Brandy, the David to Whisky’s Goliath, launched a cheeky counter attack on the world’s most aspirational drink this evening. While FNB were pouring Scotch in Sandton at WhiskyLive, guests of Sanlam were partying down at the Karoo Kerels stand at Food|Wine|Design in Hyde Park.  Here are our first two customers.  They might have been lost to a smoky single malt if we’d stayed in Cape Town.

Six Karoo towns, six brandies. A hanepoot pot-still beauty from Mons Ruber near Oudtshoorn; a charming Carel Nel 5yo from Calitzdorp; kif Klipdrift Export from Robertson; koel Kingna from Montagu; luscious Ladismith 8yo from Ladismith and jumping Jezebel!, a Joseph Barry 10yo from Barrydale which was Belle of the Ball.

The ostrich egg lamps came from Cape Town. The Christmas cake from Oude Molen in Grabouw. Ostrich biltong and droewors from Malmesbury and Darling. This is the sharp end of terroir-based tourism.  So many people asked if they could visit the next time they were in the area, we ran out of business cards.