This is the final post for the Fine Brandy By Design competition I’ve been running on evolutionary. The winner will be drawn and announced by mid-January 2013. I’m hoping to also travel to the distillery in Cape Town to go through the masterful process involved in the creation of brandy. I’ve been fascinated by the approach Distell – under Fine Brandy By Design – has taken to gradually change the perception of the brandies in its stable. Taking something that has a long and rich history and evolving it into a contemporary setting is not always the easiest. These brandies include:
- Klipdrift
- Oude Meester
- Van Ryn
- Fish Eagle
- Collisons
- Nederburg
- Uitkyk
For this post, I would like to share a ‘cocktail’ that isn’t actually a cocktail. When looking at the pairing of brandy with food, Van Ryn’s, which was established in 1845 by Dutch immigrant, Jan van Ryn, has taken a slightly different approach. While some of the other brandies have looked to redefine themselves in a different age, Van Ryn’s does not shy away from its past, at all.
The Van Ryn’s Distillery is still intact and the coopers involved in the making of the brandy maturation vats use both the tools, the skill and the resources that are very much about how it has always been done. “Excellence in Maturation” is the philosophy of Van Ryn’s and this is applied to every part of the process. And the vine, the grape and the French Oak necessary to make the barrels, as per SA law, are additional elements tied to how it has always been done.
So, instead of a cocktail, Fine Brandy By Design considers one of the best pairings for Van Ryn’s to be chocolate truffle with the 12 year old – neat. Simplicity.
To enter, answer the following question in the comments section below:
What kind of wood are the brandy maturation vats made from?
To be eligible for the draw, you have to have answered the question in each of the posts. The Terms & Conditions are detailed below. Please note that the closing date has been extended to December 31st, 2012.
COMPETITION T’s & C’s
- The competition is open to all South African residents, with the exception of persons under the age of 18, employees of Distell (“The Promoter”), their immediate families, advertising agencies, associated companies, outlet owners, their employees, their immediate families, as well as participants who have won a prize through a competition run by the Promoter at least three months prior to the announcement of the winner of the Prize.
- Participants stand a chance of winning a weekend for two to Cape Town (“the Prize’). The Prize includes flights (if the winner does not reside in Cape Town), car rental, accommodation on a bed and breakfast basis and a private brandy tasting and distillery tour.
- To enter, participants will be required to respond to the weekly question or task via the required means stated in the related blog post
- The competition commences on the 29th of November, 2012 and closes on the 27th of December, 2012 (extended to 31st December 2012).
- The winner will be determined by random draw and notified via telephone within two weeks.
- Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered,
- Winners will be required to provide their proof of identity to verify that they are above the age of 18 as well as that they have a valid South African driver’s license.
- The prize is not transferable and may not be converted to cash.
- Participants may enter as many times as they wish.
- The prize must be claimed within six months of the competition closing date.
- Failure to comply with these terms and conditions will result in immediate disqualification.
- Judges reserve the right to remove any entry to the competition should suspicious behaviour be identified. Participants indemnify Distell, their advertising agencies, advisors, suppliers and nominated agencies against any claims arising howsoever (including wilful misconduct or negligent act or omission) from their participation in this competition and/or use of the Prize.