Mainstay was launched in KwaZulu-Natal in 1954 and attained national status by 1967. Initially, it was sold in local shebeens to an Indian and black market. From the mid-1960s, a growing number of consumers in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, started taking to cane spirits - especially Mainstay, soon to be the top selling brand in the country. Although its volumes today are not what they were many years ago, it is still one of the biggest and most popular local white spirits. Mainstay is synonymous with cane and will remain a true legend.? Cane spirit, unique to South Africa, is as special to this country as tequila is to Mexico! It was created in the cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal and originally known as 'gavine' or 'mystery liquor'. As the name implies, cane spirit is distilled from fermented molasses, by the continuous column still method. Mainstay, the resultant spirit, is extremely pure and crystal clear.