Cachaca Japi Classica. This cachaca hails from Itupeva, Sao Paulo. It is produced at the JP Distillery. Cachaca production at JP Distillery began as far back as 1890. However, in 1925 the property on which the distillery was housed was sold to an Italian immigrant Cyrineo Tonol.

Cyrineo decided that he wished to cultivate coffee as it was more lucrative so the distillery was deactived and the cultivation of coffee beans began. Unfortunately partly due to the US Stock Market crash and the resulting “Great Depression” demand and the price of coffee plummeted between 1929 and 1931.

Whilst the family were able to find other ways to make the land profitable the distillery wasn’t reactivated until 1948. Cachaca Japi was born.

The name Japi refers to the Serra do Japi, which is the mountain range in which the JP Distillery is located. I’ve been unable to find out why the distillery is called JP unfortunately.

Cachaca Japi do have a website but I struggled to get it to translate into English. I’ve pieced together the best information I could work out! So bear with me if anything is wrong.

Cachaca Japi Classica has been aged in Amendoim barrels for 9 months. It has been bottled at 39% ABV. In Brasil I bottle will set you back around $R25-30 (£4.50 – £5.60 UK). Where we to sit in the UK I would expect it to be priced at around £25-30.

Prior to distillation and bottling the sugar cane is produced and harvested manually on site. All sugar cane is then processed within 24 hours and the juice begins the fermentation process. Once completed distillation takes place on Copper Alembic Pot Stills only. No column distillation is used at JP distillery.

So let’s move on and see how I found this particular “white” cachaca.

In the glass we have a crystal clear liquid, the 9 months of ageing in Amendoim have not added any colour to the spirit.

The nose on Cachaca Japi Classica is very pleasant with very minimal alcohol fumes. I was expecting a bit more fire to be honest. It noses a lot “older” than I was expecting. It has a lovely elegant floral balance. Rosewater and some grassy notes mingle along really nicely.

Further nosing reveals some light citrus – lemon and lime and a touch of grapefruit. There is a slightly herbal note as well with hints of lemongrass and some light basil.

There are some aromas of toffee and ginger as well.

It’s a really complex nose for such a young spirit. There are no off notes and it all works quite nicely.

Sipped neat it is a real palate cleanser of spirit. Full of clean citrus and vegetal notes on the initial sip. A good hit of spices as well – ginger and a touch of white pepper. As you move into the mid palate the cachaca becomes a little bitter with more spice and some woody notes.

The more floral aromas that were present on the nose are in the mix throughout giving this cachaca and extra layer of complexity.

Finish wise, like many cachacas at this ABV it isn’t overly long or complex. You get a fair amount of spicyness left behind but this is more young alcohol than anything else. That said this cachaca is marketed more as a mixer/shot than a Premium Sipping Cachaca.

Using Cachaca Japi Classica for mixed drinks makes for some excellent classic drinks. A Caiprinha with Classica Japi Classica is a really enjoyable spicy/citrus heavy affair and Ti Punch is really great – a bit more ABV would have made this even better.

The 9 months in the Amendoim wood has really given this a bit of an edge over most white unaged cachaca. I think it has really tempered some of the young alcohol. Kind of smoothed off the edges and added a nice layer of complexity in its place.

Good stuff – I’d certainly be keen to try their Ouro given the chance.