The Walman Report®
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By Nancy Walman
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Copyright 2005 by
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Nancy Walman, Publisher
Copyright 2005 by
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Spotlight On Cachaça
The Carnival In A Bottle
Say:
'Beh LEY-zuh POO-Rah kie-pu-REEN-yah'
The samba band is warming up, the dancers and costumes are dazzling,
and the sun is setting on Ipanema Beach. Thousands have gathered to welcome the
world’s sexiest cocktail, the Beleza Pura Caipirinha. A sublime blend of lime,
sugarcane, and Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça. Get ready for carnival: just
add ice!!!
Beleza Pura Caipirinha is an authentic version of Brazil’s national
drink and bar none, the finest Brazilian ‘ready-to-drink’ cocktail available.
Beleza Pura Caipirinha, 22% alcohol by volume/44 proof, made in Brazil. A real
cocktail with a heritage…Um, what’s a caipirinha?
THE
PROCESS
The primary difference is that rum is generally made from molasses,
a by-product from refineries that boil the cane juice to extract as many sugar
crystals as possible; the remaining molasses or black strap is sold to rum
producers. Cachaça is made from fresh sugarcane juice that's fermented and
distilled. Aged cachaças are made according to detailed, traditional methods;
click here to learn more about the ultimate in refinement.
HISTORY
Folklore has it that cachaça was conceived and originally consumed
around 400 years ago by slaves who started to drink the liquid that fermented
in the sugar cane crushing areas. Plantation owners began to serve this liquid
to their slaves after noticing its positive effects, such as increased vigor.
Over the years, new and better methods for distilling cachaça were developed,
and the fiery spirit started appearing on the finest tables in colonial Brazil.
Shortly after slavery was banned in 1888, the monarchy was ousted, and
progressive leaders declared Brazil a modern Republic, national pride began to
surge throughout the country. By the 1920s, cachaça had become a symbol of
Brazilian identity, produced and consumed throughout the nation by diverse
ethnic and social groups. In recent years, this popularity has spread around
the world, so that now cachaça is the third most consumed spirit
internationally.
Cachaça is the new `Girl from Ipanema`: smooth, seductive and ready
to win American hearts like the rhythms of Bossa Nova did 40 years before,”
says Olie Berlic, Principal of Excalibur Enterprise, a new importer that
introduces North America to the finest Cachaças of Brazil. As João Gilberto is
the Godfather of Bossa Nova music, Olie Berlic is the Capo di tutti capi of
Cachaça, delivering to the United States the greatest Brazilian export since
the 1960s. Berlic, who has the passion of an adventurer and the palette and
professional experience of a sommelier, acted as a master Cachaça distiller,
and spent three years of intense research that included comparisons of over 800
different Cachaças.
This pure South American spirit is the main ingredient in Brazil`s
national concoction, the Caipirinha (crushed lime, sugar, and Cachaça). This
drink has appeared on top cocktail lists from Berlin to Tokyo. While the
Caipirinha craze took hold in Europe about 10 years ago, Cachaça is just
beginning to make its mark among U.S. tastemakers, according to Berlic. As
Cachaça rapidly duplicates the rise and popularity of premium tequila in the
United States, it also brings to mind Brazilian scenery and culture, which has
been making a major international impact in recent years, as evident in the
silver screen success of City of God. As stylish as Brazilian stunner Gisele Bündchen
on the catwalk, and as eclectic as the Brazilian fashion scion Alexandre
Herchcovitch, Cachaça is Carnaval a glass. It is as clean and pristine as the
architecture designed by Oscar Niemeyer in the nation`s capital city Brasilia
and as functional as a high-end chair designed by the Campana Brothers. Cachaça
compliments any occasion with Brazilian spirit and Excalibur Enterprise has its
finger on the pulse of the best-of-the-best, ready to hit the spot!
Ushering in outstanding liquor for the adventurous imbiber,
Excalibur Enterprise heralds the arrival of the first line of super-premium
Cachaças outside of Brazil. The portfolio, which includes Berlic`s own creation
of a handcrafted, superior quality un-aged Cachaça as well as six artisan, aged
Cachaças from small producers, is comparable in quality to that of the finest
tequilas, aged rums, or single malt Scotches.
Excalibur Enterprise`s boutique Cachaças are aged, small-batch,
artisan Cachaças from three of the country`s most celebrated producers that
stack up against the premium spirits currently on the market in terms of
flavor, nuance, and character. Beleza Pura, the signature, un-aged, premium
Cachaça, invokes the refinement and generosity of spirit that is Brazil.
The GRM from Minas Gerais—Brazil`s best-known Cachaça region—starts
with hand-harvested sugarcane grown without agricultural toxins on GRM`s farm.
Finished in small batches and distilled in an alembic (copper still pot), GRM
“is vibrant with cinnamon, spice flavors and a hint of coconut, recalling
characteristics of aged tequila.
Jetting off to the southern island of Florianopolis the avid
Cachaça gourmand will find Armazem Viera Cachaça, where over 160 years of
tradition are instilled in every batch. Composed of a triad of Cachaças -the
Onix, Solera (aged 16 years) the Rubi, Solera (aged eight years) and the
Esmeralda, Solera (aged four years), this collection shares the qualities of
top light rum blended with fine tequila. Rochinha Cachaça, available in both
five and 12 year old varieties, has been distilled in the romantic valleys
outside of Rio de Janeiro since 1902. Single barrel Cachaças of the highest
caliber, the Rochinhas are reminiscent of a stellar, single-malt Scotch.
Often compared to rum—which uses molasses, a by-product of sugar
refineries—Cachaça is similar only in that both are made from the heart of the
sugar cane plant. Cachaça uses fresh sugar cane juice to ferment and distill
the libation. It is this difference that speaks volumes for the subtleties of
this inimitable liquor.
A perfect pairing with food from around the world—e.g. Brazilian,
American, Latin, Asian, and French—Excalibur Enterprise`s Cachaça is available
in noted restaurants such as Brasserio Caviar & Banana, SushiSAMBA, and
Gotham Bar and Grill. And when the music calls you away from your table, BLVD
and Aer will transport you to a tropical state of mind with one of the many
luscious cocktails made with Excalibur Enterprise`s Cachaça.
Cocktails created with the Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça include
the São Paulo Cosmo in which the pure, crisp flavor of Cachaça blends with the
orange zest of Cointreau, the tart tang of fresh lime juice and the
invigorating harmony of pomegranate juice. The Zoom Zoom Brazil—with Red Bull
and Beleza Pura—will make any time zip by to the syncopated rhythm of Brazil.
The RIO Margarita brings together the heat of two time zones—Rochinha five-year
“Single Barrel” dances with Cointreau and lime juice in perfect harmony.
Incredibly versatile, Excalibur Enterprise`s Cachaças encapsulate
the warmth of Brazil, the pizzazz of a sultry samba dance and the elegance of
evening soirées on its undulating beaches. A noted New York sommelier, Berlic
was formerly with The New York Times three-star Gotham Bar and Grill, and
points out, “Cachaça is a state of mind–it is for the lover of life.” Indeed,
Berlic and his charming wife, Marcia—a native of São Paulo—embody that very
philosophy. “Brazilians are very proud of our Cachaça. It`s an important part
of our culture, like soccer and carnaval,” says Marcia. Berlic`s frequent
travels to Brazil—which have made him quite knowledgeable in the Portuguese
language—were driven by his quest to discover and share Brazil`s adventurous
spirit.
The Cachaça market is dominated by commercially produced spirits
known as aguardente (literally, fiery water) where volume and not quality are
the main concerns. Berlic skipped the major brands and soon he and his wife
started visiting small distilleries throughout Brazil to find spirits worthy of
the finest palates. Berlic was entranced by the quality and nuance of the
Cachaça that he encountered. He became sure that there was a place for this
spirit on the top shelves in the U.S. “I want to make Cachaça a household
name–from the Midwest to the Hamptons to Aspen. The best of Brazil stacks up
against the finest spirits from around the world,” says Berlic.
Of the highest caliber, Excalibur Enterprise Cachaças usher in the
birth of a new spirit with amazing offerings for those who know that the best
things in life are shared—music, sun, and memories. This exceptional portfolio
is targeted for the lifestyles of those who love all three.
Our tastings proved that there is a HUGE difference in Cachaça. Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça not only packs the complex taste into a perfect package, but it is the smoothest Cachaça we have ever tasted & rates a “Wine On Line” A+.
Recipes
For The Perfect Caipirinha ‘Kie-Pee-REEN-Yah’ Follow:
Cachaça is used in Brazil's national drink, the Caipirinha. This
fresh, exotic cocktail is becoming as hot in Berlin and Tokyo as it is on
Copacabana Beach.
Caipirinhas and other tropical cocktails are usually made with
un-aged Cachaça, like Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça.
The Walman “Quickie”
1 lemon or lime, squeezed for juice
2 tablespoons of Frozen Limeade (Minute Maid is fine)
4 oz Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça
Shake Like Hell & Serve With Ice in Big Tumblers, With Lemon or
Lime Garnish (Fresh Cilantro Optional).
The Beleza Caipirinha
1/2 lime, cut in four cubes
2 tsp sugar
2 oz Beleza Pura Super Premium Cachaça
Gently muddle the lime and sugar, add ice and shake, shake, shake!
· Translated,
Caipirinha means ‘little peasant girl.’
Originally consumed as an elixir for influenza, it is an alcoholic
version of the prescription cocktail made with lime, honey and garlic
More Recipes Are Available From the Following Link: http://www.belezabrazil.com/pages/cok_01_caipirinha.htm
Sex, Drugs, and History
Absinthe was born in the 18th century, when the Swiss physician
Pierre Ordinaire developed an elixir of herbs to treat disease and promote
general wellbeing. This vivid green
apéritif became a favorite among the likes of Toulouse Lautrec, Degas, Picasso,
Oscar Wilde, Hemingway and Baudelaire. During the French Belle Époque, Absinthe
became known as “La Fée Verte” (The Green Fairy), and was believed to enhance
creativity and have aphrodisiac properties.
Around 1915, the production and sale of Absinthe were banned in France,
other European nations, and America, due to suspicion that the spirit was
hallucinogenic.
CocktailsAnyone?
Try The Ritual –
Hold an absinthe spoon with a sugar cube over a glass with 1 part
Absinto. Pour 2 parts chilled water
over the sugar cube to dissolve and
‘voila’ – zee louching effect (the liquid becomes cloudy)
Blue Absinto
1 oz Absinto Camargo
2.5 oz pineapple juice
1/3 oz peach liqueur
1/3 oz blue curacao
Shake ingredients with ice, strain into large martini glass
and garnish with a wedge of pineapple.
Where To Find It In NYC
NEW
YORK CITY
Restaurants/Bars/Clubs:
Aer Lounge: 409 W. 13th (212) 989-0100
Asia de Cuba: 237 Madison Ave. (212) 726-7755
Artisanal: 2 Park Ave. (212) 725-8585
Avery Fisher Hall: Lincoln Center
B.E.D.: 530 W. 27th St. (212) 594-4109
Bistro St. Marks: 76 Saint Marks Ave, Brooklyn
(718) 857-8600
BLVD: 199 Bowery St. (212) 982 - 0740
BOLO Restaurant: 23 E 22nd St. (212) 228-2200
Brasserie Felix: 340 W Broadway (212) 431-0021
Brasserio Caviar & Banana: 12 E. 22nd (212)
353-0500
Brazil Grill: 787 8th Ave. (212) 307-9449
Cain: 544 West 27th St. (212) 947-8000
Caliente: 61 7th Ave. (212) 243-8517
Calle Ocho: 446 Columbus Ave. (212) 873-5025
Circus: 132 E. 61st St. (212) 223-2566
China Grill: 60 W 53rd St. (212) 333-7788
Churrascaria Plataforma: 316 W 49th St. (212)
245-0505
City Crab & Seafood: 235 Park Ave South at
19th St. (212) 529-3800
David Burke & Donatella: 133 E 61st St. (212)
813-2121
DEKK: 134 Reade St. (212) 941-9401
Dylan Prime: 62 Laight St. (212) 334-4783 –
www.dylanprime.com
Employees Only: 510 Hudson St. (212) 242-3021 -
www.employeesonlynyc.com
Figa: 281 Bleecker St. (212) 633-2941
Frankie & Johnnies: 32 W 37th St. also
available at the W 45th & Rye locations - www.frankieandjohnnies.com
Gotham Bar & Grill: 12 E 12th St. (212)
620-4020
Grand Havana Room: 666 Fifth Ave.
Joe’s Pub: 425 lafayette St. (212) 539-8500
Joseph’s – Citarella: 1240 6th Ave. (212)
332-1515
Landmarc: 179 W Broadway (212) 343-3883
Lea: 230 Park Ave. (212) 922-1546
Little Giant Food & Drink: 85 Orchard St.
(212) 226-5047
Living Room, The: 1567 B’way, 7th flr
(212)930-7444
Light: 125 E 54th St. (212) 583-1333
Mesa Grill: 102 5th Ave. (212) 807-7400
Morgans Bar: 237 Madison Ave. (212) 686-0300
New Amsterdam: 257 Park Ave S, (212) 473-1900
Oceo: 224 W. 49th St. (212) 262-6236
ONE: ONE Little West 12th St. (212)-255-9717 -
www.onelw12.com
Opia: 130 E 57th St. (212) 688-3939
Otto Restaurant: 1 5th Ave. (212) 995-9559
Paladar: 161 Ludlow St. (212) 473 - 3535 –
www.paladar.ws
Rhône: 63 Gansevoort St. (212) 367-8440 –
www.rhonenyc.com
Pink Elephant, The: 73 Eighth Ave (212) 463-0000
- www.pinkelephantclub.com
SAPA: 43 W 24th St, (212) 929-1800
Slate: 54 W. 21 St. (212)989-0096
Stone Rose: 10 Columbus Cir. 4th Flr. (212)
823-9770
SushiSAMBA: 245 Park Ave S (212) 475-9377; 787
Seventh Avenue South (212) 691-7885
www.sushisamba.com
Table 50: 643 Broadway (212) 253 2560 –
www.table50.com
Veritas: 43 East 20th St. (212) 353-3700 –
www.veritas-nyc.com
Verlaine: 110 Rivington (212) 614-2494
Webster Hall: 125 E. 11th St. (212) 353-1600 -
www.websterhall.com
Whiskey, The: 1567 B’way (212)930-7444
Windfall: 23 W 39th St. (212) 869-4606
Retail Shops:
Acker Merrall & Condit: 160 West 72nd Street,
Manhattan (212) 787-1700
www.ackerstore.com
Astor Place Wine & Spirits: 12 Astor Place,
Manhattan (212) 674-7500
www.AstorWines.com
Crossroads Wine & Liquor: 55 W. 14th Street,
Manhattan (212) 924-3060
K&D Wine & Liquors: 1366 Madison Avenue,
Manhattan (212) 289-1818
www.Kdwine.com
Sound Shore Liquor Pantry: 800 East Boston Post
Road, Mamaroneck, NY (914) 835-4885
www.SoundShoreWine.com
VarMax Liquor Pantry: 16 Putnam Avenue, Port
Chester, NY (914) 937-4930
www.varmax.com
Zachy’s: 16 East Parkway, Scarsdale, NY (914)
723-0241
www.zachys.com
Suggested PRICES
Beleza Pura ‘Beh-Lay-Zuh POO-Rah’ Super Premium Cachaça ‘kah-SHAH-sah’ 80 proof (Sao Paulo) $27.99
Rochinha ‘Ho-CHEEN-Yah’,
Single Barrel Cachaças (Rio De Janeiro)
$37.99
Aged 12 yrs, 80 proof
$79.99
GRM, Small Batch Aged
2 yrs 80 proof (Minas Gerais)
$64.99
Esmeralda, Solera
Aged 4yrs 80 proof
$33.99
Rubi, Solera Aged 8yrs 80 proof
$47.99
Onix, Solera Aged 16yrs 80 proof
$89.99
Paul Pacult,
Absinto
Camargo ‘Green Fairy’ 108 proof
$32.99
Artisan
CACHAÇA
3 For The Road
Like fine aged Cognac, Tequila and Rum, top-flight Cachaça deserves its place at the end of the meal and should not be diluted in cocktails. Here are three that I find extraordinary and personally recommend.
CACHAÇA
ROCHINHA
Rio
de Janeiro, Brazil
Since 1902, Cachaça Rochinha has employed the
finest production methods and unparalleled attention to detail to produce
Brazil’s top-rated single-barrel cachaças. Rochinha’s romantic distillery is
located on an historic farm with a working mill in a mountain valley in the
state of Rio de Janeiro. Excalibur has selected two of their finest offerings:
• Cachaca Rochinha, Single Barrel, 5 Year-Old
• Cachaca Rochinha, Single Barrel, 12 Year-Old
Rochinha’s 12 Year-Old Cachaça is exceptionally
complex, with a palate that is reminiscent of the lush, smoky, peaty single
malts of Scotland’s Islay. Only 1,200 bottles per year will make it to U.S.
shores. The 5 Year-Old is notable for mellowness and a warm, smoky flavor.
THE PROCESS
The production of Cachaça Rochinha fuses
time-honored tradition with the modern science of climate control and
monitoring. All of the sugar cane used is cultivated and carefully selected at
Rochinha’s farm. Only cane harvested in the previous 24 hours enters their
mill, where skilled workers manually extract the juice from the course peel and
pulp. After this labor-intensive and costly process, the pure juice is
fermented for 18 to 30 hours, the exact time determined by the artisan’s
precise monitoring of temperature and organic chemistry. The liquid is then
distilled in a copper pot still (an alambic, the key to premium quality
cachaça). The distillate is divided into three parts – the head, heart, and
tail. Only the heart, the very purest element, is transferred to single oak
casks and aged for up to 25 years. Finally, this ultra-refined, single barrel
cachaça is bottled and sealed for distribution.
Cachaça Rochinha’s Home at Cachoeira Farm
Cachaça Rochinha is one of many premium
agricultural products of the Cachoeira Farm in Rio de Janeiro’s beautiful
Paraiba Valley. Built circa 1717 and named for the abundance of water and
waterfalls on its lands, Cachoeira Farm was originally a coffee plantation. In
1871, equipment was added to mill sugar cane, and by 1902 this equipment was
put to use in the manufacture of cachaça. Today the impeccably restored farm
specializes in cattle breeding and the production of such milled products as
brown sugar, traditional sweets like guava paste, and – of course – some of the
nation’s finest cachaças.
For more information, visit Cachaça Rochinha’s
website: www.rochinha.com.br
GRM
CACHAÇA
Minas
Gerais, Brazil
Located on a farm in Brazil’s best-known cachaça
region, GRM’s handcrafted spirits are coveted by aficionados throughout the
world. With its peerless attention to detail, it is no surprise the distillery
recently earned the #1 rating from Playboy magazine in Brazil (August 2003).
Excalibur has selected one of their finest
offerings:
GRM Silver, Small Batch, 2 Year-Old.
With rich aroma, flavor and appearance, this
light golden gem represents the ultimate refinement of the national spirit of
Brazil.
THE PROCESS
GRM employs methods that have remained unchanged
over three centuries. They begin with hand-harvested sugar cane grown without
agricultural toxins on GRM’s farm. Small batches of sugarcane are fermented,
distilled, and aged separately to enhance the distinct properties of each
harvest. The cane is cut and milled in less than 20 hours, guaranteeing the
freshest possible extract. After the juice has been filtered in decanters, the
sugar level is measured and balanced with iron-free mineral water. The pure,
sweet water and a unique strain of yeast used in the fermentation are key to
the product’s unparalleled flavor. The alcohol is then distilled in a copper
pot still (alambic) and GRM’s master craftsmen extract only the heart, the
purest part of the distillate. This choice spirit is aged in pure oak barrels
made from tropical Umburana and Jequitiba-Rosa trees. Finally, selected barrels
are blended, filtered and bottled for clarity, stability, and long life.
GRM’s Home
GRM produces world-class cachaças on its farm,
Fazenda dos Verdes, outside the town of Araguari in the state of Minas Gerais.
The region is famed for Brazil’s finest cachaça, as well as for its superb
gastronomy. Amid rolling hills and expansive forests, local farmers produce
natural cheeses, sweets, and succulent meats alongside the rich land that gives
GRM Cachaça its distinctive flavor.
ARMAZEM
VIEIRA CACHAÇA
Santa
Catarina Island, Southern Brazil
Located amid the Atlantic forest of Southern
Brazil's most picturesque island, Armazem Vieira has been making Cachaça for
more than 160 years. Unique aromas and extreme attention to detail have earned
these superior spirits an unmatched reputation with connoisseurs around the
world. Armazem Vieira's Cachaça was rated #2 among hundreds of artisan
producers by Brazilian Playboy magazine (August 2003).
Excalibur has selected three of their finest
offerings:
• Armazem Vieira Esmeralda, Solera 4 Year-Old
• Armazem Vieira Rubi, Solera 8 Year-Old
• Armazem Vieira Onix, Solera 16 Year-Old
THE PROCESS
Armazem Vieira follows the finest traditional
methods and uses only choice sugarcane. The sugar cane juice is boiled and then
sterilized in copper trays before regional wild yeast is added for
fermentation. The resulting “wine” is distilled in a traditional copper pot
still (alambique). Armazem Vieira is the product of the heart, the purest
element of the distillate. The Cachaça is then aged for up to 20 years in
barrels made from local Aririba wood, which imparts a unique color, bouquet,
and taste. After this natural aging process is completed, the master distiller
blends different aged barrels to create the optimal flavor profile for each
product (via the Solera system). After blending, the Cachaça is filtered to
guarantee clarity and purity, and bottled on site in transparent bottles that
reveal the finished product’s depth and brilliance. The result is a rich,
complex Cachaça of the highest quality.
Armazem Vieira Bar & Distillery
Armazem Viera’s name comes from the trading post,
or “armazem,” built in 1840 by Sergio Vieira in Florianopolis, the state capital
of Santa Catarina in Southern Brazil. Today, this historic building, which
blends Masonic and Azorean architectural styles, contains the cellaring
facilities for Armazem Vieira’s superior Cachaças as well as a unique Art
Nouveaux bar. Situated on one of the first trails established on the island,
the building was recognized as a historic landmark in 1984. A popular
destination for tourists and locals, Armazem Vieira Bar offers fine regional
cuisine, aged Cachaças, unique cocktails, and many cultural events.
For more information, visit Armazem Vieira’s website: http://www.armazemvieira.com.br/
These reviews are available and have been seen on the Internet. Click here to see an index of other reviews on the worldwide web <http://www.punchin.com>. <http://www.wineonline.net>. They have been heard on WNCN, WEVD and WQXR radio, seen in Fodor's and Mobil Guide Books, and printed in Chocolatier, Troika, Trump and Metropolitan Millionaire magazines and newspapers and throughout the world, including the NY Post, Women's Wear Daily and the NY Times, via the Punch In International Network. This review may be reprinted free of charge, so long as source and byline credit are included: "The Walman Report," "Punch In International®," Wine On Line International®.
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