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Pendock Uncorked

South Africa's leading independent drinks commentator…
 

Circumcision to lift flagging spirit sales

Posted: January 17th, 2010 | By Neil Pendock


The news that traditional circumcision has been reintroduced for Zulu boys by Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini, two centuries after it was suspended by King Shaka, comes as welcome news for brandy, vodka and cell phone suppliers. The Guardian reports that the Xhosa practice involves purchases of Viceroy brandy, Smirnoff vodka and new cell phones for the 50 000 initiates each year. Smirnoff is produced under license by NCP Alcohols in Durban from molasses derived from sugarcane grown in KwaZulu-Natal and so will likely benefit from the decree. Although KZN boasts at least two wineries, including The Stables in the Natal Midlands, the lion’s share of brandy comes from the Western Cape with Viceroy a brand which celebrates its 70th birthday this year, made by Distell. With domestic sales of brandy down 9% last year, Distell shareholders will be hoping for sales to perk up after the King’s ruling.

Make mine a double Viceroy

Make mine a double Viceroy

  
 
 

Comments

 

Hugh7

January 17, 2010 at 8:52 pm

The bizarreness that is circumcision is unlimited, isn’t it? How can anyone oppose it when it is so profitable all round? Never mind that 80 Eastern Cape boys died of it last year. Never mind that in at least six African countries, more of the circumcised men have HIV than the non-circumcised, according to the Health and Demographic Surveys. Your wine correspondent “has a healthy disregard for the … Emperors of drink and their new clothes” but the great unclad Emperor of today is circumcision.

 

Yeoman 123

January 25, 2010 at 5:46 am

Yeah, Hugh7 is right. Whether profits for the Vodka makers, or for the Doctors here in America, circumcision is all about money. Of course, you can’t be a “real man” without having your d-ck cut, -what a bunch of idiotic barbarism. Of course, having Doctors and our own religious shamen Rabbis do the same thing to helpless infants, is no less barbaric, and they are no less vicious, or mercenary.

American Medicine- “The best treatment, you can’t afford! Ethics free pursuit of profit, for over 150 years. :)

 

Yeoman 123

January 25, 2010 at 5:48 am

Yup Yeah, Hugh7 is right. Whether profits for the Vodka makers, or for the Doctors here in America, circumcision is all about money. Of course, you can’t be a “real man” without having your d-ck cut, -what a bunch of idiotic barbarism. Of course, having Doctors and our own religious shamen Rabbis do the same thing to helpless infants, is no less barbaric, and they are no less vicious, or mercenary.

American Medicine- “The best treatment, you can’t afford! Ethics free pursuit of profit, for over 150 years. :)

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  • About

    Called "South Africa's most influential wine writer" by DrinksBiz (NZ), a "wijngoeroe" and "beminnelijk maar snoeihard" by De Telegraaf, a "Master of SA Writing" by Ernst Gouws and voted “most trusted palate” by readers of WINE magazine, Neil Pendock is South Africa’s leading Indie drinks commentator.

    An "enthusiastic amateur", he owns a small farm on the Paardeberg which used to supply a few grapes to Swartland Winery, a producer he never wrote about. After two decades in the spittoon, he retains a healthy disregard for the anoraks, bowties and Emperors of drink and their new clothes.