When a global pandemic presents itself rather unannounced and with maddening calamity, and lockdown rules create havoc with your brandy supply, you shouldn’t let it dampen your spirit. You create your own spirit.

Opportunities are best imagined when you work with what you have, to craft more. In the Gannaput chronicle we had fine, cultivated Colombar and Chenin vineyards standing proud in rich alluvial soil on the banks of the Orange River. We also had the spirit of three passionate and adventurous brandy drinkers seeking to produce a quality product, enthusiastically cheered on by their followers. Not interested in half measures, they teamed up with a Brandy Master, who delivered a blend with selected double distilled brandies up to 12 years aged in French and American oak.

The result is a complex and balanced drink with a smooth, lingering aftertaste of dried fruit and hints of smokiness obtained from the oak barrels. Expect prominent aromas of dried peaches and apricots, enhanced by nutty and vanilla notes that compliment the pecan nuts and export raisins also cultivated at Gannaput.