Tuesday Tasting is a regular feature of Lyke2Drink that explores some of the best beers, wines and spirits on the market. This week we travel to Brazil to taste a unique sugar cane drink.
There are reportedly 4,000 different brands of cachaca poured in Brazil, but I readily admit that this is the first I have ever tried. The word means fire water and many of the typical brands are said to be just that -- raw and rustic. However, Leblon Cachaca is a smooth classy drink that fits very well with its rum cousins.
Leblon is made in Brazil, but aged and finished in France. It is a clear drink made from sugar cane. There is a slightly cotton candy essence to the nose, which soon fades into a smooth drink that is clean with faint hints of oak in the flavor base. This spirit is perfect for making many classic cocktails. I would recommend keeping the recipe simple. Plenty of fruit juice, some ice and you are ready to go. The company that imports Leblon is pushing a drink called the Caipirinha, which is basically a 2 ounces of Leblon, a muddled lime, two tablespoons of superfine sugar and ice. It is also pushed as a fine alternative in mojitos and Margaritas.
At $30 a bottle it makes an affordable and interesting addition to most home bars.
9 comments:
Liquor snob had something different to say about Leblon: http://www.liquorsnob.com/archives/2006/09/leblon_cachaca_review.php
If you are interested in cachaca, you should try out some other brands like, Beleza Pura and Agua Luca.
There is one brand of Cachaca that is both affordable and great tasting, Friscso Fish Cachaca. Don't let the name fool you, its one of the best Brazilian Cachaca's produced, having won the Gold Medal at this years Cachaca tasting in Minais Gerais, Brazil. Another great thing about Frisco Fish is that its very affordable. It's only $15.00 per 750 ml. for the Silver and $18.00 for the Gold. The reason they can sell Frisco Fish for so much less than other brands like Leblon, Beleza Pura and Cabana is because they are the only Cachaca endorsed by the US Cachaca Trade Council. www.friscofish.com
It looks like I need to do some further investigating of the Cachaca category!
I have tried Leblon last week, it is fantastic! much nicer to drink than any cachaca, doesn t burn, geat taste, you can definitely feel the quality of the product.
It might become my new favorite drink...
Love Cachaça Gabriela!
www.cachacagabriela.com.br
Try the others... you'll prefer leblon. It is the smoothest and most mixable available. As a bartender, I've made caipirinhas with them all and using leblon always guarantees they will order a second. The company is also very supportive and creative with recipes and events... check out www.liveloveleblon.com
The Frisco Fish comment makes no sense. Why would the brand sell for less because it's endorsed by the US Cachaca Trade Council? I actually decided to do some digging and... surprise! The guy who runs the council owns Frisco Fish. As for the others, Cabana is the most versatile, Leblon is ok but pretty grassy tasting. Beleza and Agua Luca are more similar to Leblon. Sagatiba from Brazil is pretty good - more like Cabana in taste and less like the other cachacas. I hear Leblon is bottled in France, which is odd for a Brazilian spirit.
I have to admit. I'm addicted! I wrote a little bit about cachaca on my blog at http://ontheroadtofindout.com/2010/cachaca-more-than-just-brazilian-rum/. I almost never made it out of Brazil with that stuff around!!
Russ
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