Objective Notes

Very Smooth (on the RnD scale of Harsh-Smooth-Very Smooth-Extremely Smooth). 

Novo Fogo Gold Cachaça is gold to light amber in color picked up from time is spent aging in small oak barrels. A delightfully aromatic and complex nose allows for the discovery of fresh cut cane with floral notes and hints of nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla wafers, and alcohol. First taste reveals a dry entry and medium body followed by notes of vanilla, cinnamon, and raisins are discerned on the palate. The finish is medium in length, dry, with a bitter chocolate and spicy fade.

Anecdotal Notes

Roger – I recently met Dragos Axinte, the owner of Novo Fogo Cachaça at a luncheon and talk on cachaça in downtown Portland, Oregon. He contrasted and compared cachaças from different parts of Brazil while we tasted them to understand the difference the various climates, distilling techniques and barrel aging does to the cachaça. He made an offhand statement to the effect that there are approximately 1000 different cachaças in Brazil and 990 are illegal.  His statement was a general comment on how most cachaças are made locally for local consumption and don’t have the legal right to be sold commercially (though many are). Many people in the industry in Brazil have been working hard to overcome the negative connotation cachaça holds as an inferior product (due to many poorly distilled and illegal cachaças available and dirt cheap).  Dragos is making a significant contribution to this effort. 

The Novo Fogo facility sits at the edge of the Atlantic rainforest on a mountain side near the town of Morretes in Brazil His distillery is a small artisan distillery. Being further to the south the climate is more moderate and allows for only one sugarcane harvest per year versus three harvests for the warmer climates fields.

Novo Fogo Gold starts off the same as their Silver Cachaça with fresh cut sugarcane from fields that aren’t burned down, like many of the larger industrial distilleries to the north, which can lead to a burt aroma and/or flavors. The cane is then pressed and the juice is then fermented. It’s distilled in one pass through a series of new copper pot stills which is done intentionally to avoiding the removal of flavors. The barrels used are from Kentucky that previously held Bourbon and are pressure washed, disassembled, sanded, reassembled, and re-chared to a medium toast.  The spirit is aged in these small oak barrels (less than 50 gallons each) for a minimum of 2 years before bottling. No additives or chemicals are used in the process resulting in a truly organic product certified by the USDA.  

Packaging is similar to the Novo Fogo Silver which was described in our previous review as first rate, and designed for efficiency behind the bar.  The recycled glass bottle is hand blown and distinctively shaped like a guitar, making it easy to hold, while the long neck, covered in woven jute potato bag material, makes pouring easy.  The top is a natural wood-capped synthetic cork, whereas a hand signed label proclaims the batch number.   A recipe book (printed on recycled paper) adorns the neck.

Taster’s Opinion

Roger – Novo Fogo Gold is arguably the best cachaça currently on the US market. Cachaça isn’t a widely known or understood spirit by most Americans partially due to limited, and in many cases, poor offerings available but that is starting to change with new products like Novo Fogo’s Gold. It’s pot distilled for character and barrel aged for rounding out and refining. It stands on it’s own neat or even better on the rocks. It also makes a great cocktail like the Fogo Real, with the recipe located on our “If You Must Mix” page. It’s one of my favorite cocktails that call for cachaça. Their story and strong commitment to being environmentally responsible along with making outstanding products are to be commended. Look for Novo Fogo Gold in your local liquor store or online as it’s available on a major us online wine and spirits retailer.

Dave - It’s a shame we don’t have a wider selection of cachaças to choose from in the USA - all the more annoying when you realize just how many different versions exist in Brazil.  Typically, Americans are stuck with some the worst exports, so it’s no wonder the native Brazilian spirit is misunderstood and under-appreciated here in the States.  Novo Fogo to the rescue!  Their gold cachaça smells like an aged rum, with aromas of sugarcane, oak and vanilla that combine a sweet Spanish style ron and an aged Agricole rhum.  Served neat, there are just enough congeners and other fusel aromatics to keep the nose interested. Flavors of wispy sweet vanilla and white pepper are delivered on a body that’s more full than the bulk of white cachaças we Americans are forced to tolerate.  Novo Fogo Gold is refreshing on its own; sipping with an ice cube adds anise and immediacy to the flavors.  Or serve Novo Fogo Gold in your next round of caipirinhas for a deeper cocktail.

Taster's Rating (10 is best):  Roger – 9.5 Flasks; Dave – 9.5 Flasks

 

Most recently tasted by:  Roger and Dave, May 2011 at RnD’s North and South Tasting Rooms, USA.

*750ml unless otherwise specified.