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Aging cachaça
The maturation of alcoholic beverages in wood is an art that has been practiced for more than 2 thousand years. In Brazil, as in many other places, wooden vessels were used to transport and preserve beverages. But, when people learned that the container could add differentiated and much appreciated flavors to fermented and distilled beverages, the practice became common in the production process of alcoholic beverages.
Brazilian producers have embraced aging as a major part of their production. Though oak remains an essential wood, native woods, including amburana, balsamo and jequitibá, are increasingly used to differentiate cachaça from other distilled spirits. These are four of the most common types of wood used to age cachaça.
Jequitibá:
(Cariniana legallis)also called Balsam in English
Found in:
Acre, Southern Bahia, Central-West, and in the South region of the country.
Impact on cachaça:
Contributes notes of vanilla that may intensify the sweetness of the spirit.
Amburana:
(Amburana cearenses)also called Imburana or Umburana
Found in:
Northeast, Central-West and Southeast of Brazil
Impact on cachaça:
Large volume vessels provide a pale, yellow color. Aromas and flavors of vanilla, cloves, cinnamon and other spices.
Jaqueira:
(Artocarpus heterophyllus)also called Jackfruit in English
Found in:
Nearly all of Brazil
Impact on cachaça:
Intense sweetness accompanied by spices
Balsamo:
(Myrocarpus frondosu)also called Balsam in English
Found in:
Southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul (Atlantic Rainforest)
Impact on cachaça:
In new barrels, cachaça appears with reddish-amber tones and a woody, vegetable-like palate.
Illustrations Courtesy of P.J. BLAIR
Blog posts
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Cachaça is different: Changing Perceptions of A...
For many of us, oak barrels are the standard way to age distilled spirits. Whisk(e)y, bourbon, rum, tequila—they all use some type of oak barrels for their aged products. Cachaça...
Cachaça is different: Changing Perceptions of A...
For many of us, oak barrels are the standard way to age distilled spirits. Whisk(e)y, bourbon, rum, tequila—they all use some type of oak barrels for their aged products. Cachaça...
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The Rabo de Galo
The caipirinha gets all the glory in the annals of cachaça cocktails. It’s the only one many people know. In fact, as I’m sure you’re aware, some people believe that...
The Rabo de Galo
The caipirinha gets all the glory in the annals of cachaça cocktails. It’s the only one many people know. In fact, as I’m sure you’re aware, some people believe that...
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Cachacier’s First Blend
Thanks to our partners at Princesa Isabel, Cachacier is able to present a wonderful, tropical, 4-wood blend. But, you may be wondering what exactly we mean when we say a...
Cachacier’s First Blend
Thanks to our partners at Princesa Isabel, Cachacier is able to present a wonderful, tropical, 4-wood blend. But, you may be wondering what exactly we mean when we say a...
