The KWV Brandies regularly walk off with these titles as Pieter de Bod, Master Brandy Distiller of KWV, with his team, is a master at his trade.
One of the reasons that South African Brandies are so highly regarded in overseas competitions is because of the strict laws of production laid down by South African Brandy makers to ensure quality.
Whereas brandies from other producing countries age their brandies, at times for only 6 months and in large containers, South African law requires that our brandy must be matured in 340 litre French oak barrels. This is a huge investment in oak, and it is the higher ratio of wood to brandy that makes the difference. Again the maturation time is fixed in South Africa to three years, whilst other countries are content with 6 months.
The KWV 20 year old is the finest Potstill Brandy, which includes potstill brandies of up to 32 years blended in to give the flavour for which Pieter de Bod looks for in a brandy – pure, double-distilled, matured in selected French oak barrels for a minimum of 20 years. These are the qualities that have given this fine product a Best brandy in the World award 6 times in the last 25 years.
It looks like
Very handsome packaging as befits a venerable brandy such as this. In the glass it is a deep golden amber.
It smells like
Candied orange peel, dark orange Seville marmalade, honey, fruitcake and sweet spices.
It tastes like
Heaven! Serve in a large bowled glass. Do not swirl or warm the brandy. Get your nose into the glass and have a couple of sniffs and you will find magic in the flavours which slowly reveal themselves. You’ll find full bodied, mellow, oak spice, marzipan and Port flavours. Delicate, sweet aftertaste. Serve on ice or with a splash of chilled mineral water just to help it display its flavours.
It’s good with
This is very much an after dinner brandy. To be taken before the dying embers of a braai fire or on a patio with the waves crashing in front of you. Dianne Bibby’s Knobbly Fudged Rocky Road is the ideal sweet nibble. Click here for her recipe.