So off to the Pot Luck Club in Woodstock for lunch today.  Shared a lift with man of the moment Luke Dale Roberts, recently returned (i.e. yesterday) from the Margaret River Gourmet Escape with Heston Blomkool and AA Gill. They got helicopter transfers from Perth.  LDR had to settle for 2 business class returns via Jo’burg.  Which shows you may be the darling of San Pellegrino, but when it comes to celebrity status, you’re not (yet) the wattage of a Whingeing Pom.  Heck, even the Wine Lizard gets first class on Air France.  But that could all about to change if LDR plays his cards right and climbs on board the KWV 12 year old express, about to depart Paarl station.  Poop, poop!

The 12 is a supremely elegant affair. A real Goldilocks drop: not too sweet, not too woody, not too oily. In two words, just right. No wonder distiller Lourens Stander (below) was looking pleased with himself. A bit like Andre, contemplating which bank to rob next.

LDR, the chef with the best exposed toes (foot fingers in Austrian) in business class – this is no reference to that hilarious brandy spoofer Tim James, recently returned from a freebee to London to taste Cognac and Brandy, back with the insight “many of the judges failed to taste the difference” (!!!) – had wittily paired the 12 with an umami explosion of mushrooms, truffle and Paremesan cheese. One for each toe, with two to spare. This is the kind of pairing that could pop up in Perth, Pinelands or Pretoria without embarrassment. Unlike Tim.

The only problem with the spirit is the packaging (too conservative) and the price (too cheap).  But nothing a crystal decanter will not fix.  This is a game changer for SA brandy and way better than the single malt whiskies Johannesburg is in thrall too.  David Higgs, you need to get a bottle tout suite and start planning your counter attack.

No sign of the cottaging whale blogger for weeks now, but we hope to see her surface at the Pepper Pot Party at Birds on Friday Night. The doormen have been supplied with a recent photo below, to make her feel at home when she arrives.