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A bottle of 1st Principles Single Barrel Brandy.
1st Principles brandy – the real McCoy

You are the real deal – a true brandy lover. You buy organic products, because of fairness in agricultural markets, you support local artists because you love your culture and you enjoy meat-free Mondays because you love the planet. So why change your real habits when it comes to drinking?

1st Principle brandy – the real McCoy, made by and alongside Nature. The team did not bother with extra ingredients like sugar or alternative sweeteners (100% unsweetened goodness in a glass) and they definitely went for all organic products, so it seems you’ve found your drink! The products are not all organic though – the VS and VSOP are but single barrel. That one has a story all of its own – rescued from the obscurity of a blend!

Their brandy’s ingredients are locally produced and sourced, each item hand-picked by the team to ensure only the best. They pride themselves on creating a brandy option that is entirely unadulterated, complete & absolute, what you see is what you get, that real tasting brandy!

When I started out as a writer for this amazing brand I am ashamed to admit I had little knowledge of how wine/grapes formed part of the process, sure the name should have given it away and yes my home language, Afrikaans, made it even more clear “brandewyn” – clearly wine is involved. Being a wine drinker at heart – made me love and appreciate it so much more.

So I set out to research what is needed for a good brandy, not an easy task I might add, especially if you’re dealing with a product this raw and pure.

Firstly I stumble upon an iTunes playlist – this had me sidetracked for at least 5 minutes and then the information started rolling in!

Let’s take a look at a summary of the brandy process; in this case the single barrel 1st Principles option. Quality local products are scouted alongside the winemaker who plays a paramount role in the harvest of the ingredients used, after this the product is slowly matured in high-quality oak barrels and you’re left with a one-of-a-kind drink.

Spoonuniversity (appreciate the name!) talks about many aspects of brandy, especially that it should be appreciated, they also mention how strong it is, so drink with caution or a buddy. Brandy is usually well-aged, which means it was well looked after, made to perfection, and not rushed, precision is key. In the case of 1st Principles, they kept it real and authentic for a long time and created an outstanding quality product you get to brag with at a braai!

1st Principles Distilleries Logo on transparent background

1st Principles Distillery are the creators of some of the world’s finest hand-crafted spirits and are located in the picturesque and fertile Olifant’s River Valley in the town of Vredendal.

Owner and founder Joubert Roux is well-known for producing authentic products with a longstanding heritage, full of personality and founded on 1st Principles.