Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/101724
Named after the accent mark that makes the c of açai soft, Cedilla is determined to expose exactly what this berry is capable of. "Açai has been consumed by the people of the Amazon forever," begins Steve Luttmann, President and CEO of parent company Leblon, and creator of Cedilla. "It's a wonderful 'superfruit' and we are only just tapping into its lavor possibilities." "I've always been a fan of açai," Luttmann explains. "I started eating it when I was living in São Paulo in the 90s, and now I consume it every day." Driven by his long-standing love of the fruit, Luttmann spent three and half years developing and perfecting Cedilla. "This is really something that I'm proud of," says Luttmann. "There's no fakery here; it's all natural and we use real açai, not engineered lavors." Katipai Richardson-Wilson, Head Bartender at The Breslin. Steve Luttmann, creator of Cedilla. Leblon is accustomed to doing things the real way. Bringing Leblon Cachaça to U.S. markets in 2005, the brand introduced the authentic Brazilian sugarcane spirit and its offspring cocktail, the Caipirinha, to a whole new world. However, Leblon is unique in that it combines traditional Brazilian practices with European winemaking techniques to make the spirit extra smooth. The real açai berries used in Cedilla are manually picked from trees in the Amazon region of Brazil and then quickly lash-frozen and taken to Tucked away inside the Ace Hotel in the Flatiron District of New York City, The Breslin is the perfect combination of a swanky New York bar and a charming British pub. Katipai RichardsonWilson, the Head Bartender, does the mixing here and only has great things to say about new Cedilla Liqueur: "Cedilla is great to mix with because it has this really subtle complexity. The makeup of Cedilla means that, depending on what you're mixing it with, you can see it lex in different directions. " To exhibit just what Cedilla can do, Richardson-Wilson mixed an American Beauty and explains, "What I like about the American Beauty is that on paper, it reads as this very accessible cocktail, but the use of fresh rosemary and Prosecco add a depth, which the use of Cedilla highlights. " Maison Leblon, the brand's distillery in Patos de Minas. The fruit is then blended with orange, lime and ginger root and macerated in uniltered Leblon Cachaça for one month. The result is a royally purple, and undeniably lavorful, 50-proof liqueur. And with 500 berries jammed into each bottle, Cedilla deinitely stays true to its parent fruit. "Açai has a unique lavor and Cedilla really relects that," American Beauty ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ¾ oz. Cedilla Açai Liqueur 1½ oz. vodka ½ oz. fresh lemon juice ¼ oz. simple syrup 15 sprigs of rosemary Prosecco, to top ◗ Combine Cedilla, vodka, lemon juice, simple syrup and rosemary in a shaker. Add ice and shake well. Strain into a martini glass and top with Prosecco. Garnish with a rosemary sprig. says Luttmann. "The berry note is obviously very clear, but there is an indulgent, chocolaty note to it, with just a little bit of spice. It's complex and adds something special to every drink it's mixed in." Delicious enough to be consumed neat but subtle enough to become the perfect "accent" to a favorite cocktail, Cedilla Liqueur is purely Brazilian—no need to speak Portuguese. january 2013 / the tasting panel / 83