Abelha Organic Cachaça Launches in NY, NJ and CT

Rio De Contas, BrazilThe Responsible Trading Company & Fazenda Vaccaro Farm announce the introduction of Abelha Organic Cachaça in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut this summer. The sustainable, delectable, and artisanal cachaça is made with care for the land and respect for the farmers who tend it.

With its smooth, sippable, and socially-conscious character, Abelha has already earned placements in world-renowned bars and restaurants throughout Europe and Asia, including Soho House, Cabana & Barrio Bar Group in London, Experimental Cocktail Club in Paris, and Amano Hotels in Berlin. In Manhattan, Abelha has found bartender fans at The Aviary in Mandarin Oriental, The Palm Court Bar in The Plaza Hotel and Soho Grand Hotel. Bars offering outdoor or to-go cocktails with Abelha include Donna (Williamsburg), Epistrophy (Nolita), Magazine Bar (Greenpoint), Milk & Roses (Greenpoint), and more.

“Cachaça is an amazingly diverse and interesting category,” says Tom Stockley, co-brand owner. “I’m excited and proud to introduce Abelha Organic Cachaça into the U.S., with its hugely diverse cocktail culture, high passion for unique and quality spirits, and eclectic mix of renowned venues.”

Abelha (“Bee” in Portuguese) is named for the hundreds of Brazilian honey bees that drink the fresh sugar cane juice during the juicing process. It also pays homage to the hardworking team behind Abelha, who run a self-sufficient, community-driven and sustainable farm. All waste is reused in future farming, the cars and tractors on the farm are powered on the byproducts from the distillate, and the team is always looking to improve organic technologies and infrastructure.

The proliferation of South & Central American spirits, along with more home bartenders experimenting with different types of spirits, makes this an ideal time to  introduce Abelha Organic Cachaça to the States. The interest in organic spirits also continues to grow, as well as the move to make cachaça a distinct spirit category in the U.S.

The History

Abelha Organic Cachaça is produced in Rio de Contas on the border of the Chapada Diamantina National Reserve, in Bahia – the northeast region of Brazil. Marcos Vaccaro, master distiller and creator of the first organically certified cachaça in Brazil, created Abelha, on his fazenda (farm), in partnership with U.K.-based Responsible Trading Company, whose values and motivations aligned with his own. Together, they’re on a mission to train and certify local Brazilian farmers in organic sugar cane production, safeguard traditional and natural farming techniques, and create the highest quality organic cachaça.

The Process

Abelha Organic Cachaça is made with cane, care, and craft. The brand is committed to the highest standard of production at every step of the process.

Abelha has no added sugar or additives of any kind. The cachaça is organically certified in both the growing of the sugar cane and the distillation process at international standards. Only natural fertilizer is used, with no pesticides.

The sugar cane is grown on sandy highland soils where the high temperature differential between day and night, the fertile soil, and crystal-clear spring water enable high quality sugarcane to grow. The sugarcane fields are cut in sequence by hand according to sugar content readiness and ripeness because, once cut, the sugarcane must be juiced for fermentation within 24 hours.

Following fermentation, the cachaça vinho is distilled in traditional 800-liter alambique (copper pot) stills. The cachaça then hits the road for its long twelve-hour journey from farm to port and beyond, bringing this extraordinary spirit to the rest of the world.

The Range

Abelha Prata, the silver expression, is a full-flavored artisanal cachaça, with an intense, fruity, aromatic nose, fresh sugar cane and stone fruits on the palate, and a smooth dry finish. To create the distinctive character of Abelha Prata, the cachaça is rested for 6 months in open steel tanks, allowing the by-products to evaporate and oxidize, which gives the cachaça its signature bouquet. No sugar is added, and there are no impurities or toxins in the cachaça, resulting in fresh aromas when you open a bottle and pure flavors when you take a sip.

Abelha Ouro, the gold expression, is a complex yet approachable aged cachaça. The honeyed nose is brightened with notes of tropical fruit, and the palate is rich with stone fruit, balsamic and spice notes. This remarkable flavor profile is achieved by aging the cachaça for three years in 65-gallon Garapeira casks; a native Brazilian ash, Garapeira is highly valued by cachaça producers because it enhances the natural flavor of the spirit with a multifaceted layer of sweetness and spice.

About Abelha:

Abelha Cachaça was founded in 2009 by brothers Hal & Tom Stockley, alongside Anthony Goh & Marcos Vaccaro. Abelha Organic Cachaça is produced in Rio de Contas on the border of the Chapada Diamantina National Reserve, in Bahia – the northeast region of Brazil. Marcos, master distiller and creator of the first organically certified cachaça in Brazil, created Abelha and his fazenda (farm), in partnership with the U.K.-based Responsible Trading Company, whose values and motivations aligned with his own. Launched in the US in 2020, Abelha plans to expand into more states as soon as possible. Abelha Organic Cachaça is imported & distributed by MHW (mhwltd.com) in New York, New Jersey & Murphy Distributors in CT. Beginning in September, it will be available nationwide on Curiada (curiada.com). Please visit Abelha at abelhacachaca.com/ and on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

For More Information:
https://abelhacachaca.com/