Cachaca, Brazil’s most popular drink, is woven into the history of the nation, having bolstered the colonial economy and provoked the first rebellion against the Portuguese. And a lthough cachaca was first made before rum, it was only early this century when it gained international (excluding the USA) legal status and declared officially as Brazilian.

Once fermentation comes to an end (all sucrose turned into alcohol), this produces the cachaça wine, or vinho. We transfer this to the alambiques, or copper pot stills, in the next room in the distillery. These stills have a capacity of 400 Litres. About 10% of the distillate known as the heart, or curaçao, is used to produce the final Cachaça, so about 40litres per distillation. The remainder, known as the heads and tails, is recycled as are all by-products in production. Abelha was the first cachaca to be certified as Organic in Brasil. Everything from planting the sugar cane to bottling the cachaca is done at the “fazenda”. Abelha Organic Silver Cachaca is produced in small batches on Copper Pot Stills. It is then rested for 6 months in stainless steel vats before being bottled. Abelha Prata, the silver expression, is a full-flavored artisanal cachaça, with an intense, fruity, aromatic nose, fresh sugar cane and stone fruits on the palate, and a smooth dry finish. To create the distinctive character of Abelha Prata, the cachaça is rested for 6 months in open steel tanks, allowing the by-products to evaporate and oxidize, which gives the cachaça its signature bouquet. No sugar is added, and there are no impurities or toxins in the cachaça, resulting in fresh aromas when you open a bottle and pure flavors when you take a sip.She is also a practicing graphic and editorial designer and has worked for several studios and magazines in Rio and London. Marcos, Abelha’s Master Distiller, explains, “The main difference between industrial and artisanal cachaça is the distillation process; industrial cachaças are produced in a column still via continuous distillation; no separation between the beginning and end of the distillation. Artisanal cachaças are produced in alambique, (copper-pot still) which allows separation to improve the composition, body and flavour of the resulting cachaça”. Abelha is a Brazilian cachaca that got its start in 2009, but which is only just now making its way into U.S. distribution. (It’s currently available in a handful of states in the northeast but has national availability online.) The organic, pot-distilled cachaca is available in two expressions, a standard silver and an ouro which is aged for three years in 65-gallon garapeira casks, made from Brazilian ash wood. Ananda is one of the emerging names in Brazilian street art worldwide. She was named by CNN Style as one of the top upcoming Brazilian female urban artists to watch and one of 6 amazing artists redefining Brazil’s art and design.

Abelha Organic Cachaça is made with cane, care, and craft. The brand is committed to the highest standard of production at every step of the process. There are a few brands which are available in Europe but they are often brands that are not available in Brasil. In recent years we have seen achaca available from the likes of Avua, Yaguara and Novo Fogo. Products geared up for a European and US audience. By geared up I mean they are put in sleek elegant bottles. Given a more “Premium” appearance than some of the cachaca you will find in Brasil. I’m sure you will have noticed just how rustic some of the cachaca I have reviewed over the past couple of years is, in terms of appearance. Following fermentation, the cachaça vinho is distilled in traditional 800-liter alambique (copper pot) stills. The cachaça then hits the road for its long twelve-hour journey from farm to port and beyond, bringing this extraordinary spirit to the rest of the world. Artisanal cachaça uses a natural fermentation with local yeasts whilst in contrast many industrial stills will speed up fermentation by adding various chemicals. It doesn’t really do all the much as a sipper it’s just a bit boozy and a bit grassy and the overall experience is pretty short. There isn’t much of a finish to speak about or any really development as you sip. You get a bit of a burn then some brief notes of sugar cane. A touch of dark fruits but it isn’t very long lasting.

Cachaça, the national drink of Brazil, embodying all the spirit, excitement and flare of the party nation. The spirit cachaça combines two very different beasts; artisanal cachaça and industrial cachaça. There are colossal differences between the two types of cachaca which result in an unmistakeable contrast in aroma, body and taste. As Abelha is an artisanal cachaça, we highlight some of the differences between these two production possibilities.