The central attraction will be some 50 top brandies available for tasting. They include rare brandies that have been matured for up to three decades and relative newcomers such as Elsenburg's 13-year-old potstill brandy and Bezalel's 5-year-old potstill from Upington. Visitors will be able to interact with internationally acclaimed brandy distillers and ambassadors, notably Bisquit cognac's Loïc Rakotomalala, who will fly out from France to present free brandy Master Classes during the event.
Entitled 'World Brandy Capital', in recognition of Cape Town's appointment as Design Capital of the World 2014, the theme is celebrated in the signature Capital Cocktail, created by One&Only Cape Town's mixologists and featuring Collison's White Gold Brandy, rooibos syrup and apple juice available at the Urban Brandy Cocktail bar at the event. Special sessions with award-winning molecular mixologist Kurt Schlechter are also part of the schedule.
Design highlights also include the winning entry for the 2014 Fine Brandy Bar Design competition - a creation by Pretoria furniture designer Peet van Straaten that aims to elevate the experience for the brandy drinker to a level of installation art. Interior designers GreenCherry were responsible for a stand celebrating South Africa's favourite amber spirit, which will feature lights designed by leading UK product and lighting designer Lee Broom.
Mi Casa, the Johannesburg group of Dr Duda, J'Something and Mo-T, has signed up for the party while hit rapper and committed brandy-lover ProVerb will work the crowd as MC.
Food and brandy pairings include a KWV and Huguenot chocolate pairing. The Urban Brandy Cocktail Route, which recently expanded to include Cape Town, Johannesburg and Durban, will be showcased at the cocktail bar with unique mixes and a special cocktail celebrating the theme of this year's event.
Pre-bookings for Master Classes are essential and can be done at www.brandyfusion.co.za. Costs are R145 per person at Computicket for early-bird tickets, purchased between April 1-30 for the Cape Town event, and 1 April to 15 May for the Sandton event, thereafter tickets will be R195 each. Tickets include a brandy glass and vouchers for brandy tasting, cocktails and coffee.
