Discover Cachaça: The Essential Spirit of Rio’s Caipirinhas

Experience the Flavor of Brazil

If you’re dreaming of a trip to Brazil’s Copacabana Beach, start right here at home by mixing a cocktail with cachaça, the South American country’s national spirit.

What is Cachaça?

Cachaça (pronounced ‘kah-SHA-sah’) is a spirit that shows up in spicy-sweet sips all over the world, but it’s best known as the main ingredient in a Caipirinha cocktail. A traditional Caipirinha (‘kai-peer-EEN-yah’) is a Brazilian cocktail made with muddled lime and sugar, ice cubes, and cachaça, served in an old-fashioned glass with a lime garnish.

Hand holding glass of caipirinha on the beach. Paraty, RJ, Brazil - stock photo
Priscila Zambotto/Getty Images

Cocktail Variations

There are also alternative ways to enjoy cachaça, such as in a Batida Rosa, which includes soda, pineapple juice, lemon juice, and grenadine, according to Difford’s Guide for Discerning Drinkers, which lists many cachaça-based cocktails.

Chef Ed Verner of Boxer, an experiential bar in Auckland, uses cachaça in a spritz cocktail featuring chardonnay, club soda, tartaric acid, and eucalyptus smoke. He emphasizes the unique qualities of cachaça, stating, “As someone who uses a lot of indigenous plants in my cocktails to showcase the flavors of New Zealand and its terroir, I truly appreciate that cachaça is one of the rare spirits that can change and mature in wood from its own country.”

Cachaça vs. Rum

It’s important to note that cachaça is not rum. Although it was referred to as “Brazilian rum” until 2013, a formal agreement established that this spirit must be called “cachaça.” Cachaça dates back to the 1500s, at least a century before rum appeared. The primary difference between the two spirits is their base ingredients; while rum is traditionally made from molasses, cachaça is derived from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice—resulting in a distinct earthy flavor compared to the thick, licorice taste of rum.

Moreover, cachaça must be produced in Brazil and have an alcohol content of 38 to 48 percent by volume, while rum can be produced globally and is typically distilled to a higher ABV.

Tasting Cachaça

Cachaça has diverse flavor profiles described as spicy, sweet, fruity, vegetal, and even funky. For instance, the award-winning Cachaça Alambique Brasil Ouro Amburana is noted for its complex aroma and flavor. According to the International Wine and Spirits Competition, this cachaça features a bouquet of grassy and floral notes, complemented by a palate of Christmas cake and pumpkin spice.

If you make it to Brazil, consider dining at Oro, a two-Michelin starred restaurant offering a variety of cachaças. Alternatively, enjoy one of the “Pool Caipirinhas” at the Copacabana Palace, a Belmond Hotel, where the Caipirinha de las Flores is crafted from silver cachaça, orange cordial, lemons, and flowers.

Cachaça Day

For those looking to add cachaça to their bar cart or find it at a cocktail bar, mark your calendar for September 13—Dia Nacional da Cachaça (National Cachaca Day). This day commemorates a successful revolt against a prohibition which compelled the King of Portugal to legalize cachaça back in 1661. To celebrate, you might explore creating your own “Perfect Caipirinha” and raise a glass to discover your new favorite spirit.

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