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| Hi, this is one of our (almost) daily tastings. Santé! |
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August 7, 2016 |
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The Olympic cachaça marathon |
Since the Olympics in Brazil have started, and since we’ve got quite a few cachaças at hand, wouldn’t it be sensible to try a few today, and check if some of them would make for some good malternatives? We may stumble upon some ‘industrial’ ones bearing very little interest, as is the case with any spirits (that may happen even in Scotland, mind you), but we could also find some gems. So what is cachaça? Well, it’s rum, but it doesn’t seem that the Brazilians are pretending it is rum. It’s distilled cane juice and not molasses, as is rhum agricole, and some say it’s actually closer to our beloved Haitian clairin. So, let’s have a few, while always keeping in mind that I know next to nothing about cachaça, and that is why we’ll have them ‘at random’, without any preconceptions. There. |
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Leblon (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015)  Some good people say this is the best cachaça in the world, but I’m sure many other makers will disagree. It is triple distilled in pot stills and aged in cognac casks. Probably for a short period of time according to the colour, unless it’s been heavily filtered/discoloured… It also seems that Bacardi recently bought the brand. Colour: extremely pale white wine, almost white. Nose: instantly ‘clairin’ seen from WF Towers, that is to say fermentary and briny, with plenty of green olives and capers, and very sour grapefruits in the background. And bags of grass. Mouth: a very minimal sweetness at first, and then some lime liqueur and perhaps gherkin juice. Add a few olives and a touch of earth. Only problem, it’s a little bit too light, while the juice is perfectly all right, with this wee dirty side that we always enjoy. No sleek commercial stuff. Finish: a little short, which is a shame. Very nice coastal notes, limes, more olives, seawater… But seawater is stronger! Comments: up my alley as far as the profile is concerned, but do stronger versions exist? SGP:372 - 79 points. |
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Morro Vermelho ‘Tradicional’ (42%, OB, cachaça, +/-2012)  Pot still cachaça from Minas Gerais, said to be quite traditional, as the name suggests. It’s matured for one year in jequitibá wood, which is akin to mahogany, apparently. Colour: almost white. Nose: much huger than the Leblon, rougher, perhaps a little more spirity as well, but with more of that brilliant dirtiness that we do enjoy so much. It’s even kind of smoky. Mouth: really wild, citrusy, gherkiny, olive-y, earthy, smoky… We’re totally in clairin territories (only saying this because I’m a clairin lover and because I know a little more about clairin, but I doubt the Brazilians would approve.) Also very nice gentian notes, roots, celeriac… Finish: medium, much bigger than that of the Leblon. Comments: I think we already found one cachaça that I like better than the best cachaça in the world. Ha, reminds of tequila Patron, ‘the best tequila in the world’. Yeah yeah… SGP:272 - 83 points. |
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Taverna de Minas ‘Ouro’ (39%, OB, cachaça, +/-2012)  This one is two years old. It’s also from Minas Gerais, from the city of Itaverava, and apparently, totally artisanal. Colour: white wine. Nose: beautiful! It’s got stunning notes of fresh gingerbread, speculoos, caraway, natural vanilla, almond oil, moss… It’s much less olive-y than the others, and that may come from the longer maturation, but what a nose! Mouth: there, the sugar cane is striking, and the olives are arriving, but the speculoos and gingerbread remain there. Some lemon too. I’m very impressed, especially given the low strength. It’s a fat spirit, seemingly very ‘congeneric’, and that’s what we like. Finish: long, fresher, more lemony, but the speculoos never gave up. Comments: a slightly rounder cachaça, but the whole experience is just perfect and impressive. SGP:352 - 86 points. |
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Kapoeira (38%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015)  Another one that, according to some, is meant to be ‘the best tequila in Brazil’. It stems from the Sao Paulo region, not from Minas Gerais. Colour: white. Nose: it’s a grassy one, very fresh, almost ethereal after the Taverna. Lemonade from the fridge, lime juice… And very few congeners. While the two previous ones were rustic, this one’s for Rio’s poshest bars. Mouth: really good, with more oomph, earth, gentian, celeriac, turnips, lemons, as well as a pinhead of horseradish. Liquid sushi, if you will. Finish: short, but very clean, zesty, ultra-fresh. Comments: this one should go down well. Do they make double-magnums? SGP:352 - 82 points. |
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Boca Loca (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015)  According to the luminaries at The Whisky Exchange (London, baby) Boca Loca means ‘crazy lips’. Nothing can beat experience. It is organic cachaça. And of course it’s ‘premium’. What isn’t these days? Colour: white. Nose: very spirity, not unlike some aguardiente I tried in Cuba. Wood alcohol. Well, I don’t find this very pleasant, it’s pretty aggressive yet characterless. Some coconut after a few minutes, not always a good sign. Mouth: better, but there’s a sweetness that’s not very pleasant. Feels sweetened, although I doubt it is. Lips, perhaps, but crazy, certainly not. Finish: short and a little sugary. Comments: pass. SGP:630 - 50 points. |
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Sào Miguel (39%, OB, Cachaça, +/-2012) Artisan cachaça from the region of Rio de Janeiro this time, matured for one year in umburana wood, which is a cherry wood. It is organic. Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: superb! This one’s meatier, you’re almost nosing ham that was cooked in spiced wine, although it tends to develop on gingerbread, rather in the style of the Taverna de Minas. It’s also got a mezcal/agave side, some smoke, and of course olives and gherkins. This one might be my favourite so far, but let’s not count our chickens… Mouth: totally destroys the Crazy Lips. Now it’s a little more ‘burnt’ than the Taverna, and while I almost love it, I’m having difficulties dealing with these burnt notes. Burnt wood? Does that come from the cherry wood? Finish: quite long, a tad saltier. Lemony smoke. Comments: perhaps is this one more for very experienced cachaça boys. I’m sure it’s great, but it certainly isn’t easy. SGP:362 - 81 points. |
Pff, this is not the easiest session ever, but let’s go on… |
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Thoquino (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015)  This is single-estate cachaça, from the north of Rio de Janeiro. Not too sure whether it’s post still or column cachaça. No, nothing to do with Toquinho, the great Brazilian musician. Colour: white. Nose: it’s fresh, but there isn’t much happening. Quite the opposite of the Sào Miguel, but I wouldn’t say it’s unpleasant, just a little… err, let’s say uninspiring (any excuses, S.) Mouth: feels sweetened, just like the Boca Loca. Lemon liqueur and lime liqueur and other liqueurs. Indeed, even sugar cane. Average. Finish: short, sugary. Comments: not too bad, but the sugar puzzles me. Are they allowed to sweeten cachaça? SGP:541 - 68 points. |
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Praianinha (39%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015) This one’s made by Thoquino too. It’s meant to be ‘tradicional’, which probably doesn’t mean much. Colour: white. Nose: noses even sweeter. Citron liqueur. That’s pretty all, folks. Mouth: it is liqueur. Exactly not what I was hoping for. More citron liqueur. Finish: medium, too sweet. Comments: really hard to a malt whisky enthusiast. I’m sure it goes down well once poured over two kilos of crushed ice, but other than that, it’s not a spirit, it’s a liqueur. Anti-cachaça. Or shall we call it a doctored cachaça? SGP:830 - 45 points.
Okay, another chance… |
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Thoquino 2 yo (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2015)  Aged for two years in jetiquibà wood, just like the great Morro Vermelho. Hope there will be other similarities. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: ah, this is nicer. Still a bit indefinite, with whiffs of wood and ink, but at least it doesn’t feel liqueury, or artificially fruity. A little rubber. Mouth: relatively fine. A little earthy and smoky, but the rubber didn’t totally go away. Lemon marmalade. I do enjoy these soapy touches, though, which remind me of a tequila. Finish: medium, similar. Perhaps half an olive in the aftertaste, but that’s a little late. Comments: I’d call this a cachaça of acceptable proportions, but it sure isn’t a proper malternative. SGP:551 - 72 points. |
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Vale Verde ‘Ouro Extra Premium’ (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2012) Of course the name is a little scary (Extra Premium, not Vale Verde) but I’ve heard good things about this brand from Minas Gerais. This one is a three years old, matured in oak this time (carvalho). Colour: very pale white wine. Nose: oh yes! We’re in Jamaica, and I’m wondering if they’re using dunder pits and bacterial fermentation as well in Minas Gerais. Superb nose, fresh and deep, smoky, tarry, olive-y, lemony, yet relatively rounded, with pink grapefruits and perhaps notes of plantains… And even guess what, peat! Mouth: totally and plainly yes! A blend of Haitian clairin and Jamaican high-ester rum, but with a superb lightness. Pristine spirit. Finish: rather long, earthier, tarry… With more smoky liquorice in the aftertaste… But what a shame that they didn’t bottle this at 45% vol! Comments: indeed, this IS extra-premium. Where is this green valley? On Islay? SGP:363 - 87 points. |
In an ideal world, we would manage to try an older Vale Verde now, to check if it behaves like a whisky from Islay indeed… But of course this is an ideal world!... |
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Vale Verde 12 yo ‘Edição Especial’ (40%, OB, cachaça, +/-2012)  I so hate it that they bottled this at 40% vol! It’s ex-European oak – you would have thought that the USA were closer. Oh and apparently, it’s been voted best cachaça by a bunch of Brazilian experts. Colour: pale gold. Nose: this is not funny, who did pour a blend of 90% Benriach 1976 and 10% Ardbeg 1975 into those European casks? What’s the trick here? This is simply sublime, as complex as any aged spirit can be, and indeed totally ‘Scottish’. Impressed. Mouth: holy featherless crow! Please call the anti-sugarcanoporn brigade! Sure they should hang the comrade who decided to go down to 40% vol., but other than that, this is a superb combination of tropical fruits (mangos, bananas, and papayas first) and coastal/briny/smoky elements. Salt, smoke, ashes, salty liquorice, and all that. Finish: shortish (boo-hoo-hoo) yet superbly olive-y and smoky. Plus ultra-ripe bananas. Comments: I just cannot go to 90, because of the lack of power, zing, and oomph, but we’re very close. A perfect malternative, for sure. SGP:553 - 89 points. |
All is well! We just need a ‘signature’ cachaça, and we’re off. Maybe this one… |
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Sapucaia ‘Velha Reserva De Familia’ (40.5%, OB, cachaça, +/-2012) This one is a 10 years old from the region of Sào Paulo (home of Ayrton Senna!) It was matured in oak casks. Colour: pale white wine. Nose: subtler, perhaps more elegant, with notes of perfumed fur coat, benzoin, vetiver, green oranges… There’s also a little fresh paint, carbolinium… and then green apples. Really intriguing, I’m curious about the palate… Mouth: it hasn’t quite got the oomph of the old Vale Verde, I’m afraid, and perhaps is it less well-chiselled, but it’s still very nice, almondy, with nice touches of almond soap, lemon liqueur, a little salt… Finish: medium, rather fresh. Lemon and a touch of salt. Comments: very good, but I liked the nose better. SGP:452 - 82 points. |
Good, I should have tried forty-three cachaça instead of just twelve, given that I’ve called this ‘a marathon’, but I don’t think that would have been serious and sensible. Better put an end to this session, while I’m happy that we found quite a few new proper malternatives. Oh and check their prices, some are incredibly low… |
BRONZE Taverna de Minas ‘Ouro' |
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