Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana. The secrets of Mr. Juvenito. This Premium Cachaca has been produced since 1974 and was originally produced by Senhor Deka of “Havana” (another very well regarded Premium Cachaca – we will review that soon) alongside Ney Correa, who passed on his great knowledge of Cachaca to Juventino Gomes de Miranda.

Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana is one of the longest aged Cachaca’s available. It hails from Salinas, Minas Gerais which is regarded by many as the best Cachaca producing region in Brasil.

Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana is aged for 20 years in Balsam casks. Bottled at 47% ABV (the limit for a Cachaca is 48% ABV) and comes in a almost “beer” like 600ml bottle. It even has a metal cap for which you need a bottle opener for! Bizarre for such an aged product.

Despite this sales of Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana are very strong in Brasil. As you can see from the presentation they don’t really have any ambitions to enter the European or Worldwide market. Cachaca is such a huge market – we are talking billions of litres per year produced and sold in Brasil alone, they do not need worry about selling this product out. Currently they are only bottling aged stocks of this rum – around 10,000 litres last year. They are not producing new Cachaca currently as they have a lot of aged stocks. I think this retails at around the £50 mark in Brasil but converting and appreciating how much a bottle may cost in the UK is tricky. Likely nearer £100 per bottle.

It is produced in small batches in Pot Stills. Back in 2014 this was voted the 37th best Artisanal Cachaca in the world by those in the know. That maybe doesn’t sound all that impressive but there are thousands of Cachaca brands and even more Cachaca’s!

So lets move onto to tasting this rather exclusive if slightly odd looking bottle.

In the glass Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana is a light brown – a straw/white wine like colour. I would expect a “darker” spirit after 20 years in wood but I am not an expert. It is noted that balsam will only impart a golden colour to the Cachaca and notes of anise and strong spices. (Some of this is reliant on translating from Portuguese so bare with me).

The nose is quite funky. Quite a lot of solvent like notes – glue, nail varnish. Quite “Long Pond” like in many ways. That is counteracted by a more floral, slightly soapy aroma with lots of softer sweeter banana and some notes of liquorice and menthol. Despite this there is a softness and a gentle note of balsam and mild ginger.

It’s very complex and will appeal to lovers of Jamaican rum and Cachaca. It is funky like a Jamaican rum but has a softness and a lighter touch that a good aged Cachaca can provide. There are grassy more vegetal notes to be found but they are balanced with a really nice light “woody” note which just adds layers of complexity.

Sipped Cachaca de Salinas Piragibana is very easy to drink – even at the 47% ABV. I will say at this point that Cachaca and despite the descriptors I have used a particularly “aggressive” drink. It has a lot in common with Jamaican’s in terms of flavour and Agricole in terms of complex nuances and a grassy edge but it carries a balance which is found in the best Bajan rums.

It’s smoky on the palate with a really nice array of spices upon entry – ginger, a touch of cinnamon, allspice. There is a touch of tobacco lurking in there as well.

This is a really “clean” tasting spirit. A real palate cleanser but as you sip it more you realise the complexity and balance that makes it such a great sip.

The finish is long and woody but in a very subtle way – notes of tobacco and peanuts, almonds and some sunflower seeds. The more you sip the more you notice these notes on the entry and in the mid palate as well. It’s spicy and refreshing. Rich and vibrant but with a smoky more aged profile.

It isn’t at all grassy or vegetal but it still retains a certain “freshness” and vibrancy you might associate with a younger Cachaca. It’s a very clear well defined spirit.

There is so much going on with this Cachaca I may be doing it a bit of a dis-service. For a sipper with it being so easy going it is very more-ish.

This is excellent stuff. Highly recommended if you get chance to try this please do. But do not go into expecting “rum” this is very different even to “rhum.

For once forget rum and embrace a new sugar cane spirit.