Tastes

There is an interesting story surrounding the name of this cachaça Maria Andante. More than 10 years ago, the company Diageo, owner of the Johnnie Walker brand, sued the producer of a Brazilian cachaça called at the time "João Andante", the name translated into Portuguese for Scotch whisky. Diageo won the lawsuit in Brazilian courts and the cachaça was forced to change its name to "O Andante" (just "Walker" in english) At the same time, another producer decided to name his cachaça "Maria Andante" (like Mary Walker in English), and both Diageo and the other cachaça with a similar name (O Andante) did not like it. It seems that Diageo filed a second lawsuit, this time against the producer of the second cachaça (Maria Andante). Click on the photos in this review and you will see the labels of the drinks from the three producers involved in the legal battles. About Maria Andante cachaça, the drink is produced in a still in the interior of Minas Gerais, has a caramel color, aromatic, notes of dried fruits, spices and vanilla, good body and structure, integrated alcohol, medium-long finish.

This small beverage industry began construction in 2019, with the specific objective of producing high-quality still cachaça. With its construction work halted during the pandemic, its establishment registration with MAPA was obtained in 2022. Elegantly installed at the foot of beautiful mountains and bordering the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park, this agro-industrial enterprise seeks to combine all the details of good manufacturing practices with the most modern concepts of environmental sustainability and respect for nature. Puri Serra do Brigadeiro Louro Canela 700ml Cachaça is stored for aging in 700-liter first-use vats for at least 12 months and has an alcohol content of 40%. Therefore, it presents the necessary characteristics, complying with all the determinations provided for in the current regulatory instruments to receive the designation of a premium product, as provided for in MAPA ordinance 539/2022. However, it was initially decided to use only the expression stored on its label, but in its next batches its identification will appear as: "Barrel-aged Cachaça de Alambique". Yellowish in color, Puri Louro-Canela is slightly bitter, citrusy, medium-bodied, moderately pungent and mildly acidic. It leaves a long aftertaste with herbaceous notes. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

This small beverage industry began construction in 2019, with the specific objective of producing high-quality still cachaça. With its construction work halted during the pandemic, its establishment registration with MAPA was obtained in 2022. Elegantly installed at the foot of beautiful mountains and bordering the Serra do Brigadeiro State Park, this agro-industrial enterprise seeks to combine all the details of good manufacturing practices with the most modern concepts of environmental sustainability and respect for nature. Cachaça Puri Serra do Brigadeiro Bálsamo 700ml has 40% alcohol content and is stored for aging for approximately 18 months in 700-liter barrels for first use, complying with all the criteria established in the regulatory instruments to be considered a premium cachaça. Initially, it was decided to use only the term "stored", however, its next batch will already be labeled highlighting the names: "aged and premium". With a greenish-yellow color, it reveals a strong presence of herbaceous aromas with intense notes of spices, such as anise and ginger. With a slightly astringent flavor and a common floral scent characteristic of the essential oils present in this wood, its unmistakable smoothness is one of the strong points of this cachaça. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

With its still located in the city of Dores do Turvo, in the state of Minas Gerais, Cachaça So Nico has been produced for 38 years with love and dedication. An art that has been passed down from grandfather to grandson, maintaining the tradition in a completely artisanal way and with strict quality controls, guaranteeing excellence to connoisseurs. The sugarcane plantation is cultivated on the farm itself and the harvest is done manually. After grinding, the juice is fermented naturally, without chemical additives, which is a major differential that is directly linked to the quality and flavor of the cachaça. Its distillation in a copper still brings the end of the production process and begins its storage in noble wood barrels. Cachaça Sô Nicó Carvalho 670ml is stored for one year in oak barrels. With 42% alcohol content, the drink is already considered premium by many of the brand's customers, connoisseurs and sommeliers. Furthermore, it has a translucent, golden yellow color and a chocolatey aroma with notes of vanilla and coconut, providing a unique and striking experience to the palate. It is also a cachaça with low acidity and a very full body. Finally, it pairs well with pork or even a dessert. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

The production of Cachaça Estação da Cana began in the district of Juréia, located on the banks of the Muzambo River, in the city of Monte Belo, Minas Gerais. The producers were looking for a quality and different product that would represent the region. That was when Júlio César Benjamim, the current owner and distiller of Estação da Cana, decided to study the universe of Brazilian distillates and sought out courses and lectures, visited several distilleries, and studied the production process. In 2015, he began planting the first sugarcane that would give rise to his cachaça. With the sugarcane planted, he thought of a name that would represent his family and the city. Juréia was an important railroad hub for over four decades, and the producer's family migrated to the region in 1911, the same year that the railroad began to be built. So, he named his cachaça Estação da Cana, paying homage to an important point in the region and to his family. Cachaças are distilled in copper stills, stored and matured in wooden barrels using a hearth system. Cachaça Estação da Cana Jatobá is carefully made, aged in Jatobá barrels for over 2 years and finished in new 200-liter barrels. With an alcohol content of 40%, this cachaça offers a truly unique flavor, standing out for its woody and sweet notes, which evoke the authenticity of sugar cane, brown sugar and honey. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

With its still located in the city of Dores do Turvo, in the state of Minas Gerais, Cachaça So Nico has been produced for 38 years with love and dedication. An art that has been passed down from grandfather to grandson, maintaining the tradition in a completely artisanal way and with strict quality controls, guaranteeing excellence to connoisseurs. The sugarcane plantation is cultivated on the farm itself and the harvest is done manually. After grinding, the juice is fermented naturally, without chemical additives, which is a major differential that is directly linked to the quality and flavor of the cachaça. Its distillation in a copper still brings the end of the production process and begins its storage in barrels made of noble woods. Cachaça Sô Nicó Amburana, Oak and Jequitibá 750ml is a blend of the three woods mentioned, which age the distillate for one year and six months. With 42% alcohol content, the drink has fruity aromatic notes of almonds and vanilla, resulting in a smooth product with an intense color. It also pairs well with white chocolate and pork ribs. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

In the city of Tres Arroios, in Rio Grande do Sul, at the end of the 19th century, the Italian immigrant Erasmo Filippini, a tailor by trade, brought with him the tradition of making wine and grappa and, upon arriving here, he became acquainted with sugar cane. In the 1930s, encouraged by his son Ermelindo, he invested in the production of cachaça made near the Uruguai River, a place with a perfect microclimate for sugar cane production. In the 1980s, with the high cost of production and the spread of industrial cachaça (cheaper), many stills stopped producing and selling it. However, in 2014, in the cold highlands of Alto Uruguai, the quality Filippini cachaça resurfaced. Made with great care and care, with the same raw material (sugar cane), without the addition of chemicals, and aged in different woods, which makes each cachaça different. Each one is unique and carries the characteristics and secrets of the producer. Special details are spread throughout the entire process. The traditional method of small batches in copper stills is followed, combined with current technology, with controlled temperature, selected yeasts, a well-deserved rest in wooden barrels and the choice of the right moment to market. Filippini Jatobá Premium 500ml Cachaça is made by storing Filippini Clássica in Jatobá barrels for 3 years. Its alcohol content is 40%. The drink has an intense reddish or amber hue, which develops over time, reflecting the exchange of compounds with the wood. Its aroma is complex and enveloping, with notes reminiscent of sweet honey, dried fruits such as apricots or dates, and a slightly spicy touch. The Jatobá also provides a slight hint of vanilla and spices, creating a smooth and rich combination. On the palate, the cachaça has a rounded profile, with notes of wood that bring a sweet and woody touch. The flavor of the Jatobá wood adds a velvety sensation, with nuances of caramel and a light touch of spices, such as cloves and cinnamon. Filippini Jatobá Cachaça also has a remarkable smoothness, with a balance between the alcoholic intensity and the flavors acquired from the barrel. Its finish is long and pleasant, with a smooth aftertaste of honey and a slight sweet touch of wood. The combination of the robustness of jatobá with the profile of Cachaça Filippini creates a sophisticated drink with a deep flavor, recommended for those who enjoy more complex spirits with a unique woody touch. Source Cachaçaria Nacional website

In the city of Tres Arroios, in Rio Grande do Sul, at the end of the 19th century, the Italian immigrant Erasmo Filippini, a tailor by trade, brought with him the tradition of making wine and grappa and, upon arriving here, he became acquainted with sugar cane. In the 1930s, encouraged by his son Ermelindo, he invested in the production of cachaça made near the Uruguai River, a place with a perfect microclimate for sugar cane production. In the 1980s, with the high cost of production and the spread of industrial cachaça (cheaper), many stills stopped producing and selling it. However, in 2014, in the cold highlands of Alto Uruguai, the quality Filippini cachaça resurfaced. Made with great care and care, with the same raw material (sugar cane), without the addition of chemicals, and aged in different woods, which makes each cachaça different. Each one is unique and carries the characteristics and secrets of the producer. Special details are spread throughout the entire process. The traditional method of small batches in copper stills is followed, combined with current technology, with controlled temperature, selected yeasts, a well-deserved rest in wooden barrels and the choice of the right moment to market. Cachaça Filippini Blend Premium Castanheira and Jatobá 500ml is a blend of cachaças aged in Castanheira and Jatobá barrels for 3 years, and has an alcohol content of 40%. These native Brazilian woods provide unique and sophisticated characteristics, resulting in a drink with a striking and complex flavor that celebrates the richness of Brazilian terroirs. It is a true masterpiece of tradition and innovation. When combined, these two woods create a harmonious blend that unites the best of two worlds. The smoothness of the Castanheira complements the intensity of the Jatobá, resulting in a cachaça that offers a unique sensory experience. The balance between the sweeter and fruitier touches with the robust woody tones makes the flavor profile of Filippini Blend Premium multifaceted, pleasing both lovers of smoother cachaças and those seeking a more intense experience. Furthermore, the aging process in chestnut and jatobá barrels brings the authenticity of genuine Brazilian ingredients, enhancing the richness of our natural and cultural heritage. The Filippini Premium Blend is a celebration of Brazil’s diversity and complexity, translated into a high-quality drink that enchants with its elegance, intensity and originality. With each sip, the consumer is transported to the vast Brazilian forests, where chestnut and jatobá trees grow side by side, producing a cachaça that is, without a doubt, a liquid treasure of our land. Source: Cachaçaria Nacional website.

Another cachaça with no information on the internet. Produced in the city of Belo Oriente, state of Minas Gerais. The cachaça is aged in balsam barrels, an aromatic Brazilian wood. Yellow color, herbal aromas, woody touch, integrated alcohol, medium-long finish

There is not much information about cachaça and the still. Cachaça Opinião Ouro is produced in the city of Perdões, which is located in the state of Minas Gerais. With 38% alcohol content, the drink is stored in oak barrels, which gives the distillate a golden yellow color, notes of dried fruits, caramel and vanilla.