Celebrations are in order at the KWV House of Brandy after they wiped the floor at the 2024 International Spirits Challenge (ISC) held in London this past September. KWV was crowned Producer of the Year in the highly contested Brandy and Cognac category. In addition, they were also handed the award of the World’s Best Brandy for their KWV VS Potstill.
Known as the Olympics of the spirits industry, the International Spirits Challenge is rigorous and impartial in its judging process. In fact, less than 2% of the thousands of entries earn trophies at this event.
Each spirit undergoes a blind tasting and is judged by a prestigious panel of over 70 industry experts. Finally, they evaluate each spirit based on its taste, category, age, region and style. Evidently, the ISC sets the global standard when it comes to spirits, with brandy and cognac being two of the categories.
For the first leg of the International Spirits Challenge held in August 2024, KWV walked away with three out of the six Double Gold medals in the Brandy category. This made KWV the world’s most awarded Brandy or Cognac brand.
John Loomes, CEO of KWV, says: “KWV’s most recent success at the ISC once again illustrates that South African brandies can challenge renowned global and legacy brands head-on, and win.”
KWV received their trophies during the ISC awards ceremony in London on 26 September 2024, where Loomes explained how their “success underscores the increasing importance of brandy in the African market.” He added that “with only 4% of the African population currently consuming brandy or cognac, this category is poised for expansion.”
KWV was one of only 46 entrants to earn a trophy. Since this year marks their sixth time receiving the honour, KWV’s Master Distiller, Pieter de Bod, stands very proud. He says their long-standing legacy of making award-winning brandies is rooted in passion and craftsmanship. “Each bottle reflects nearly a century of expertise, innovation and a relentless pursuit of quality.”
Clearly, South Africa is setting the global standard for what excellent brandy looks, smells and tastes like.
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