These five cocktails with KWV Brandy 3 Year Old Finest Blend set a festive tone: an expert mixologist shows you how

If there is one must-have ingredient for this festive season, it’s KWV Brandy – a proven leader in taste and quality, with a range of brandies suited to every occasion.

Recently, this international icon of drinks outclassed all other distillers at the coveted Veritas Awards when it claimed four Double Golds and one Gold medal. The epitome of these, was the competition’s first ever, perfect 100-points for any product, awarded to KWV’s 15 Year Alambic Blend Potstill Brandy.

These awards also underlines the quality entrenched in the make-up of each bottle of brandy made at KWV’s world-class distilling facilities, with the KWV 3 Year Old Finest Blend being the only brandy in the ‘standard class’ category to receive a Double Gold medal – with an impressive score of 93/100!

KWV Brandy 3 Year Old is the foundation of KWV’s impressive brandy series. This drink is double distilled, with potstill content matured for at least three years in small French oak barrels. Fine selection and artful blending results in a dark golden brandy with a full, smooth and fruity taste, reminiscent of fresh apple, pear and a tinge of vanilla.  

It is these qualities which ultimately make this drink such an amazing cocktail partner. Bartender, mixologist, and drinks expert Michael Mudzenda couldn’t agree more. With 15 years’ experience mixing drinks for local and international clientele, and most recently, at the famed Cause | Effect Cocktail Kitchen in Cape Town, Michael was impressed by the KWV 3 Year Old’s smooth taste and delicate character. “Personally, I choose KWV 3 because it is an award-winning brandy and a magnificent product to work with,” says Michael, “this product is all about smoothness and fruity notes, which makes it amazing. You can either have it neat or as a cocktail.”

Inspired by the range of possibilities provided by KWV 3 Year Old, Michael developed a selection of five cocktails to ensure memorable celebrations as we enter the New Year: Charles Sours, The 3rdFlip, The House of Fire, 5th Avenue Slammer and 3 Wise Elves. 

The House of Fire

Tall and refreshing, this cocktail has a summery yet festive feel going hand in hand. With KWV 3 Year Old’s mellow and fruity aftertaste.
Named after the famous House of Fire, the HQ to KWV’s world-famous brandy.

Ingredients

37,5ml KWV 3

15ml cinnamon, anise cordial 

10ml citrus 

Top up soda

Method: build

Glass: high ball 

Garnish: fresh lime, cinnamon stick

3 Wise Elves

A little bit of a sweet tooth balanced with an amazing brandy, and hints of Christmas spices a perfect way to end a meal.
Rich, creamy, and rewarding!

50ml KWV 3

100ml vanilla ice cream 

Pinch each nutmeg and cinnamon 

Method: blended 

Glass: wine glass 

Garnish: Edible flower

^5th Avenue and Slammer

Tall and refreshing, this cocktail has a summery yet festive feel going hand in hand. With KWV 3 Year Old’s mellow and fruity aftertaste.

Named after the famous House of Fire, the HQ to KWV’s world-famous brandy.

37,5ml KWV 3

15ml cinnamon, anise cordial 

10ml citrus 

Top up soda

Method: build

Glass: high ball 

Garnish: fresh lime, cinnamon stick.

The ^3rd Flip

A take on an eggnog with the use of KWV 3 Year Old Brandy with its bold yet delicate characteristics which brings harmony to every ingredient used.

37,5ml KWV 3

15ml sherry

10ml amaretto 

1 whole lavender scented egg

(Infuse egg with lavender leaves for 4 days, strain and use)

20ml cinnamon and nutmeg syrup 

Method: shaken 

Glass: champagne flute

Garnish: grated nutmeg 

Charles Sours

Named in memory of Charles W.H. Kohler, ‘The Father of KWV’, this cocktail has a well-balanced sweet and sour taste, a rich mouthfeel, and a dash of Christmas.

Easy to make, with aqua faba (chickpea brine), which is a substitute for egg white. This is a sustainable way of making it consumable for all dietary needs. 
37,5ml KWV 3

15ml Van der Hum 

20ml cinnamon and cloves syrup 

15ml Aqua faba

15ml citrus 

Method: shaken

Glass: coupe 

Garnish: edible flower 

Get a head start on the season’s main ingredient now. Buy KWV’s award-winning brandies via the KWV Emporium at www.KWVemporium.co.za