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Cachaça
Is Cachaça a Rum? Is it a Tequila? No amigo, Cachaça is Cachaça!
What is Cachaça?
In Portuguese, Cachaça means ‘Yummm!’ Yes, we took creative license with that translation, but more precisely, Cachaça originally described the froth that arises when making what would become Brazil’s most popular distilled spirit. It’s similar to white Rum except Cachaça’s made straight from sugarcane juice, not molasses or other sugar like other Rums.
Beyond Brazil, Cachaça (pronounced kə-ˈshä-sə) is almost entirely used in tropical drinks, most famously in Brazil's national cocktail, the caipirinha.
How much alcohol is in Cachaça?
The alcohol content of commercially made Cachaça averages 38% to 54% by volume per The Brazilian government and many Cachaça lovers. But beware of homemade Cachaça. It can be as potent as the distiller chooses with varying degrees of added sugar.
What are the different types of Cachaça?
If distillers sweeten the liquor with more than 6 grams of sugar per liter, they must label it as ‘sweetened Cachaça.’ To be called "aged Cachaça," 50% or more of the Cachaça must be aged for a year or more. While distillers might choose to darken it with caramel color, genuine Cachaça is usually clear.
Now, you’re probably crazy-curious to know how Cachaça tastes, right? Well, read ahead to learn. It’s all in the raw, yet rich, story of how this South American liquor is made.
What does Cachaça taste like?
Cachaça is a liquor made from sugarcane juice, which can also be called garapa, and thus Cachaça has a sweet taste to it. Different kinds of Cachaça can taste different. Barrel-aged Cachaça can gain notes of spice from the barrel, where younger unaged Cachaça can have grassy or herbal notes in the flavor.
Where does Cachaça come from?
The first Cachaça was made off the northwest coast of Africa in the Portuguese islands of Madeira. In the 16th century, though, production moved to Brazil as the Portuguese colonists settled there. Now, Cachaça is mostly produced there to the tune of millions of gallons annually to quench the world’s demand — and the stills aren’t slowing down anytime soon.
Cachaça hasn’t been as marketed globally as Rum has, so that might explain why you haven’t heard about it sooner. Another reason could be that there’s never been an influx of Brazilians into the United States quite like those from other countries who brought their now-known drink customs in with significant influence and longevity, too.
Rum also got an early head start over Cachaça from England. Believe it or not, the British Navy struck a deal with sugar planters in the late 1600s, making Rum a part of their sailors’ daily rations. No wonder so many were lost at sea!
Cachaça cravings are only growing in the United States, especially for the premium artisanal Cachaça made in big copper pot stills.
What are the popular brands of Cachaça?
Famous brands from Brazil, like Leblon and Novo Fogo are worth trying neat or mixed in. Leblon earned the 'Top Cachaça’ Double Gold Medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Try them out by making a caipirinha to discover which you prefer the most! Brazil’s best Cachaça cocktail has become a ‘flavorite’ of bartenders worldwide.
Novo Fogo Organic Silver Cachaça, distilled from estate sugarcane, rests for one year at a zero-waste distillery in Brazil's Atlantic Rainforest. Banana and floral aromas blend with notes of sea salt and chocolate for a tropical experience. No passport required.
How is Cachaça made?
Cachaça is often called ‘Brazilian Rum,’ which is close, but wrong. Both Cachaça and Rum are distilled from sugar, it’s true. But, Cachaça is made straight from the raw sugarcane juice itself versus Rum, which is derived from sugarcane by-products such as molasses. This unprocessed, fresh-pressed cane juice isn’t the same, nor does Brazil ever want it to be.
What does Cachaça taste like?
For the best Cachaça first-ever experience, try aged Cachaça on the rocks or neat. It may remind you of white Rum. It’s not aged not in oak barrels like Rrum but rather in wooden vats made from indigenous trees, including the national tree of Brazil, the yellow-flowered ipê. The process results in a fruity-sweet, yet spicy notes — less sweet than Rum, though. You may notice slightly herbal, grassy flavors, too. Why? Because Cachaça is distilled from raw sugarcane plants and not molasses or other concentrated sugar.
What is a caipirinha?
The Caipirinha is the national cocktail of Brazil, made using cachaça.
In making a Premium Caipirinha, bartenders use the even-purer Cachaça Pitu, which is made only from the sugarcane juice of the first pressing. To make one yourself, slice a lime into several pieces, drop in your glass along with just 1-2 teaspoons of cane sugar. Then, squeeze out the lime juice, add 2 oz of Cachaca Pitu, and fill the glass with crushed ice. Give it a good shake, pour and imbibe in the national pride of Brazil. Don’t forget to tell your friends, especially the Brazilian soccer fans around World Cup time.
Browse our wide selection of Cachaça above and start exploring all this category has to offer.