Singaporian wine writer Ch'ng Poh Tiong recently had the opportunity to experience a Cape Brandy tasting of 12 South African brandies. In his review of the tasting, Ch'ng Poh shares the salient differences between South African brandy and cognac, complete with tasting notes of 12 South African brandies.
Cognac journey
I first went out to Cognac about 30 years ago.
I was then wine consultant to Jardines Singapore (Hugh Johnson being consultant to Jardines International), and visited Otard which was the cognac they distributed.
Another time, I visited Courvoisier in Jarnac and stayed at their chateau. There was another trip where it was Hennessy and I stayed at Chateau de Bagnolet. Visiting Martell, I slept at Chanteloup.
More recently, last month actually, I went to see Bache-Gabrielsen, Frapin, and Martell. And last January 2022, to Les Antiquaires du Cognac, Hennessy, and Remy Martin.
Dutch contribution
Cognac is of course a brandy.
The word "brandy" comes from the Dutch "brandewijn".
Great seafaring traders, the Dutch distilled brandy from wine to keep it from spoiling. You could transport more spirit than wine in a ship which made it a valuable trading commodity. The brandy were, of course, stored in barrels on the ship. It was soon discovered that the barrels altered, improved its taste.
Incidentally, Dutch engineers are also terribly good at reclaiming land from the sea. They helped Singapore create a lot of extra land during our country’s formative years.
It was also the Dutch who expertly drained the marshes of the Médoc and turned the Left Bank of Bordeaux into producers of some of the greatest wines of the world.
At the end of the 16th Century, France had approached the “United Provinces” (Netherlands) for help to drain swamp areas in France, including around Bordeaux. An engineer by the name of Conrad Gaussen headed the first project. By the end of the 17th Century, most of what we know today as the Médoc was drained for viticulture and farming.
South African brandy
In that same 17th Century, brandy was first produced in South Africa. Not on dry land but out at sea.
Legend has it that in 1672, a cook onboard a Dutch galley in Table Bay distilled a thousand litres of wine into 150 litres of brandewijn. I don’t know how much brandy was left on that happy ship at the stroke of midnight but I think it safe to assume the crew and passengers were a very happy lot that spirited day.
Since then, South African brandy has never looked back. Together with Spain and France, aficionados recognise that South Africa produces some of the finest brandy on our planet. Two months ago in March, I received bottles from 12 members of Cape Brandy South Africa.
Broadly speaking, South African brandy is fruitier than cognac. It is more supple, softer, smoother, more generous on the palate. The grapes used to produce South African brandy are Colombard, Chenin Blanc and in some cases, Ugni Blanc. The main variety planted in Cognac after phylloxera in the 19th Century is Ugni Blanc. Colombard is also used but not Chenin Blanc, best associated in producing dry to rich, sweet wine in the Loire Valley.
As for age statements, in South Africa, VS has to be minimum 3 years (2 years for cognac); VSOP a minimum 5 years (4 years for cognac); and, XO a minimum 10 years (the same for cognac). South African brandy can start from 38 to 40% ABV (minimum 40% ABV for cognac). Both South African brandy and cognac have to be double distilled in copper still.
Cape brandy tasting: Ratings of 12 Cape brandies
In the past, we had used stars as our rating system, but we decided to change them to ninjas. This makes the rating system more fun and engaging for younger consumers. Also, it’s more or less the way I talk. I am more likely to say “Killer” when describing an “exceptional” wine, for example.
See my ratings of the 12 South African brandies that I tasted below:
Boschendal XO 10 Year Old 
Peach, ripe apples, vanilla, citrus and hint of spice. Bright, fruity and with freshness. Silky smooth. Cognac-like although a touch sweeter. 40% AB
Joseph Barry XO
Delicately fruity including young apricot, peach, Anjou pear and light raisins. Soft vanilla. Elegant and harmonious. Textural, smooth. Cognac-like. 40% ABV
Oude Molen XO
Peaches and apricots. The fruitiness is elegant. Harmonious and smooth. Very good example of an XO. 40% ABV
Bayede XO 
to
Very XO on the nose. Restrained fruitiness including apricot, star anise, with a touch of sweetness on the finish. Smooth and supple. 40% ABV
Ladismith Klein Karoo
Appley – Granny Smith and Golden Delicious – with a citrus note. Delicate honey and vanilla. Elegant, harmonious, and smooth. Overdelivers as a VSOP. 40% ABV
Voorkamer VSOP
Pears, figs, raisins, cinnamon, dried citrus peel. Layered and nuanced. Fruity, smooth, sweet and harmonious. Overdelivers for a VSOP. 40% ABV
Alembic Mimosa 5 Year Old 
Ripe pears, apple cider, soft vanilla and smokiness. Fruity and bright. Just a touch sweeter than an equivalent VSOP cognac. 40% ABV
Die Mas Die Kalahari Truffel
Raisin, figs, cinnamon, a hint of peach and orange peel. Vanillin sweetness/smoothness. 38% ABV
Tokara Stellenbosch XO
Peachy and Turkish Delight. Very fruity. A touch sweet for an XO. 40% ABV
Upland Pure Potstill Brandy
Peachy with a whiff of pineapples and a hint of toffee. Harmonious. 40% ABV
The Hunter 
Ripe pears, apples and cinnamon. Fruity, sweet and smooth. Medium-bodied. 38% ABV
Groot Constantia VSOP 2016 
Oak, vanilla and spirity sweetness. Woody and a bit austere on the finish. 40% ABV