Velho Pescador Extra Premium Cachaca Aged 5 Years.  Velho Pescador is actually a Weber Haus product. I was unaware of this. As a result of this my sample has remained untouched for a couple of months – as I had so many to try. I had not heard or seen of Velho Pescador before. My bad!

Weber Haus are quite a big deal in the Cachaca world and they are one of the producers trying to gain a foot hold in Europe. With my friend Leszek Wedzicha acting as their Brand Ambassador I am sure this will not take long!

For anyone who hasn’t already seen Leszek and his range of Weber Haus Cachaca, at a Rum Festival, I can thoroughly recommend spending some time with him and his cachaca.

Anyway, enough of all this butt kissing – it almost sounds like an advert doesn’t? Haha Not here, no free rides are given even if you are a friend.

Velho Pescador or the Fisherman is a cachaca aged for 5 years in American Oak barrels. It is produced on a Alembic Pot Still. Weber Haus are very clear that they do not produce Premium Cachaca in an Industrial manner (ie on a Continuous Column Still). Velho Pescador has been bottled at 38% ABV.

Weber Haus actually acquired this brand back in 2014. Which is perhaps why it is not immediately apparent it is a Weber Haus product. Velho Pescador is produced in Rio Grande do Sul.

Presentation wise you get a stubby style bottle with a very chunky cork stopper. The bottle and design remind me a little of Ron Vigia from Cuba. It looks expensive. In Brasil it is fairly pricy coming in at around $R95. This would equate to around £20 in the UK. I wouldn’t expect to see this for anything less than £50 should it make its way to the UK. Which it very well might!

In the glass Velho Pescador is a very light brown/yellow colour.

The nose is sweet with hints of molasses rather than sugar cane juice. It’s quite creamy but it also has a real kick of sweet alcohol which gives it a bit of oomph. Aromas of toffee, caramel and some really strong scents of vanilla are present in this very complex cachaça.

Some burnt toffee and some cashew nuts also put in an appearance. Nicely aged woody aromas combine to give this cachaça a really nice nose.

Sipped Velho Pescador is a very distinctive tasting cachaca. Not very grassy. It shows little evidence of being produced from sugar cane aside from the sweetness. The sweetness however is more of a toffee/treacle molasses type. There is a slight peppery note to this cachaça which cuts through the sweetness and adds a little balance. Some gentle spices from the wood combine with this to give the spirit a real edge and complexity.

The more you sip the more you notice the woodier influences of the ageing. The sweetness goes down a notch after a few mouthfuls. This is an incredibly light and easy to drink cachaça but at the same time it packs a really nice layer of complexity and balance.

The mid palate takes you through a variety of flavours from sweet vanilla ice cream to spicy wood and some traces of cinnamon and tart-tartin. Maybe some Crème Brulee whilst we are on the French theme.

The finish is long but light – mild spices and the vanilla lead to a finish which gently cleanses and refreshes the palate. The light spices make this go down far too easily and before you know it – you have finished another glass.

Wonderfully balanced despite the overlying sweetness this is a really tasty easy to drink cachaça with enough complexity to retain your interest.

Dangerously drinkable. Highly recommended.