Eighteen medals for SA brandies at International Spirits Competition

According to Nick Holdcroft, Distell's Brandy Ambassador, there are a number of factors that explain South Africa's dominance at the top end of brandy quality. "Our country blessed with the terroir to produce excellent base wine and the production of brandy stretches back nearly 300 years into South Africa's history. We take our brandy very seriously here and have strict regulations that govern production to ensure that we can guarantee the best quality."

Holdcroft said South Africans should be proud of how the country's brandies are consistently rated among the world's best at international competitions. "Take the three brandies from Van Ryn's as an example; between themselves they have won the UK-based International Wine & Spirit Competition's Worldwide Best Brandy title five times, and the International Spirits Challenge Best Brandy Trophy, four times since 2004, helping to establish South Africa's reputation for exceptional quality on the global stage."