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Master's Reserve XO
At least 10 years in French oak750ml
The brandy master's selection from Avante's reserves. The natural first step into the aged range, and the most personal gift in it.
- At least ten years in small French oak barrels
- Engrave the bottle for R99
- Championed by Makazole Mapimpi
Live previewEngraving gifts for more than one person? Add this one to your cart, then engrave the next. Each keeps its own message.
R 1,999
Secure checkout
Delivered in 5 to 7 working days
Christmas delivery
Order by these dates for delivery by 24 December:
- Cape Town18 Dec
- Gauteng15 Dec
- Durban15 Dec
- Outlying areas11 Dec
Engraved bottles: order by 27 November.
Express delivery is not available over the festive period.Tasting notes
- Nose
- Rum and raisin unfold with subtle layers of oak and vanilla.
- Palate
- Dried fruit and apricot, balanced by gentle spice.
- Finish
- Smooth and enduring.
The details
- Age
- At least 10 years
- Distillation
- Double, copper pot
- Grape
- 100% Cape potstill
- Oak
- Small French barrels
- Origin
- Western Cape, South Africa
Delivery
Standard orders are delivered in 5 to 7 working days. Personalised orders: allow up to 10 working days. Delivery costs are shown at checkout.
Christmas: for delivery by 24 December, order by 18 December (Cape Town), 15 December (Gauteng and Durban) or 11 December (outlying areas). Engraved orders: by 27 November. Express delivery is not available over the festive period.
Christmas: for delivery by 24 December, order by 18 December (Cape Town), 15 December (Gauteng and Durban) or 11 December (outlying areas). Engraved orders: by 27 November. Express delivery is not available over the festive period.
Free Delivery over R800
Hassle free 60 days returns
10+Years in French oak
XOExtra Old designation
100%Cape potstill
1Name, engraved for life
The story of the liquid
A decade
in French oak.
Distilled in 2016, while Makazole Mapimpi was playing for the Border Bulldogs in East London, two years before his first Test.
Nose
Rum and raisin unfold with subtle layers of oak and vanilla.
Palate
Dried fruit and apricot, balanced by gentle spice.
Finish
Smooth and enduring.
Inside the blend4 casks, filled 2007 to 2016ServeNeat, with a splash of water, or beside savoury crackers, fig preserve and soft cheese.
Made to carry
a message.
A tall, faceted glass decanter that shows the colour of a decade in oak, with a clear panel designed for laser engraving.
Engraving is not an afterthought here. It is the point. A name, a date or a line of thanks turns the decanter into a permanent tribute to someone who raised your game.
- The decanterHeavy faceted glass with a gold XO badge.
- The panelA clear field set aside for your engraving.
- The stopperWeighted closure finished in gold.
- The colourDeep amber, earned over ten years in oak.
From Tsholomnqa
to two world titles.
Makazole Mapimpi
Avante founder Makazole Mapimpi reached the top of the game the long way round, and became the first Springbok to score a try in a Rugby World Cup final.
2019First Springbok try in a World Cup final
2Rugby World Cup titles
2018Test debut
2016The year this liquid was distilled
A bottle becomes
a legacy.
Engraving is not an afterthought. It turns a great brandy into a permanent thank you to someone who raised your game.
Personalise yours
The founding story
Fifteen legends.
One team.
Avante began in 2023 with Rob Heyns and Springbok World Cup winning captain John Smit, and an idea that sounded simple: bring fifteen international rugby legends from seven nations together, not as ambassadors, but as owners. Men who spent their careers putting the team first now put their names to every bottle. Nothing worth having is built alone.
Mapimpi is one of the fifteen. His XO is the warmest welcome into the founders' aged range.
15Founders and owners
7Rugby nations
2023Forward together
Reviews
Good to know.
How does engraving work?
Choose laser engraving (+R99) and type your message. It is etched onto the decanter's front panel.
Is XO a good gift for a cognac drinker?
Yes. It is aged for at least ten years in French oak and double distilled in copper pot stills, the same method that defines great cognac.
Can I order in volume for a team or clients?
Yes. Each bottle can carry its own name. Contact the Avante team for corporate orders.