CACHAÇA COQUEIRO OURO CARVALHO FRANCÊS

Paraty, a Brazilian region in Rio de Janeiro, is recognized as a Cachaça Origin alongside Salinas in Minas Gerais and Abaíra in Bahia. Paraty was the first to receive a Geographical Indication for cachaça and three years ago initiated the process for Denomination of Origin recognition. However, government approvals for geographical indications are slow and bureaucratic. Cachaça Coqueiro is made at Fazenda Cabral in Paraty. The Mello family has been distilling in the area since 1803, using ancestral recipes and wild yeast fermentation. In 1980, the Coqueiro brand, established in 1940, was purchased by producer Eduardo Mello. Following local customs, the spirit is aged only in peanut and French oak barrels, as well as stainless steel. Coqueiro rests for six months in stainless steel and six months in peanut wood barrels. The wood used is Peanut wood, not Jequitibá. A potent 42% ABV, it offers a woody character suitable for sipping neat or for cocktails. Observations: The spirit is alcoholic, with minimal wood influence. The high alcohol content overpowers the other sensory aspects, which are barely perceptible. An aroma reminiscent of solvent, enamel, or acetone suggests the presence of "heads" from the distillation. This cachaça is distinctly different from the gold medal winner at the New Spirits Competition, which I have sampled.