Havana Anisio Santiago Aguardente de Cana
Havana Anisio Santiago Aguardente de Cana. In Brasil, Havana is not necessarily noted first and foremost as the capital of Cuba. For many spirits enthusiasts Havana is the “Temple of Cachaca”.
Over the past 2 to 3 decades Havana Farm has become an almost sacred place where Cachaca was almost single handedly resurrected as a quality premium spirit.
Some commentators go as far as to say there was a Cachaca universe before Havana and a second one after its inception. I dare say Havana Farm may well be the Foursquare Rum Distillery of the Cachaca world. If you are in Salinas, Minas Gerais you simply must visit and see the masters at work. So I am told.
This aged Cachaca is commonly known as both Havana and Anisio Santiago. Named after the “Genie of the bottle” who created this premium aged Cachaca.
Havana Farm is situated in Salinas, Minas Gerais. A region which is widely considered to be the home of traditional Cachaca. Havana produce 8,000 to 12,000 litres of Cachaca per year. Production of this Cachaca is limited. Demand far outweighs production. Other Cachaca producers distill hundreds of thousands of litres of cachaça and arguardente de cana per year
Another reason why Havana is often referred to as “Anisio Santiago”, is that from 2001 to 2005, following a dispute with Pernod-Ricard, the owners of Havana Club rums Havana was renamed as Anisio Sanitago. Since then the local government in Salinas, Minas Gerais have seen sense and granted Havana Farm the rights to use Havana, as a trading name again. Sadly Anisio Santiago passed away in 2002, so did not see his Cachaca return to its traditional name.
Price wise Havana Anisio Santiago is pretty expensive in sterling a bottle would be around £80. It is currently available in 600ml bottles. Which makes export to Europe tricky. The ABV of this cachaça is 47% – which is the limit, before it legally has to be called Agu
ardente de Cana.
Havana Farm use Java sugarcane which is more suited to a dry arid climate. They do not use chemical fertilisers in the growing of the sugarcane. Once distilled in Copper Pot Stills it is aged for 8 years in Balsam (or balm) wood. Balsam wood is said to make cachaça more mineral and herbaceous in flavour.
In the glass Havana Anisio Santiago is a straw/white wine colour. Maybe a shade darker than most white wine. Nosing Havana Anisio Santiago is a very light, creamy and buttery experience.
Despite the 48% ABV it is very flowery – nice notes of lavender and hints of rose petals. There is a light olive oil like note which smells a little of soap. This Cachaca’s nose is so well-balanced with some really great notes of vanilla and just enough spice from the wood to bring it all together.
It is not at all grassy nor does it have any “off notes” or anything which is out of place. It’s very balanced and very elegant to nose. The nose is rounded off by some nice light notes of lemon and a touch of star anise.
Sipped Havana Anisio Santiago is as good as the nose. It has a wonderful spicy entry with a lot of citrus fruit and some really nice notes of oak and wood (TBC). Despite the 48% ABV it is very smooth and quite light for a spirit close to 50% ABV.
All the notes on the nose come through on the sip giving a really elegant and easy going Cachaca to sip. As with aged Cachaca this is not a huge tear your nostrils out type of experience. Aged Cachaca is more akin to Cuban style rons than big Jamaican or Demerara monsters. It is perhaps best described as a lighter style of Aged Rhum Agricole.
Balance is the key with this Cachaca. Lovely aromas and flavours of vanilla, lavender, cinnamon and a touch of aniseed combine beautifully with the zesty aged “wood” notes to produce a very elegant sip. A creamy butteriness, like sweet shortcrust pastry also adds a good depth of flavour to this cachaça. There is even a sli
ght nuttiness.
The finish is great as well with a really good length and a really enjoyable spicy and zesty finish. This is complex but at the same time very approachable. I am confident that most peoples misconceptions of what Cachaca is would be tested if they tried this spirit.
Initially it seems pleasant but pretty straight forward but each sip reveals something new. This is a Cachaca which is lauded and mythologised about.
And with good reason as it is really good stuff. By any standards this spirit is world class. Sadly its production is limited to Brasil if you can find a bottle it may prove costly. If you visit Brasil however seek this out urgently. You won’t be disappointed.
Excellent stuff. I just wish I had more of this
Rum of the Year 2019 – Shortlist
wow what a rum it was! 32 years of ageing perfection.
evil release and they really upgraded the presentation. They also upgraded the price and this was only really for those with deep pockets at £700 for a bottle. It is still available to it stays in the running despite only being 198 bottles being available.
I thought/think it’s fantastic! 
Bristol Classic Rum are a wonderful little bottling and ageing experiment, overseen by drinks legend John Barrett. They produce some of the rum worlds most interesting independent bottlings and they price them competitively and sensibly, so most can access their wares.
It’s very much a winter warmer of a rum and very suitable to my cold climbs! Really fruity and spicy. Rich plump raisins and bitter notes of orange peel and grinded zest of lemon and limes. This takes the rules of Spiced Rum and re-writes how it should be done. Only Dark Matter, Pusser’s and Foursquare have come close to achieving anything as authentic as this.
Novo Fogo Silver Cachaca. As I continue my journey into the world of cachaca I am encountering a few cachaca brands which are more geared for the export market, rather than the huge domestic market in Brasil.
ounded bottles are really nice and the overall design is clean and very much on trend. As you would expect from such a strong modern brand they have their own 
Middas Reserva. Few things in the rum and cachaça world surprise me. I think just about every gimmick has been tried by the numerous rum brands I have come across over the best 8 or so years. Step forward Middas Reserva cachaça.
The more you sip the more of the creaminess that was on the nose comes back into play. Double cream and a touch of olive come along mingling with the sweeter notes of the sugar cane.
Foursquare Rum Distillery should need little or no introduction. Over the past few years alone, the distillery has released a number of new innovative rums.
The nose exhibits a classic Bajan rum profile. Nice bourbon oaked notes, vanilla and some rich dried fruits. The extra ABV introduces extra smoky and spicy elements. The aromas are more intense – its like a Bajan concentrate. As reflects all of Foursquares output the nose is nicely balanced and wonderful to nose. It reels you in. Even the empty glass is a joy! (not that it will last long)
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.
ge 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.
had some cream at the very top. Slightly milky.
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.