COVID-19 Announcement

UPDATE, 25-MAY: Alcohol sales will be permitted at lockdown level 3 starting on 1 June. We will confirm our store hours as soon as we received final instruction from the SA government. At the same time, we will also be able to begin restocking our shelves and processing all online orders received during lockdown.

UPDATE, 23-MARCH: Due to the national lockdown ordered by the government, our store, bar and online store will close from this Thursday (26/03) at 6PM until the lockdown is lifted. During this time we will also not be able to process any online orders for delivery until after the lockdown.

We are living in scary and uncertain times, and as a proudly South African business, the only thing we can do is to act responsibly in the best interest of our customers while actively managing the situation on a daily basis.

There is little doubt that the South African people and economy are in for a rough journey (as if the last few years have not been rough enough) and many businesses are likely to be significantly impacted with their futures uncertain. This includes us here at WhiskyBrother. With the changes to the operating hours of liquor licensed establishments last week, we have already felt a painful blow.

This page will serve to keep all our customers updated on our ability to provide our services as best we can under the circumstances while keeping our customers and staff safe. This means that the below information is likely to change and be updated as the current coronavirus situation progresses and depending on the latest instructions and advice from governing bodies.

DELIVERIES

Due to the backlog of orders received during the last two months of lockdwn we anticipate a small delay in our delivery times, but we will do whatever it takes to get your whisky to you as soon as possible. We are also awaiting final instruction from the government to fully understand when alcohol can be transported, which will impact the days and times our deliveries can occur.

Due to the nationwide lockdown starting at midnight on Thursday 26-March, all deliveries are now stopped until the lockdown is lifted. Our website will remain online and purchases can be made, but deliveries cannot. This is a blanket restriction and does not depend on where you live in South Africa.

OPERATING HOURS

Due to the nationwide lockdown starting at midnight on Thursday 26-March, our store and bar will close at 6pm on Thursday 26-March, and will remain closed until the lockdown is lifted:

Please also note that since the bar is closed, online orders for collection at the bar will not be possible.

PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES

For both our bar and store we have increased our daily cleaning regiment to further reduce any risk to our customers. Apart from just the availability of sanitiser at the door, we are disinfecting counters after every interaction with a customer, as well as for the bar we have removed the menus and water carafes from the tables - they will be available to customers upon request, and will be thoroughly cleaned between use.

We are also packing online orders with gloves on and our staff are only allowed to work if they are feeling 100% fine and have no symptoms whatsoever. And although we generally do travel a fair amount (mostly to Scotland), none of our staff on duty has travelled abroad in the last several months.

We have also placed signs at the entrance of both premises, informing customers that they can only enter under certain conditions, including not having travelled to high-risk countries and not experiencing any symptoms.

WHISKY TASTINGS

We have taken the decision that all public tastings are postponed until a later date. Our hope and intention is that once life starts to return to normal we can host the tasting as originally planned. We ask that you please hold on to your tickets until further notice. We are doing this as it is the right, socially responsible decision to make, even though under the current restrictions we are allowed to continue. We thus ask for your understanding in this matter. We will contact all individuals who have tickets to an upcoming tasting to notify them and will not list any new tastings for the foreseeable future.

ONE LAST THING

We know there there are more important things than whisky, but for the fist time since we opened our doors in 2012, the viability of our business is genuinely under threat - as is that of many others. We will do our part, as a business and as individuals, to support our fellow small businesses, and we hope others will do the same for us. Let's hope that once things start to settle and life returns to some semblance of normality, that we are still standing and able to pick-up where we left off.

On behalf of the WhiskyBrother family we sincerely wish everyone well in the difficult weeks and months ahead. To all those in the whisky industry, our whisky customers and fans (both local and internationally), even to non-whisky drinkers and teetotallers: we wish you and your loved-ones well over these uncertain and dangerous times.

Stay safe, be kind, drink some whisky and slàinte mhath*.

*Now more than ever the toast Slainte Mhath (which means to "good health") is appropriate!