Two years ago, South African Brandy Foundation (SABF) director Christelle Reade-Jahn led a group of journalists along the Brandy Route. She realised the experience varied from one stop to the next, resulting in unfulfilled expectations regarding quality. “When promoting the route, it’s important to provide a consistent level of experience while at the same time revealing each stop’s own nature,” she says. This realisation led to the relaunch of the SA Brandy Route.

The SA Brandy Route is closely associated with wine tourism in South Africa as most brandies are produced on wine farms. While some distilleries, such as KWV, Oude Molen and Van Ryn, function independently, most brandies are sold along with wines produced by various farms, so the products become intertwined.

With the relaunch of the SA Brandy Route the aim is to position South African brandy as both a high-quality product and cultural experience. “It puts the quality and craftsmanship of South African brandy under the microscope, and gives wine tourists an opportunity to learn more about the art of brandy distillation and blending,” Christelle says. The route allows visitors to see how brandy has evolved over centuries and why it’s important to share this legacy.

Dr Jonathan Steyn, a wine-industry consultant and presenter of UCT’s Business of Wine programme, helped the SABF audit and evaluate the current brandy houses. He also created a standard for evaluating the visitor experience, providing a baseline against which to measure it in a few years. This framework ensures a consistent standard across the route while still allowing each location to showcase its individual character.

Visitor experience

The upgraded SA Brandy Route is organised around Brandy Homes and Brandy Hubs. Brandy Homes are accredited distilleries and estates, typically in winelands or rural settings, that offer cellar tours, guided tastings and food or cocktail pairings that reflect the local flavour identity. Brandy Hubs are urban venues – bars, lounges and tasting rooms – that act as gateways to a regional brandy culture. They provide curated tastings, premium cocktails, retail opportunities and guidance to Brandy Homes.

Travellers can now experience a more interactive and guided tour of the 19 Brandy Homes and selected Brandy Hubs, with upgraded tasting rooms, visitor amenities, and creative food and cocktail pairings. Tastings have been elevated through the introduction of specialised stemware and extensive staff training to highlight the depth and versatility of South African brandy.

Experiences include Boplaas’ family-led pot still tastings of vintage brandies spanning eight to 20 years, Boschendal’s XO brandy paired with traditional South African desserts, Tokara’s XO brandy paired with handmade chocolates, and Van Ryn’s distillery tours complemented by chocolate pairings. In urban hubs, such as Cause|Effect at the V&A Waterfront, visitors can enjoy imaginative cocktails, such as the Table Mountain cocktail made with Klein Karoo brandy and fynbos bitters, alongside themed gatherings such as Brandy Clubs.

“There’s a brandy for every taste,” Christelle says. Brandy Hubs aim to put brandy in the glasses of newcomers and connoisseurs alike. They tell the story of brandy in a way that everyone understands and provide carefully selected tasting flights and innovative cocktails. They also offer broad portfolios and guided brand ambassador walks to cater for more seasoned enthusiasts.

Digital planning tools and online resources introduced with the relaunch make it easier for visitors to design personalised itineraries. You can, for instance, find Brandy Homes and Hubs, and link visits to wine routes and surrounding attractions on the SABF website by simply clicking on the Experience SA Brandy tab for the online map to appear.

Economic impact

The SA Brandy Route complements South Africa’s wine tourism, often serving as the final stop after a day of vineyard visits. It links both rural and urban experiences, and encourages visitors to discover nearby towns and regions. “This benefits smaller towns as we suggest that tourists stay over, and use eateries and local tourism providers for safe transportation,” Christelle says.

The revamped brandy route opens up South Africa’s wine tourism to wine lovers, spirit connoisseurs, cocktail culture lovers and travellers in search of local stories. Improved facilities and hospitality help producers by maximising the visitor experience, the duration of time visitors spend at destinations, and onsite sales. The relaunch also strengthens the South African brandy sector through the promotion of master distillers and improving the quality of their brands.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see how the staff at the various Brandy Homes and Brandy Hubs suddenly realise our country has world-class brandies,” Christelle says. “And how proud they feel of offering them to visitors.”

Her advice for those trying the SA Brandy Route for the first time is simple. “Give yourself time to enjoy the various Brandy Homes and Brandy Hubs,” she says. “Don’t rush. Explore the most beautiful areas in our country, savour the exceptional brandies, and embrace the warmth and generosity of the people who make this journey unforgettable.”

To explore more articles in our December issue, Vat die pad, purchase our digital or print magazine here.