Meet cachaça, the most popular distilled alcoholic drink available in Brazil.  Seriously everyone drinks it and it’s available just about everywhere in either a water white, unaged version (like this one) or an aged, golden toned drink.

This example is a gift from my wine.com.br friend Gabriel. Based in Brazil, Wine.com.br is the third largest e-commerce wine store in the world.  Their cool 200,000 active customers helped propel its annual sales of US$58 million in 2013.

Today, the company maintains ClubeW, the largest wine club in Latin America, and has expanded operations to include a specialty craft beer club, WBeer.com.br (Brazil is the world’s third largest beer producer).  The online coffee bean market should be on the look out as they have plans to conquer that as well.

The Da Mata distillery is located in Santa Teresa outside of Vitoria on the eastern coast of Brazil, a few hours flight north of Rio de Janeiro.  This is in a state aptly named Espirito Santo, which is also where the headquarters of Wine.com.br are.

Water white with tiny, uneven legs and a nose strongly reminiscent of mezcal, the Da Mata has pronounced aromas of green cane and burnt salt water taffy with light smoke and deeply vegetal undergrowth.  Flavours show more cane with vine and intense star anise.

The alcohol is strong on this simple but pleasing cachaça spirit with a medium finish.

WSET Good.  Obrigada, Gabriel!