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Perched on the marina at the landmark Cape Grace Hotel, the Bascule Bar has long attracted everyone from whisky collectors and business moguls to curious travellers looking for a nightcap.
Following a relaunch in 2024, the space has traded some of its old-world whisky den energy for a slightly more contemporary vibe. And while prevailing smoking legislation has changed the approach to savouring some of the exceptional bottles on offer sans cigar in hand, the space remains an authentic draw.
The Vibe
Walk into the Bascule on any given evening and you'll find a fascinating mix of locals and visitors sharing stories over drams. Case in point: the Morris brothers.
For more than 20 years, the trio have made the Bascule bar their unofficial meeting room. Through ownership changes, renovations and evolving whisky trends, they've kept returning to the same bar overlooking the yachts.
What makes their story even more interesting is that when the bar entered its latest chapter, the hotel's team didn't simply reinvent the space and hope for the best.
"We were asked, 'How can we make this into something that would be more appealing to you?' They didn't just dismiss us. They knew we'd had a long history with the Bascule," the brothers shared with me.
And it's this sense of continuity that gives the Bascule a genuine community spirit. As one of the brothers puts it, "Guests have often joined us. They come to meet locals. And we enjoy sharing our whisky."
Which brings me to the Bascule's Whisky Lockers - perhaps as endearing as the three brothers and their monthly QT session at the bar. Lining one wall of the bar, these personalised cabinets belong to a loyal band of regulars who store prized bottles on-site, ready for their next visit.
It's a tradition that has long defined the Bascule, I'm told. While some hold rare and hard-to-find drams, the lockers aren't about showing off. I got the sense that it's more about sharing a pour with friends and defining the space for regulars that might have seen hospitality trends come and go, much like a well-made Old Fashioned, their sense of being more than just a whiskey club endures.
The Drinks
Of course, the headline attraction is the whisky! The Bascule certainly is home to one of the most extensive collections in South Africa, with hundreds of expressions spanning Scotland, Ireland and Japan.
But this is not a bar for show, where rare bottles sit untouched behind glass. The regulars are firmly in the camp that whisky is to be enjoyed, not treated as an investment portfolio (even if the price tags of some suggest it).
"If you buy a bottle, drink it," was the philosophy around our table.
During a recent Glenlivet Prestige Range tasting, we worked our way through the 18-Year-Old, Fusion, 21-Year-Old and 25-Year-Old expressions. The conversation in between the masterclass, so to speak, covered everything from sherry cask maturation to the merits of adding a few drops of water.
Our Glenlivet ambassador on the evening compared whisky maturation to making tea: first-fill casks delivering bold flavour, second-fill casks offering softer, sweeter characteristics.
The 18-Year-Old impressed with its balance of citrus, while the 21-Year-Old earned particular praise around the table for its layered finish and rich dried fruit character.
The Morris brothers, meanwhile, gravitated towards discussions of peated whiskies from Scotland's Islay region, debating smoky flavours, sea-salt notes and why I shouldn't judge the whisky solely on the first sip.
Their advice? "What you smell, what you taste - that's your experience."
The food
The food plays a supporting role, but an important one. There's a scrumptious selection of bar snacks served throughout the flight, along with a menu of small plates designed to complement the drinks. The oysters are fresh, the vegetarian mushroom arancini balls have just the right level of crunch, and the charcuterie doesn't disappoint either.
It's a good selection, designed to cater to a variety of tastes, as you sip and swirl while taking in the gorgeous waterfront marina setting.
Why go?
Because the Bascule isn't only about whisky. Sure, whisky lovers will be pleased beyond. That's a given. But it's also suited to a marina-side date night after a cruise around the harbour, or a Waterfront sundowners slow-down session with live jazz.
It's worth joining for one of the specially hosted whisky flight evenings, even if you're not a connoisseur. You'll come away enlightened after discussing everything from Scottish peat bogs to Cape Town's big-city life. Plenty of places can pour you a 25-year-old whisky, but I think few can pour you a story to go with it, quite like the Bsacule.
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