Avua Cachaca Prata. Avua are a brand/bottler rather than the name of a producer. They have the Cachaca distilled and bottled for them. They have began importing Cachaca into the US and Europe recently.

So this is one of the few cachaça I have been reviewing recently that I have a conventional 70cl/700ml “European” bottle. And I can actually get myself another one should I wish to do so!

Avua Cachaca was formed in the US back in 2013 by Peter Nevenglosky and Nate Casablanca-Whitehouse.

Avua Cachaca Prata is an unaged Cachaca. It is produced at Fazenda da Quinta in Carmo, Rio de Janeiro. Fazenda da Quinta is a few hundred acres of sugar cane which is produced without pesticides. The sugar cane is then pressed through a water-wheel powered press and distilled on Copper Pot Stills.

Fazenda da Quinta currently have the distinction like Appleton Estate and Ron Zacapa of having a female Master Distiller. Something, which even in the 21st century is seen as a bit unusual. Katia Alves has been in charge since the turn of the century after being handed the reins by her father Jose Ramos Acosta.

In terms of domestic product it appears the distillery produces Cachaca da Quinta which is aged in Oak for one year.

Anyway back to Avua Cachaca Prata. As this is an unaged cachaça and this is the youngest Cachaca in the range (they also produce a “Still Strength” version as well at 45% ABV. This Cachaca is currently available in the UK and is retailing at around £32. This admittedly is the top of the price range most people will pay for what is essentially a mixer. The rear label reveals that it has been imported into the UK by La Maison du Whisky.

Presentation wise this is a very “European” or modern looking Cachaca. The contoured sexy bottle and the wrap around sleeve will certainly appeal on the shelf and the colour scheme used is classy and appropriate to the product inside. A cork stopper seals the deal. This is certainly a Cachaca which will not look out of place in style bars. Though its length can make it a little tricky to store. This is quite a tall bottle.

Avua Cachaca have a number of other expressions and a very tidy looking website which you may wish to visit here.

So without further ado lets see how we found this unaged Cachaca in comparison to the any others I have tried recently.

In the glass we are presented with a crystal clear Cachaca.

The nose is to my mind a very typical white Cachaca nose. Vegetal, grassy with a slightly milky note running through it.  Some notes of brine and a touch of black olives.

It’s nicely defined and balanced.

Although this isn’t really a sipper I will still give it a go like that. The initial sip reveals some gritty ash and some quite sour lemon and lime. Not zesty just sour to be honest. At 42% ABV and unaged it is a little harsh on the palate. It’s certainly not a clean and crisp sipper. Further sips are more forgiving but it is not a Cachaca that I would recommend you sip. It’s very alcohol heavy and this jars with the grassy notes creating quite a bitter and overall slightly unpleasant sipper.

But even the producers are telling us this is a mixer so why don’t we just get on with using this Cachaca as its intended?

Good Idea. A simple Caiprinha works well – the higher ABV of the Cachaca and its more aggressive alcohol forward feel adds a real punch to the drink. Mixed it also drinks much more like it noses. The vegetal notes reveal themselves along with some briny notes. Added into this we get just a touch of banana and some slight traces of tobacco. 

I find once you get the “taste” for Cachaca as a mixer than you really begin to enjoy even simple drinks, such as with lemonade or tonic. Both these mixers work really well as they allow the Cachaca to stand out. This is perhaps a little rough around the edges and lighter mixers round it off a little. It doesn’t work too badly in a Cuba Libre but I wouldn’t really recommend that – it’s just habit for me.

There aren’t a lot of Cachaca’s readily available in the UK. I have found cheaper ones such as Ypioca Prata to be pretty poor. However I have founds brands such as Avua and Yaguara to be a much better standard. Albeit with a price tag to match.

This is pretty good stuff and I hope we see some of their aged products in the UK soon.