Dump the cognac and drink brandy

Dump the cognac and drink brandy – that would be my advice in these grim economic conditions. You can argue that cutting out guilty pleasures like your nighttime tipple entirely will be a much wiser way to save at the end of the month, but brandy is the one drink worth buying, even when the rand takes a nosedive.

You see, over the years sales of South African brandy and potstill brandy have plummeted. Factors range from people assuming SA-produced brandy is subpar and competition from international brands. The irony is that although sales have dropped, SA has been producing some of the best brandy in the world. Potstill brandy, which is the South African equivalent of cognac, has been especially successful.

But how do you get people to invite brandy back into their homes? Two weeks ago, Distell hosted an evening of sensory magic and provided a novel way to reintroduce brandy. Guests became guinea pigs in a neuroscience experiment to measure their cognitive and emotional responses to different styles of premium potstill brandies (including Van Ryn’s).

A test station was set up where 3D brain mapping was used to create a visual representation of how the mind responded to the different products. During the evening, SA brandy proved to get the most positive response.

The fact that supporting locally made brandies helps sustain jobs, increases production, drives sales and even opens the door to potentially export more means favouring brandy is an act of kindness when your finances start to crumble.