Cachaça is aged in different types of wood barrels, not mentioning the oak that is used in most distillates. Variety of storage plays a significant role in adding flavor to alcoholic beverages. While in other traditional distillates Aging is concentrated in oak, both European and American, Cachaça has a large variety capable of providing enormous sensory richness, quality, colors and distinguished aromas.
For a long time, most of thebarrels made of wood served much more for transporting beverages than as a means of aging.However, since Louis Pasteur published his striking discoveries of single-cell pure yeast isolation, his research certainly helped in the applicability of numerous alcoholic beverages and allowed the evolution of aging into wooden barrels adding sensory characteristics beyond quality not previously perceived.Oak has always been the flagship of distillate aging. Even with cachaca, this aspect was also reflected considerably. Oak, as aging wood, represents a proportion of about 45% of the wood chosen. What would be the reason for that? One of the main ones is in Brazil, for example, it took time to build a proper industry of wood barrels and this fact facilitated the whole process of development oak production as aging wood.
However there are also different Brazilian woods that can do very well this process of aging cachaça is a practice that modifies and add chemical characteristics and sensory quality to the drink as we can see below some of the most important woods. By the way, Around 60% of the aroma from an aged beverage comes from the wood in which it rested. Lets see below some examples:
French Oak
(Quercus petraea
) It has French origin and refers to accented fruity aromas and it transfers a dark yellowish hue and besides a drier flavor and flavors characteristic of almonds, toasted wood, and tannins.American oak(Quercus alba):
It has American origin used a lot for the aging of bourbons and also know as white oak. The cachaça aged in American oak has a golden color, distinctive aromas of vanilla and coconut.Jequitibá Wood (Cariniana estrellensis)
: Brazilian Origin has as characteristic to soften the acidity without changing without altering the color and the aromas and eliminates the faint taste of sugarcane bagasse The Jequitibá imparts golden color, pleasant flavors, and a complex aroma.Amburana Wood (Amburana cearensis) :
Present in large scale in Brazil. Its main characteristics are to reduce acidity and decrease the alcohol content, resulting in more flavor and softness with distinct characteristic bouquet with notes of vanilla, briefly sweet.Balsam (Miroxylom peruiferum):
Brazilian wood and can be found from southern Bahia to Rio Grande do Sul. (States). A strongly aromatic wood, it interferes a lot with the original characteristics of the cachaça. In general it presents greenish-yellow coloration with very intense herbaceous aroma and anise and dried fruit.Amendoim Bravo (Pterogyne):
Hard wood, it lowers the acidity and alcohol content of the drink, giving it practically no color, fruity aromas and white flavors and gives the cachaça versatile applicability for cocktails,Castanheira (Bertholletia Excelsa)
: Very resistant wood, its aroma and its flavor are very smooth, although it produces the Brazil nut, rich in oils and proteins. Hard and heavy, it is much used in luxury joinery. It refers to fruity notes, with vanilla aroma, dark yellow tone and intense wood flavor.Freijo: (Cordia alliodora):
Native to the American tropics, cerne and sapwood distinguished by color, brownish-yellowish brown, It results in a cachaça with yellowish color, and slightly bitter, medium body and mild acidity.Ipê (Tabebuia chrysotricha)
: guarantees a cachaça, orange and strong tone, and minor acidity. It imparts aromas and flavors well woody, remembering nuts, almonds and nuts.You Might Also Like:
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