SA distiller beats the best in London

The IWSC competition divides its regions into Scotland, Europe and the rest of the world. It is the largest spirits competition in the UK and this year attracted 1100 entries from over 60 countries.

IWSC president Rafael Guilisasti handed the Best Distiller for the Rest of the World trophy to Distell for having won the IWSC trophy for Worldwide Best Brandy, earned by Van Ryn's 20-Year-Old Collectors Reserve, as well as for a total of five gold medals and best-in-class score ratings on the competition. In addition to the gold medal and top marks taken by the flagship 20-Year-Old potstill, gold medals and highest marks went to Amarula Cream Liqueur, to the two potstill brandies Van Ryn's 12-Year Distillers Reserve and Oude Meester 12-Year-Old Reserve, as well as to the company's Three Ships Bourbon Cask whisky.

The company's director of production Hennie Heyl, says, “The IWSC is one of the world's foremost industry platforms. To be applauded for the quality of our spirits for two years in a row is testimony to our assiduous attention to detail across the range. Amarula has already established an impressive reputation abroad and the news of the latest accolade will help to still further underscore its standing. This honour conferred on the company also augments our reputation as a world-class producer of brown spirits, both connoisseur brandies and specialty whiskies”.

Last year, the company also won the Distiller of the Year trophy, selected from the top three regional finalists. This year the top trophy went to Cooley Distillery of Ireland.

Distell's Van Ryn's has three times won the IWSC trophy for Worldwide Best Brandy. In addition to bringing home the brandy title at this year's event, Van Ryn's won the Best Brandy trophy at the 2008 International Spirits Challenge, also in London.