IT’S official — South Africa makes the world’s best brandy.

Johan Venter, 49, from the Van Ryn distillery near Stellenbosch, Western Cape, has just returned from London, where his 12 year old Distiller’s Reserve brandy was voted best in the world.
The International Spirits Challenge was held in London two weeks ago and the world’s top brandy makers were vying for the accolade.
In June, he won the title of Best Brandy at the International Wine and Spirit competition for the distillery’s 20-year-old Collector’s Reserve.
The brandy master says the country’s brandies may rival French cognacs in two decades, because of our use of particular brands of grapes.

Venter learned his craft under South Africa’ s doyen of brandy making, Jos le Roux, having shadowed him for four years before his retirement.