Boplaas Family Vineyards is the first and only producer to have both its brandy and whisky named overall winners at the Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. The most recent accolades were presented just weeks ago, at the 29th edition of the event.
The championship was established in 1997 and has seen Boplaas receive numerous medals over the years, for its spirits as much as for its wines. It is, however, the dual victory of its 6YO Tawny Cask whisky in 2018 and most recently, the 20YO Potstill Reserve brandy that placed the family-owned producer in Calitzdorp in the history books.
Both spirits were singled out as the finest of their respective years at the competition.
“The excellence of Boplaas spirits has always been rooted in its brandies, which we’ve been crafting since 1880. Boplaas was also the first distillery to release an estate brandy in 1994 after the repeal of the private licenses in the early 1900s,” says sixth-generation Boplaas distiller, Daniel Nel. “Adding whisky to the mix more recently hasn’t just expanded our range—it’s shown that excellence is the golden thread connecting everything we do.”
The achievements at Michelangelo have by no means been their only recognition. Amongst other accomplishments for the whisky, for example, Boplaas won the title for Best South African Grain Whisky at The World Whisky Awards last year, for its 10YO spirit finished in a rum cask.
“Only when you get all these steps right can you achieve the remarkable aged spirit,” says Daniel.
It begins with the right raw materials, getting the fermentation perfect, distilling to the highest quality, choosing the best barrels for maturation and then marrying different casks to achieve the perfect aged whisky or brandy.
“But even then, the spirit maker can’t take all the credit,” he says. “One of the benefits of ageing spirit in the Klein Karoo is the climate. The low humidity and big variation in day and night temperature causes quicker maturation and a higher evaporation rate – the so-called angel’s share. This causes a high concentration of flavour in the whisky and brandy.”
Boplaas produces small batch spirits in very limited quantities and most of the whisky releases are only available through its wine and whisky club. All are available from Boplaas’s various tasting rooms on the farm and Garden Route, and on its online store.
The Boplaas 20YO Potstill Reserve Brandy is available in limited quantities, and is priced at R1 800 per bottle. Sign up to the club for information to follow about two more special whisky and brandy releases before the end of the year.