Cachaca Barao Dourado Amburana. I’ve previously reviewed Cachaca Barao Dourado Amendoim which was a silver or white cachaça. This cachaça has been aged in Amburana wood casks.

I like Cachaca Barao Dourado as they make reviewing their Cachaca’s quite simple and easy. They give you all the information you need on the bottle and the use of the wood types, it is aged in to identify each Cachaca, makes it super simple for me. One of the biggest problems I have had reviewing Cachaca (particularly those samples only available in Brasil) is finding information and information I can translate and understand. I do not speak Portuguese!

Cachaca Barao Dourado Amburana is aged for 2 years in Amburana casks. It is distilled on Copper Pot Stills at the Barao Dourado farm where production of the Cachaca is from sugar cane to bottle. The full process is undertaken there.

Situated in Santa Maria Madalena, Rio de Janeiro Barao Dourado farm was orginally a piece of land designated by Emporer D. Pedro to the brothers Manoel, Jose and Paulinho Ignacio Leal. A mountain almost 400 metres high is names in tribute to the first owners of the farm “Agulha dos Leais” (The Leals’ Needles). The farm is now in the Tavares family and they have ensured that the traditional methods of sugar can and cachaça production are upheld.

Cachaca Barao Dourado Amburana is available in various bottles sizes from 50ml to 700ml. A 700ml bottle retails at around R$70 – around £15. It is bottled at 40% ABV. Presentation wise it is a little old fashioned and perhaps a little basic. It’s not overly exciting but you do get information on what is actually in the bottle. No fairy tales here. If it came to the UK I would expect it to be around the £25 mark, maybe a little less.

Amburana is a native wood of the Brasillian Amazon and I have very much enjoyed Cachaca aged in this wood in the past so lets see how this ones shapes up.

In the glass Cachaca Barao Dourado Amburana presents itself as a golden brown. It is as simply presented in the glass as it is in the bottle.

But we don’t judge rum by its colour here and we won’t cachaça either.

On the nose this cachaça has really taken on the wood from the Amburana casks. As soon as you have tried a cachaça aged in Amburana you should immediately recognise another.

The nose is very woody but very sweet at the same time. Bordering almost on being perfumed or scented. It’s very aromatic and quite herbal. I’m thinking pot pourri. The wood aromas are quite soapy as well but in a sweet scented way again. It’s very nutty with notes of both cashews and almonds. Further nosing reveals a slight undercurrent of lemon zest and perhaps some lemongrass as well.

It is a nose which you will really enjoy or hate. I do not think this is a type of Cachaca which many will sit on the fence about or say it is “okay”.

SIpping, what by rum standards would be quite a young spirit it’s not rough and heavy with alcohol. It isn’t by any stretch of the imagination, a tame affair to sip but it is surprisingly pleasant. I think the mellow gentler style of cachaça in general makes the younger cachaça’s easier to take neat than some young rums.

On the sip you are greeted with a light tasting slightly woody cachaça with a sweet, soapy undertone. The spiciness from the wood takes the form of some ginger and some very light oak. From what I gather the Amburana used is first fill so you really aren’t getting the residue of any other spirit with this cachaça.

The mid palate is light as well with a slight burn of ginger and some slightly nutty notes of almond and cashew.

The finish is really just a continuation of the initial sip and fades into a very sweet almost floral note.

All in all this is a very refreshing if someone light Cachaca. Kind of a halfway house between a refreshing aperitif and a full blown sipper. It will appeal to those who prefer a lighter and perhaps less complex sipping experience.

It’s very easy to drink and whilst not hugely challenging and not full of a vast array of flavours I really enjoy the distinctive taste of these Amburana aged Cachaca’s.

I messed around with it a little in mixed drinks and found it worked nicely with ginger beer and lemonade. A Caiprinha was also very pleasant.

Sometimes simple works best and this is definitely a good example of that. Straightforward but very tasty.