Boplaas Whisky has once again claimed top honours at the prestigious World Whiskies Awards, being named Best Grain Whisky for the second consecutive year, just as the distillery prepares to release its oldest whisky expression to date.
The announcement was made last month in London, where the Boplaas 12-year-old Rum Cask Single Grain Whisky was awarded Top Grain Whisky in its category, the highest accolade for a South African grain whisky at the competition.
“It’s always very gratifying to be recognised for the lengths we go to in the making of truly exceptional spirits and wines at Boplaas,” says sixth-generation Boplaas distiller Daniel Nel.
This 12-year-old Single Grain Whisky has been matured in Bourbon and brandy casks, followed by a distinctive finish in South African and Colombian rum casks. The nose opens with vanilla, caramel and toasted oak, followed by hints of dried fruit and gentle spice.
On the palate, it is smooth and rounded, revealing layers of toffee, vanilla cream and tropical fruit, with subtle notes of dark chocolate and roasted coffee emerging from the rum casks. The finish is long and warming, with lingering sweetness, soft oak and a gentle, mocha-like richness.
A significant differentiator of distilled beverages from Boplaas is the distillery’s location in Calitzdorp. Low humidity and the large variations in temperature that characterise the Klein Karoo climate allow quicker maturation, a higher angel’s share and, importantly, deeper flavour concentration.
The 12-year-old Rum Cask Whisky is the oldest expression released by the Boplaas distillery to date and marks the first bottling of this expression. The previous iteration (the 10-year-old Rum Cask) won Gold at last year’s International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) and was named Best South African Whisky at the World Whiskies Awards.
Only 750 bottles of the release will be available. Each bottle is produced at 46% ABV, non-chill filtered and natural in colour.
Its status as a rare collector’s item is further emphasised by its branded presentation case and a purchase limit of six bottles per person.
Wine and Whisky Club members will have the opportunity to pre-order the release. The whisky will be released in the next few weeks and will only be available on the Boplaas online shop after the club members’ allocation.