Cachaça

[lancastermike]

Hi Mike:

The Mae de Ouro  (SLO Code #54497 - Southern Wine and Spirits) is going for $25.59/bottle in PA, but it's a FULL LITER not a 750ml.  The LeBlon is $34 for a 750 and not worthy at all.

Definitely worth the cost of admission.  Makes the smoothest caipirinha I've had.  You can totally taste the barrel effect on the product.  Smooth and with some vanilla and caramel notes.  Vast improvement over the other items available in the same category.

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I picked up my bottle of Mae de Ouro that I SLO just yesterday. Used it to make caipirinhas and all I can say is Vaca Holy, which Google tells me is Holy Cow in Portuguese.

I had been using the 51. What an amazing difference. It would also be fine to sip on its own. The year in the oak did wonderful things for this. It really is a entirely different product than the 51. The 51 would be like sipping kerosene. I am truly sorry I waited so long to get this. Caipirinhas are our favorite warm weather drink. I am looking forward to trying some of the other drinks that folks have posted.

[mickblueeyes]

Some of my favorite Cachacas:

Beleza Pura

Armazem Viera Rubi

Armazem Viera Esmeralda

Rochinha 5 yr

Rochinha 12 yr

GRM 2 yr

Well that pretty much sums up Excalibur Imports portfolio (less the Armazem Viera Onix, which I have not tasted).

The Beleza Pura premixed Caipirinha is delicious as well. Nice and smoky, a touch too sweet for me, but after the rocks water it down a bit, it is de-lish.

In comparison, Ypioca Crystal, Prata and Oude don't stand up, IMO (though I do like the Oude on the rocks with a dose of tropical fruit juice). Others like Cuca Fresca and P51 don't enter the equation, again IMO.

I have not had the Mae de Ouro. Does anyone know who the importer is?

Edited June 17, 2007 by mickblueeyes (log)

[KatieLoeb]

I have not had the Mae de Ouro. Does anyone know who the importer is?

Read back through this thread a bit. Send a PM to Cachaca Dave. He's the importer whom you seek.

[mickblueeyes]

Actually, I heard that Bacardi imports cheap cachaca in those railcars that look like big oil or water drums, like mile-long train loads of the stuff, then processes it somehow.  That would explain how a little island can get their rum into every bar on the planet.

Once I had a bottle of "Medronha" from Caldas de Monchique, Portugal which sat around for a few years in a closet.  When I found it, it had turned a golden colour and tasted far better than the white, labeless spirit I had brought over years prior.  Drained that in a hurry...

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Bacardi does no such thing. They have the largest distillation facility in the world and produce more than 2,000,000 proof gallons per day.

[mickblueeyes]

this reminds me of a bourbon called Virginia Gentleman. They import once-distilled spirit from Kentucky (Heaven Hill, to be exact) then redistil it in Viriginia, and it is called Viriginia Bourbon. I think I should have used past tense, but I am not sure.

Maybe there is a similar loop-hole for Bacardi/ rum in general.

Cheers!

George

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Actually, to be exact, it was getting its whisky from Buffalo Trace for years. Now, Sazerac (Buffalo Trace) owns it. This is no different than any other contract whiskey like Prichard's Tennessee whiskey or the Van Winkle lineup.

[TBoner]

I don't have access to much variety in terms of (good) cachaca here in the Dallas area. Ypioca, Toucano, 51, and Pitu have been just about it for quite a while. Recently, Leblon and Agua Luca showed up. I know that several here have a low opinion of Leblon for the price, and based on the one small sample I've had, I'm inclined to agree (though it's a good bit better than the others mentioned above). But what about Agua Luca? I don't see any definite opinions upthread. Is it worth the $25 being asked? Or should I hold out hope that MdO makes it here soon?

[bostonapothecary]

I don't have access to much variety in terms of (good) cachaca here in the Dallas area. Ypioca, Toucano, 51, and Pitu have been just about it for quite a while. Recently, Leblon and Agua Luca showed up. I know that several here have a low opinion of Leblon for the price, and based on the one small sample I've had, I'm inclined to agree (though it's a good bit better than the others mentioned above). But what about Agua Luca? I don't see any definite opinions upthread. Is it worth the $25 being asked? Or should I hold out hope that MdO makes it here soon?

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i thought agua luca was pretty good. but the 51 is drinkable.... some of the rhum agricoles with a similar flavor profile are far more money. i've been making cocktails that make similar flavor comparisons to eating smokey bacon or barbeque with juicy wines like amador county zinfandels....

[rmillman]

I was in New York this weekend and picked up a bottle of Armazem Viera Onix at Wharehouse Liquors on Broadway.

Very nice and very smooth with lots of complex sugar and fruit flavors. Great for sipping but still packs a lot of spirit.

[Eden]

A friend is trying to get some Cachaca 51 shipped to her mom and can't find anybody who carries it that will ship to Nevada - any reccomendations?

[Cachaca_Dave]

A friend is trying to get some Cachaca 51 shipped to her mom and can't find anybody who carries it that will ship to Nevada - any reccomendations?

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No need to ship it, I'm sure that it is sold in Nevada, it is after all the single largest distilled spirit in the world under one label. But I would try Astor Wines and Spirits

www.astorwine.com

-Cachaca Dave

[lancastermike]

Story in NY Times about aged Cachaca.

Cachaca in NY TIMES

[johnnyd]

Damn.

Now the prices will rise... again.

[eje]

[...]

Next was one of their imports from Armazem Viera...We tried the 4 year old.  This was one of the most interesting.  As described, it has a certain similarity with grappa or eau de vie.  It also had a very distinctive nose somewhat reminiscent of a jar of cocktail olives.

[...]

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I'm wondering if anyone has found novel uses for the Armazem Viera 4 Year.

It really is an unusual and wonderful spirit, but was proving challenging for me to mix with. I tried a few things on Saturday night and everyone seemed to magnify some unusual aspect of the spirit or the mixers. The bitterness of bitters, for example, and vermouth seemed magnified when mixed with this Cachaca.

[scubadoo97]

I don't have access to much variety in terms of (good) cachaca here in the Dallas area. Ypioca, Toucano, 51, and Pitu have been just about it for quite a while. Recently, Leblon and Agua Luca showed up. I know that several here have a low opinion of Leblon for the price, and based on the one small sample I've had, I'm inclined to agree (though it's a good bit better than the others mentioned above). But what about Agua Luca? I don't see any definite opinions upthread. Is it worth the $25 being asked? Or should I hold out hope that MdO makes it here soon?

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My opinion for what it's worth is that out of the 3 I've tried I like Leblon. It's slim picken here as well and I have seen Pitu which I have not tried but have heard is the bottom of the barrel so have passed it up. So far I've had 51, Ypioca aged and Leblon. The Ypioca aged which I thought would be the smoothest was by far the harshest of the 3. 51 was smooth and Leblon was as but with a little more sugar cane flavor. I drink most of my spirits straight up so it's was no problem to sample these neat.

My most recent cachaca cocktail was made with some pineapple chunks and lime muddled with sugar and mixed with cachaca.

[samuraibartender]

and I have seen Pitu which I have not tried but have heard is the bottom of the barrel so have passed it up.  So far I've had 51, Ypioca aged and Leblon.  The Ypioca aged which I thought would be the smoothest was by far the harshest of the 3.  51 was smooth and Leblon was as but with a little more sugar cane flavor.

I don't know that Pitu is the 'bottom of the barrel' per se - the aged needs some rounding off I think, but I found the unaged is perfectly fine for mixing. More or less on par with 51 (which at the price they sell it at around here, quite frankly shocked me).

There's an unaged Cachaca that I've just started seeing here (central NJ) & out of curiosity tried, called "Cigana", which would certainly qualify for the 'bottom of barrel' title. All I can say is don't do it...just don't...quite unfortunate stuff.

I find Leblon is OK on taste, but for the price I think it could be a fair sight better (though someone has to pay for those fancy bottles, right?). Mae de Ouro, on the other hand, is worth every penny - cheers Dave!

Can't wait for cherries to be fully in-season - a Caipirinha with those & Lime is just wonderful...

Cheers!

[KatieLoeb]

If you can find a bottle of Marco Polo Sour Cherry Syrup from Croatia, it makes for a very delicious cherry-lime caipirinha and is consistent and shelf stable. No need to wait for cherry season and no inconsistency from drink to drink.

Fresh cherries are lovely muddled in the drink too, don't get me wrong, but I'm all about having it come out the same way every time.

[johnnyd]

Fresh cherries are lovely muddled in the drink too, don't get me wrong, but I'm all about having it come out the same way every time.

My god.

Cherry caipirinha. That's a must-check. Thanks for that.

[Cachaca_Dave]

Hello Everyone! I see Katie, Johnny, Eric, it's like Romparoom.... Chris thanks for the props!

Distribution of Mae De Ouro has expanded greatly in the past few months (sorry JohnnyD we're still working on Maine)

In Texas it is sold at SPECS and distributed by Glazer's. I'll be there for a tasting on the 20th of this month at their downtown / main location in Houston.

In Florida it is distributed by Southern Wine & Spirits.

In NJ it is now with Allied.

In Louisiana it is with Glazer's

Marco Polo Sour Cherry, great stuff! In NYC it's sold at Sahadi's on Atlantic Avenue in Brooklyn, if anyone local is looking for it.

Not sure to make with Armazem Viera 4 Year either, maybe a Cachaca Julep?

Here's a little cocktail that I have created that I hope everyone will have a chance to enjoy in this hot weather:

The Guantanamera Cooler (makes 2 drinks)

.75 oz Mae De Ouro

.75 oz Noilly Prat White Vermouth

1.5 oz White Grape Juice

4 small ripe strawberries

2 sprigs of fresh mint

Champagne

Shake well with ice and strain into a champagne glass.

Top with Lime Soda. Garnish with a strawberry and fresh

mint sprig.

Cheers!

-Dave

[samuraibartender]

Hmm...a sour cherry syrup you say? Cheers & thanks Katie!

Dave - as usual, you rock - off to the city this weekend...

Thanks also for the distributor info for NJ - I've had to hike down to Long Branch (40-odd mins from me) to get MdO, everytime I asked the folks there who the distributor was they'd give me the runaround. Now I'll be able to get it at my local store.

Fresh cherries are lovely muddled in the drink too, don't get me wrong, but I'm all about having it come out the same way every time.

My god. Cherry caipirinha. That's a must-check. Thanks for that.

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I only wish I'd come up with it - that idea came straight from Dale DeGroff (though as I understand it Caipirinhas aren't always made with just lime, there's often other fruit in there too.) They are incredulously tasty though.

In the winter months I like to make them with Clementines. For now though, try one with 1/2 quantity Lime, 1/2 red grapes, too...

Cheers!

Edited June 10, 2008 by samuraibartender (log)

[KatieLoeb]

Hi Dave! ::wavin' at 'ya::

Marco Polo syrup comes in a bunch of different flavors in addition to Sour Cherry. I get mine at the local Lebanese market. Kalustyan's also carries it in NYC, and I've seen it for sale at Amazon.com as well. If you Google the phrase Marco Polo +syrup, it'll give you a bunch of sources. Ethnic markets are always a goldmine for finding unusual syrups, sweeteners, fruit juices and nectars, etc. The first thing I look for is stuff for cocktails.

I love fresh fruits muddled in my drinks, but syrups and fruit juices/nectars are a lot more consistent and also mix throughout the drink more thoroughly. I work a pretty small bar, but if I'm busy, I'm tending to my bar customers, service bar and playing glass drying/polishing monkey all at once. Muddling is a pain in the butt and too time consuming, not to mention inconsistent. And then there's all that detritus floating in the glass. Nah. I'll go the easy/convenient way every time, at least in the commercial environment. At home I can do whatever I feel like at the time.

Edited June 10, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[bostonapothecary]

Hi Dave! ::wavin' at 'ya::

Marco Polo syrup comes in a bunch of different flavors in addition to Sour Cherry.  I get mine at the local Lebanese market.  Kalustyan's also carries it in NYC, and I've seen it for sale at Amazon.com as well.  If you Google the phrase Marco Polo +syrup, it'll give you a bunch of sources.  Ethnic markets are always a goldmine for finding unusual syrups, sweeteners, fruit juices and nectars, etc.  The first thing I look for is stuff for cocktails. 

I love fresh fruits muddled in my drinks, but syrups and fruit juices/nectars are a lot more consistent and also mix throughout the drink more thoroughly.  I work a pretty small bar, but if I'm busy, I'm tending to my bar customers, service bar and playing glass drying/polishing monkey all at once.  Muddling is a pain in the butt and too time consuming, not to mention inconsistent.  And then there's all that detritus floating in the glass.  Nah.  I'll go the easy/convenient way every time, at least in the commercial environment.  At home I can do whatever I feel like at the time. 

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i came across marco polo sour cherry only once at tropico in roxbury... i bought a liter for only 2$ and was really impressed... never saw it again. glad to know amazon stocks it. i'd pick it up in a heart beat if i came across it again...

are the other flavors as good as the cherry?

[KatieLoeb]

are the other flavors as good as the cherry?

I honestly can't say, as only the cherry is available to me locally. I've seen the others (Blueberry, Blackberry, Black Currant) online. But if the Sour Cherry is any indication of the quality, I suspect the others are delicious as well.

The other brand of syrups I find at my local Lebanese market are the Kassatly Ajyal syrups. I've tried the Apricot, Tamarind and the Kamardeen (date and rose water) flavors and enjoyed them. I'm still messing with the latter two, as I'm not sure my first attempts were my best efforts, but I think they might both be better suited to autumnal and winter cocktails so I think the further experimentation can wait until then. I've got my hands full with finding enough time to make my own falernum, pimento dram and orgeat. Those are the next priorities in warmer weather.

[johnnyd]

I have acquired Marco Polo Sour Cherry Syrup so a cherry lime caipirinha is in my future. I am guessing equal amount cherry syrup and fresh lime juice, totaling one part - no sugar - to one and a half (two?) parts cachaca. Katie, set me straight if you have tweaked this recipe to perfection.

In the meantime, I made this abomination a month or so ago and put it up on the Dinner thread.

Behold! The Clamparinha!

Yes! It is a littleneck clam bathed for four hours in a ceviche (limejuice/cilantro/garlic/thai chili), then plopped in a chilled 1/2shot of Pirassunanga 51.

Yes, it was good!

Edited July 8, 2008 by johnnyd (log)

[KatieLoeb]

johnnyd:

That's just AWESOME! I love the idea of a clamparinha! I've only made oyster shots with horseradish infused vodka or tequila. Is the clampirinha sweet? How's that working with briny "clamminess"??

As for the cherry-lime proportions, I just made a standard caipirinha with a wee bit less sugar and poured about .75 oz. of the cherry syrup in before giving it a good shake to combine. I'm sure you can make it as cherry as you'd like, but the syrup is pretty concentrated to my taste.

The Marco Polo syrup mixes pretty well with everything, so you can try Cherry gimlets, cherry margaritas or whatever else your heart desires.

Edited July 8, 2008 by KatieLoeb (log)

[johnnyd]

Katie:

This was a light bulb moment, I must say.

I prepared the ceviche around noon with ten littlenecks (and their liquor) juice from two limes, a small handful of cilantro, chopped garlic and one thai chili, minced. Once I got home and started prepping the main meal, I had to sample a couple clams. I've always felt that ceviche made sweet, hard-shell clams even sweeter (I always serve freshly shucked clams with a lime wedge - there's no substitute).

Once I started on a traditional caipirinha, knocking a half a shot down in the process, I tasted the potential profile in my mouth! I was also thinking of the oyster shooter as a precedent. A hint of ocean flavor added an angle perhaps akin to a salted rim for a tequila shot, just not nearly as bold.

It was really quite good. So good, I made another, but neglected to chill the cachaca. Even though the ceviche juices were cold, it was hardly as successful, in fact it was, well, something I will never do again. So if you make a clamparinha, CHILL your cachaca!

And thanks for the Sour Cherrry ideas. I did notice the concentration. The possibilities are vast.