There’s something satisfying about a competition that refuses to play favourites. At the Investec Trophy Spirits Show, a Cape pot-still brandy doesn’t get judged against other brandies from the Cape — it goes head-to-head with a Cognac from France, in the same glass, in front of the same panel. A craft gin from a small local distillery sits on the same tasting bench as the biggest international gin brands. No home advantage, no separate leagues. Just spirit against spirit.

Now in its eighth year, the Show has built its reputation on this format — borrowed and adapted from the judging philosophy behind the Investec Trophy Wine Show — and it’s become one of the more credible benchmarks for where South African spirits actually stand against the rest of the world.

The numbers behind the tasting benches

This year’s competition pulled in 98 entries from 21 producers and distributors, spanning 46 brands across eight categories. Brandy and whisky were neck and neck for the largest share of entries, with pot-still brandies from the Cape and France narrowly edging out the whisky field — 27 submissions to 26. The whisky bench, unsurprisingly, was the most varied category on the day, bringing together malts, pot-still expressions and blends from multiple countries.

Gin had healthy representation across all three of its subcategories: London Dry, Distilled and Flavoured — with local craft entries standing shoulder to shoulder with major international names. Tequila, agave spirits and rum also showed up in force this year, reflecting the broader global appetite for those categories, while vodka and cream liqueurs rounded out the line-up.

Speaking on Investec’s continued backing of the Show, Peta Dixon, the bank’s Head of Sponsorships, framed it as an opportunity for South African talent to be recognised on the same stage as leading international producers.

A 350-year head start

It’s easy to forget just how long South Africa has been in the spirits business. The industry’s roots stretch back more than 350 years, growing up alongside the Cape’s earliest wine production before branching into distillation and brandy-making in its own right. By the late 20th century, the country had also become a serious market for international spirits — Scotch whisky in particular — while rum, gin, vodka and liqueurs carved out their own space alongside the wine industry that started it all.

Who won what

The judging panel — three senior judges per bench plus an associate judge whose scores are noted but not counted toward the final result — worked through the entries to land on this year’s trophy winners:

• Best Brandy of Show & Best Potstill Brandy KWV XO Cellar Reserve Potstill Brandy
• Best Whisky of Show & Best Malt Whisky Sinfonia Minor Blended Malt Scotch Whisky
• Best Gin of Show & Best London Dry Gin Tanqueray London Dry Gin
• Best Cognac Frapin XO Château Fontpinot Cognac
• Best Vodka Smirnoff No. 21 Vodka
• Best Single Potstill Whisk(e)y & Best Premium Spirit Redbreast 21 Year Old Single Potstill Irish Whiskey
• Best Blended Whisk(e)y O’Driscolls Irish Whiskey Matured in Bourbon Cask
• Best Tequila Herradura Selección Suprema Tequila
• Best Aperitif Dullstroom Lemonlicious Limonchilli
• Best Liqueur Wild Africa Chocolate Cream

The gold medallists

Beyond the headline trophies, a strong field took home gold:

• Aberlour A’Bunadh Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
• Boschendal Potstill Brandy XO – 10 Year Old
• Chivas Regal 18 – Aged 18 Years
• Coppersmith 1904 London Dry Gin
• el Jimador Reposado Tequila
• KWV TEN Year Old Brandy
• KWV VS Brandy
• KWV VSOP Brandy
• Woodford Reserve Distiller’s Select Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey

KWV’s showing across the brandy categories is hard to miss — a trophy plus three golds is a strong statement for a single producer, and a reminder of just how deep South Africa’s brandy expertise runs.

Silver and bronze results, along with the full list of this year’s judges, are available on the Trophy Spirits Show website.

Why it matters for the rest of us

You don’t need to be in the trade to get something out of a result like this. A trophy or gold medal is a genuinely useful shortcut when you’re standing in a bottle store deciding what to bring to dinner or building out a home bar one bottle at a time. If you’re after a starting point, the KWV brandy and Redbreast 21 are both worth seeking out if you want to taste what “best in show” actually means in a glass — and both would make a fine addition to your own table talk.