Brandy breaks the mould

A formal dinner at Nobu last night confirmed that SA brandy is blowing the safari suit, comb in sock with Coke stereotype  to Kingna come. Here is Schalk Burger snr., one half of a father and son tag team, demonstrating Shark hunting manoeuvres with MC Aubrey Ncungama who really should be the voice of Come Dine With Me SA, so mellifluous are his pipes.

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That brandy was pared with beef anticucho skewers rather than lamb shanks or with a chocolate bento box instead of malva pudding confirms that the national spirit is meeting a changing consumer profile halfway.

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Often confused with a young Tom Waits or Nick Cave, architect Ernest with Raphaella Frame-Tolmie (above) admitted, if push came to shove, he’d rather be Tom. Correct answer. Almost as difficult as choosing between Rene Single Cask and Van Ryn 20 year old. Or KWV 15 and Klipdrift Gold.

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This was the 16th banquet of the Brandy Foundation and probably the one that pushed edges of the envelope clean out of the stationery shop. It was also a chance to say totsiens to Marietjie & Jan Scannell (below). Jan says goodbye to his Aan de Wagenweg La-Z-Boy recliner on Tuesday when incoming Distell CEO Richard Rushton walks through the door.

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