Guests of honour and the media recently celebrated the launch of the Urban Brandy Cocktail Route at the Mother City’s latest place ‘to-be-and-be-seen’, Shimmy Beach Club at the V&A Waterfront. The venue’s spectacular waterside location provided the ideal backdrop to an event that, once again, placed this iconic South African elixir in the spotlight.
Launched in honour of SA’S favourite spirit, and in response to the increasing public demand for brandy in all its guises, the Urban Brandy Cocktail Route is the ultimate experienced-based initiative. Presenting a unique way to explore and appreciate brandy against the diverse backdrop of the cosmopolitan Cape Town cityscape, the formation of the route speaks to how brandy has risen from its conventional role to embrace a more sophisticated, modern image.
The route also pays homage to the remarkable journey of SA brandy itself, a journey that begins with a simple, beautiful fruit and ends with a drink of distinctive character and quality, unsurpassed by anything the rest of the world has to offer.
The Urban Brandy Cocktail Route kicks off with a listing of 5 diverse Cape Town venues (including Shimmy Beach Club itself), each playing host to a manifold crowd of city-dwellers and tourists. Further venues will be added to the route over the coming weeks, encouraging more people to ‘share the spirit’ and revel in brandy’s supreme mixability.
The need to cater to different tastes and palates influenced the bespoke cocktail menu, which will be available at each location along the route. The menu features a selection of eight taste-shaping drinks, each with a premium South African brandy as its base. Cocktails include ‘The Skinny’, a low calorie option that’s big on taste, and the ‘Ama-lekkerlicious’, devised by master mixologist Kurt Schlechter and incorporating KWV 3 Year Old brandy, triple sec, fresh lemon juice, peach syrup and cranberry juice. Added to these are the ‘Collison’s Cosmo’ and the ‘Fynbos,’ as well as a variety of other cocktail options, all incorporating interesting recipes and fresh natural ingredients.
As the official transport partner of the route, Rikki’s taxis will guide route-goers, ensure they make the most of the experience, and also have a safe trip home.
Wind down your day, kick off your evening, or ‘take the route less travelled’ at any of the superb locations along the Urban Brandy Cocktail Route and enjoy a selection of well-crafted, thirst-quenching brandy cocktail creations in the atmosphere you like best.
