. Followed by fine spice with vanilla in the main and then a light floral note in the background. Silky smooth flow across the palate with flavours following the nose with addition of fig and a hint of sweet tobacco. Mellow and well rounded with a fine balance. Clean, dry finish.
Oude Molen VOV
Pale gold. Very attractive nose filled with dried apricot and backed by lovely floral scents. Smooth and silky in the mouth with fine controlled flow. Flavours spread out across the palate showing apricot, fig, sweet tobacco and some pear. Vanilla is always there as is the fine floral note. Mellow and well rounded. Long, floral finish.
Nederburg Solera Potstill Brandy
Pale gold. Fine, floral nose opens into an aromatic wave of spices, dried fruit and a distinct lavender character. Full fruited mouth where dried apricot comes into full focus. Hints of apple, pear and some citrus develop. Great balance and elegant stance. Lively lift in long, dry finish.
INTERNATIONAL WINE &
SPIRIT COMPETITION
Best Brandy in the World
2009
Joseph Barry 10 Year Old Pot Still
Southern Cape Vineyards
2008
Van Ryn's Collectors Reserve 20 Year Old
Distell Ltd, South Africa
2007
KWV 15 Year Old Brandy
KWV, South Africa
2006
Torres 20
Miguel Torres SA, Spain
2005
Van Ryn's Collection Reserve 12 Year Old
Distell Ltd, South Africa
2004
Van Ryn's Collection Reserve 12 Year Old
Distell Ltd, South Africa
2003
St Agnes Very Old Brandy XO
Angove's Pty, Australia
2002
RMS Alambic Brandy QE 14 Year Old
RMS Distillery
2001
Oude Molen VOV 14 Year Old Brandy
African Wine & Spirits, South Africa
2000
Imoya VSOP Cape Alambic Brandy
KWV, South Africa
1999
Oude Molen VOV 14 Year Old Brandy
Gilbeys Distillers, South Africa
1998
Carmel Brandy 100 - 9 Year Old
Carmel, Israel
1997
Torres 20 Brandy - 8 Year Old
Miguel Torres SA, Spain
1996
Baron Estate 3 Year Old Brandy
Baron Wine Cellars, Israel
1995
Sydney Back Brandy
Backsberg Estate, South Africa
1994
Calvados Boulard
SA Calvados Boulard
1993
Mildara Pot Still Brandy
Mildara, Austalia
1992
Vicchia Romagna Riserva Rara 15 Year Old
Gio Buton Sps, Italy
1991
KWV 10 Year Old Brandy
KWV, South Africa
1990
KWV 20 Year Old Brandy
KWV, South Africa
1989
Cognac Napoleon
Camus la Grande Marque, France
1988
Not awarded
1987
Camus Extra Grance
Camus la Grande Marque, France
1986
Courvoisier XO Cognac
Courvoisier SA, Jarnac
1985
Marnier-Lapostolle Cognac XO
Fine Champagne
Marnier-Lapostolle, France
1984
Camus XO
Camus la Grande Marque, France
1982 - 1983
Not awarded
1981
KWV 10 Year Old Brandy
KWV, South Africa
1980
St Agnes Very Old Brandy
Angove's Pty, Australia
1979
Grande Champagne 1er Cru de Cognac
Jean Fillioux
1978
Grande Champagne 1er Cru de Cognac
Jean Fillioux