Cachaca Tabua Flor de Ouro. Roughly this Cachaca translates to Gold or Golden Flower from the Portuguese. This is popular and well-respected Cachaca in its native Brasil.

It is available in a few bottle sizes most commonly a 700ml bottle will set you back around R$32 or approximately £8 in UK Sterling. As you can see from the photo Cachaca Tabua Flor de Ouro comes in a tall bar style bottle with a short neck and a metallic screw cap. The presentation isn’t as modern and slick as brands aimed at the European market such as Leblon and Yaguara but it is a bit more modern than some of the Cachaca’s available.

Tabua is a produced in Salinas, Minas Gerais which is a traditional area known for producing quality, artisanal Cachaca. It is distilled on a Copper Pot Still in small batches. It has been bottled at a slightly unusual 41% ABV. Aged for 5 years in balsam wood.

Cachaca Tabua Flor de Ouro has won numerous awards over the years and is one Tabua’s flagship Cachaca’s. If you wish to find out more information on the brand then they do have a website which translates sort of okay into English though it’s not perfect.

At this stage I will confess that I have seen this Cachaca advertised at both 41% and 42% ABV and the bottle size has varied from 600, 670 and 700ml size. Also the amount of time spent in different kinds of barrels is different depending where I look! Confusing. I’ve used the information which is on my particular bottle.

In the glass Cachaca Tabua Flor de Ouro is a straw/white wine colour. The nose is initially quite boozy and alcohol heavy. A little time in the glass allows the Cachaca to develop though and more familiar notes of scented soap, linseed oil and nice weight of spicy woodiness comes through. As does a slight creaminess – like unsweetened double cream. It reminds me of opening glass bottles of full fat milk that still had some cream at the very top. Slightly milky.

Further nosing reveals some ginger and touches of lemon peel. It’s a very fresh smelling Cachaca.

Sipping Cachaca Tabua Flor de Ouro is a mellower experience than the nose suggested. Especially when the Cachaca was first poured. It has been nicely aged and the balsam wood has really worked at smoothing out any rough edges that may have existed prior to the Cachaca entering the barrel.

It’s a tasty quite easy going Cachaca. It has enough spice and zestiness though to add an extra layer of complexity. It’s clean tasting and I really enjoy the kick of ginger and lemon peel which gives it a real punch. Initially it is fairly easy-going with the more “buttery” and creamy notes standing out on the initial sip. However. this Cachaca quickly develops into a more complex drink on the mid palate. The finish is one of the best I have experienced so far with Cachaca. It is a really good length and deliver just enough spicy woody notes and just enough alcohol burn to really satisfy.

Overall it has just enough sweetness throughout – brown demerara sugar and just a hint of toffee to keep all the subtle spices and woodiness in check. It’s a very well balanced nicely put together Cachaca. It is not as vegetal and grassy as some Cachaca’s – it is in some ways quite like a light molasses based rum. It has that sweet toffee/molasses like edge to it. Having said that it is still very much a Cachaca.

The key with this Cachaca is the balance. Which is spot on. There really aren’t any duff notes with this Cachaca.