BemBom do Brasil is a cachaça aimed at the European market. I first came across it at a Rum Festival in Bristol, not Brasil back towards the end of 2017. I have since seen it at other rum festivals around the UK.

It is marketed as “Brazilian Rum” and cachaça at the same time by the company that market it. It has its own website. BemBom is distributed in the UK by Indie Brands, who have a very eclectic range of spirits and drinks, from all around the world. I would imagine traditionalists will not be keen on BemBom, being marketed as “Brazilian Rum”.

However, particularly in the UK, knowledge of cachaça is not strong. It is not very well recognised or sought after. UK supermarket chain bought Ypioca Prata in time for the 2014 World Cup but I don’t think it was much of a seller. Pretty sure their existing stock is from the initial purchase back in 2014! So calling BemBom Brazilian rum, does make some sense.

Here in the UK a 70cl bottle of BemBom will set you back around £25. It is bottled at 38% ABV. BemBom it is produced in Minas Gerais state, one of the heartlands of good cachaca. It is a small batch cachaça, produced on Pot Stills and aged for 1 year in oak casks. It is distilled under the watchful eye of Nahor Gustavo, who is also responsible for another cachaça brand which received a European release – Sagatiba. It was around 10 years ago now, that Sagatiba tried to make an impact on the European market. Domestically in Brasil I cannot work out which brands Nahor Gustavo works with. Maybe he doesn’t.

Bembom do Brasil Cachaca comes in a tall rounded bottle with a very short neck and a screw cap. Presentation is modern. The vinyl records on the front are in relation to the “Boa Vibe” which is the Brasilian’s vibrant way of living mixing art and music with a drop of cachaça or two. It is noted on BemBom’s marketing that this is a cachaça used for mixing.

Which if fair enough. We aren’t snobby here when it comes to mixing drinks. I am however quite surprised to a suggestion to mix this with coke. The other signature serve is with Apple Juice. Interesting.

In the glass I am presented with a near clear liquid. A very light straw colour. The nose is quite buttery – with some shortcrust pastry and vanilla notes. Beneath this initial burst of sweet aromas is a very vegetal, very grassy aroma. Freshly cut grass an some lime like acidity. It’s not very inviting but its not overly harsh. It does have a slightly mass-market/industrial air to it though. Column still esque.

Sipped – I think BemBom are certainly getting right aiming this as a mixer. The initial entry despite the low ABV of 38% is really quite rough and ready. Much like trying to drink a cheaper white or supermarket rum. Harsh and metallic tasting – heavy on the alcohol.

Luckily, in some ways it all fades very quickly just leaving a very tart metallic mouthfeel. Further sips reveal a little more of the vanilla that was on the nose but the flavour is only fleeting and wafts in and out in small amounts.

It doesn’t have a great deal of flavour beyond alcohol to be honest again a slight grassiness to recognise it as cachaça. It certainly isn’t much of a sipper.

Mixed BemBom fairs a bit better. It does work well with Apple Juice but mostly because it disguises what little flavour there is. The booze is still there and its slightly more palatable but its not a great drink. The coke idea is a bad one and it just makes for a slightly grassy slightly off tasting rum and coke.

Whilst this is readily available in the UK and cheap I won’t be looking out for it. It doesn’t taste very much like the Pot Still spirits I have tried recently – definitely more large scale industrial type cachaça in terms of flavour. It’s thin and full of booze but the booze is quite unforgiving.

This isn’t making me want to dance that’s for sure.