Ypioca

Ypioca has been a back bar favourite for most over the last decade or so. 2014 sees a resurgence due to the World Cup being held in Brazil, and Ypioca has stepped up its game and awareness. So it makes sense for me to look at a brand that I will hold me hands up, have never tried until a few weeks back.

Ypioca claims to be known as the largest producer of cachaça in Brazil, and actually creates several types including the Rum Toucano which is aged for two years in oak casks and dates back to 1846. It was in this year that Dario Telles de Menezes, began the production of Ypioca in the village of Maranguape, despite only arriving in Brazil three years prior. A family business, Dario left the business to his son, Dario Borges Telles, in 1895 and introduced bottling, compared to his fathers methods of barrel batch. At the age of 31, Dario died and his widow inherited the business and brought in the hand-made labelling and is credited for the logo design seen on the bottle today.

Her son, Paulo Campos, took over the business when he was 18, saving his mother from dividing her time between the business and family. He introduced marketing aspects to the brand, elevating cachaça to be the national drink of Brazil. He also oversaw the first exportation of Ypioca to Germany, followed by the United States and Japan. He also introduced the now familiar packaging, using carnauba straw. In 2012, Diageo saw the potential of Ypioca and cachaça, resulting in them purchasing the brand and distillery and making Ypioca one of the most recognisable brands available.

The Ypioca Prata expression that is most commonly available in the UK is a clear cachaça, but how does it fare? Well below, I give to you my tasting notes –

Ypioca Prata – 39%

Very light with a clean grass aroma dominating the nose. Smooth with a velvet texture on the palate. Short, with slight grass flavours with hints of vanilla and a dry spice finish.

A good tipple to enjoy, and one you can mix with the following –

Caipirinha

Glass – 

Rocks

Ingredients –

50 ml Ypioca Prata
1 Lime
1 Spoon of sugar

Method – 

Slice the lime, macerate with the sugar, add the ice and Ypioca Prata. Shake and serve.

You’ll see a lot of Ypioca over the summer, especially with the tie in it has with the World Cup. Experience, enjoy – two words that I fully support when it comes to cachaça.

© David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast 2014. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog/sites author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to David Marsland and Drinks Enthusiast with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.