CACHAÇA GUARACIABA EXTRA PREMIUM CARVALHO FRANCES

In 1960, José Maria Santana, known as Zé Santana, started making cachaça at a small watermill in Guaraciaba, Minas Gerais. Tropeiros delivered the product on donkeys. As the cachaça's reputation grew regionally and demand increased, the mill was upgraded to a larger, steam-powered facility. The Guaraciaba brand was registered five years later, and trucks replaced the donkeys. It soon became a preferred drink in the capital. Currently, Cachaça Guaraciaba is managed by Zé Santana's successor and is produced between June and October, yielding 400,000 to 600,000 liters annually. Cachaça Guaraciaba Extra Premium Carvalho Francês is aged for three years in French oak barrels. It is robust and potent (42% alcohol) yet sophisticated and refined, balanced, woody, and pleasantly sweet. Visually clear, it possesses a beautiful amber hue typical of oak barrel aging. It leaves abundant tears on the glass. The aroma is delightful, with hints of vanilla, caramel, dried fruits, and sugarcane. The palate has good body, with alcohol well-balanced with oak wood essences and other components, offering a rich sensory experience. Low acidity maintains the overall harmony, leading to a prolonged finish. Source: Cachaçaria Nacional and Cachaças Brasileiras.