South Africa, Cape Town, Wednesday, 13 November 2024:  The South African Brandy Foundation is delighted to announce the highly anticipated Cape Fine Brandy Auction, facilitated by Strauss & Co, South Africa’s leading wine and art auction house. This exclusive, timed-online sale, running from 6–18 November 2024, presents a remarkable collection of rare and exceptional Cape Fine Brandies, handpicked from the country’s top distilleries.

The auction showcases an impressive array of bespoke, single-cask brandies—some aged for over two decades—each offering fewer than 300 bottles. These limited-edition casks come from some of South Africa’s most renowned producers, including Boplaas, Kaapzicht, KWV, Joseph Barry, Sydney Back, and Van Ryn’s. With lots of varying sizes, the auction provides both trade buyers and private collectors an opportunity to acquire these unique and highly sought-after bottles.

Cape Fine Brandy has a long and proud history in South Africa. Distilled from the country’s renowned wine grapes—often Chenin Blanc—this golden spirit has been crafted for over 350 years, since the first distillation was made around 1672. South African brandy is produced using the same meticulous methods as Cognac, involving double distillation in copper pot stills and ageing in oak casks for a minimum of three years.

“This auction represents an exciting moment for the South African brandy industry,” says Higgo Jacobs, Senior Wine Specialist. “Over the past five years, Strauss & Co has helped establish a strong secondary market for fine wine in South Africa. We believe that Cape Fine Brandy, which is still relatively undervalued internationally, offers fantastic investment potential and extraordinary quality that is deserving of global recognition. This auction is a first of its kind for South African brandy, and Strauss & Co’s efforts to bring it to the spotlight are a significant step forward.”

South African brandies have earned international acclaim, with Van Ryn’s 15-Year-Old Potstill Brandy winning the coveted ‘World’s Best Wine Brandy’ title at the 2024 World Drinks Awards, and KWV once again being awarded ‘Best in the World’ at the International Spirits Challenge (ISC).

Strauss & Co has joined forces with brandy connoisseur Shane Mumba, ambassador of the South African Brandy Association, to curate this exceptional auction. “This collaboration presents a rare and exciting opportunity for collectors to acquire single cask Potstill Brandies that are not only unique but also extraordinarily limited in availability,” says Mumba. “These brandies, which may once have been part of larger blends, are now captured in their purest form, preserved in bottle for generations to enjoy.

These brandies are truly exceptional, not only for their unparalleled quality but also for their rarity, offering a one-of-a-kind tasting experience that is as much about the pleasure of discovery as it is about enjoyment. Among the standout offerings in the auction are Boplaas’s Single Harvest Potstill Reserve 2005, Kaapzicht’s 25-Year-Old Potstill, and KWV’s Limited Edition Single Varietal Potstill, crafted from the unique Pinotage grape. Also featured is the Joseph Barry XXO Single Cask, a rare expression of aged artistry, as well as Sydney Back’s 17 and 22-Year-Old Potstill brandies, each a testament to craftsmanship and time. Additionally, Van Ryn’s bespoke 14-Year-Old PX Cask Finish is an extraordinarily rare bottling that showcases the depth and complexity of the brand.

Other exceptional lots include rare vintage brandies from Tokara, Groot Constantia, and others, alongside the iconic KWV Centenary Limited Edition and Van Ryn’s Au Ra, each offering a glimpse into the very best of South African brandy-making history.

The auction closes on Monday, 18 November 2024 at 6pm.

To explore the full auction catalogue and view producer videos, please visit:
https://www.straussart.co.za/auctions/videos/346-18-nov-2024

For further details on the auction, visit: www.straussart.co.za and for more information on the South African Brandy Foundation, visit www.sabrandy.co.za.

The South African Brandy Foundation is committed to promoting the heritage, excellence, and future of South African brandy, helping to elevate this iconic spirit on the global stage.

For more information about South African Brandy visit www.sabrandy.co.za.

For press and media inquiries, please contact Lise Manley of Manley Communications Atelier at lise@publicity.co.za or +27 (0) 82 828 5168.

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