How far are you willing to go for a drink? With December around the corner, now's the time to consider which whisky or brandy you are going to stock up on.
For those very special occasions when a simple bottle won't do, you might want to impress your friends and yourself by getting some top-quality booze.
But before you got out and spend thousands on just any ol' firewater, you need to know what kind of alcohol you are looking for, so here is the difference between brandy and whisky.
Whisky: Begins with grain, typically malted barley, corn, or other cereal grains, which are fermented to produce alcohol and then distilled thereafter, which removes the carbon dioxide bubbles and raises the alcohol content significantly. Whisky is typically aged in oak casks, which is what gives it most of its flavour and smoothness.
Brandy: Generally made from grapes fermented into wine, although any distilled liquor made from fermented fruit juice is called a brandy. Distilled in the same way as whisky, like the grain spirit, it is almost colourless right after distillation, and develops most of its colour and flavour by being aged in toasted oak.
Now that we've got that out the way, here are some of the most expensive whiskies and brandies you can find right now in stores around South Africa.
1. The Glenlivet -- R650,000
The Glenlivet 50-year-old Winchester Collection single-malt Scotch whisky is priced at an outrageous R650,000 a bottle. Absurd, right? That's more than a Jeep Wrangler –– or even a new house, in some areas.
2. Glenfiddich -- R600,000
The Glenfiddich 50-year-old Speyside single-malt Scotch whisky in a gift box will cost you a staggering R600,000. It's obviously reserved for very, very special occasions... Like winning the lottery.
3. Richard Hennesy Cognac -- R50,000
Coming in at R50,000, the Richard Hennesy cognac-blend bottle will knock you out with its beautiful aesthetic –– and in this company, it's the "affordable" option! What could be more blingy than spending a night with your buddies, drinking a year's worth of university fees?
For a full alcohol catalogue with all the prices, click here
Cheers...