CHAIR

Pieter De Bod

With more than 30 years of technical expertise, leadership and vision within the spirits industry, Pieter De Bod stands out as an exceptional candidate for the Brandy and Cognac Chair. His extensive knowledge of distillation, maturation, blending and brand strategy, combined with his practical experience across multiple spirits categories, gives him a depth of expertise that would be invaluable to the role.

Pieter currently serves as Master Distiller and General Manager: Spirits at KWV, where he oversees a broad portfolio of spirits and brings together technical excellence with a strong understanding of commercial brand development. Prior to this, he held senior roles at Distell, including Distillery Manager at the Worcester distillery and General Manager of Distell’s three brandy distilleries. These positions have given him extensive hands-on experience in the production, maturation and blending of premium brandy.

A particular strength of Pieter’s expertise lies in his ability to understand how individual components contribute to the final character of a spirit. His approach to tasting and blending focuses on achieving precision, balance and complexity, creating spirits that are both distinctive and refined. He also has a detailed understanding of maturation and the importance of monitoring spirit throughout the ageing process to achieve optimum quality and character.

Beyond production, Pieter has played an active role in supporting and developing the wider South African brandy industry. He has served on the board of the South African Brandy Foundation and contributed to the development of NQF training for Brandy and Spirit qualifications. His knowledge therefore extends beyond technical production to education, industry development and the future positioning of brandy. With a degree in Agricultural Science and a Wine and Spirit Tasting qualification from Stellenbosch University, Pieter combines strong academic foundations with decades of practical experience. His technical authority, leadership and passion for the category make him a highly compelling candidate for the Brandy and Cognac Chair.

JUDGES FROM 2026

LEFT TO RIGHT:  Todd Zillwood-Hunt, Distiller;  Cristobal Cofre, Torres; Pieter De Bod, KWV; Chima Nwachukwu, Drinks Host; Emily Webster, Whisky Auction