Spare a moment to commiserate with Richard Rushton, CEO of Distell, who is not having a good year. After he gives up a career in SABMiller, a merger offer arrives from AB InBev which will see his former colleagues share a $1.8 billion pay pot, according to the Sunday Times.

A newspaper which arrives wrapped in a green Klipdrift Brandy sleeve that must have cost the struggling producer a mint. A sleeve which trumpets the Springboks who yesterday lost to the Cherry Blossoms in the biggest upset ever in the Rugby World Cup. Humiliated by a side whose only other victory in the competition was beating Zimbabwe back in 1991. Does brandy really need another kick in the teeth?

Richard could be forgiven for thinking the Ninjas have it in for him, for earlier this year it was the Japanese who exposed Distell wine as containing unacceptable levels of ground glass that anoraks though were lees left over from the fermentation process. Were their bald kops ever red! The last time we had so much fun was when they raved about fake Chateau Petrus at White Club tastings. Yet still banks queue up to hand these spoofers marketing moolah to promote pompous tastings and competitions. Its nearly as dire as sponsoring a sports team.