Brazilian rum/cachaca

[khoiberg]

My wife and I are going to be in Brazil this week. Any recommendations for good local rums or cachacas?

I've not tried many cachacas, but I want to be open.

Thanks.

[scubadoo97]

I haven't had it but remember seeing a Thirsty Traveler episode on it. It is found as a clear spirit that is not aged. I would think that would be good for mixing. It can also be found aged which gives it a golden hue and smooths it out a bit. I can't think of the name but the bottle that I see in most of our stores here has a picture of a shrimp on it and is clear.

[Ed Hamilton]

Pitu is the most common cachaca in the states. But Brazil is a big country, so go for it. Keep and open mind and see what happens. And when you find something you like, buy as much as you can carry home. The taxes are relatively small compared to the frustration of running out of something you've come to like.

There are literally hundreds of small stills making cachaca so expect large differences in quality. Most cachaca is served mixed so before you fall in love with something, take a sip of your new love straight. You might be surprised, how good, or bad it is.

Being a spirit that is made from fresh sugar cane juice, expect differences in quality and taste from year to year. Rainfall is only one of the factors that changes the taste of these distilled spirits.

Happy hunting and drinking.

[scheer]

try to see if there is some simmilarity with "rhums" from the French Islands like Martinique Guadeloupe or Reunion. You'll be surprised!

Haven't they all that "sugar cane juice" note?

[Ed Hamilton]

I will also be interested to hear your impression of the local cachaca compared to rhum agricole. I admit that I drink the rhums from Martinique and Guadeloupe, but haven't found a taste for the Reunion rhum, yet.

[viva]

There's a cachaca thread in the Fine Spirits forum... but without delving too deeply, buy Germana if you are in Brazil. You won't regret it. You can get Ypioca and Pitu in the US, so don't bother lugging it back (and don't ever waste your time on Pitu, no matter what country you're in).

There is, in fact, aged cachaca... I happened upon a bottle of 15 YO Germana in the liquor store at the Sao Paulo airport and was stupid enough not to buy it. <sigh>

[Cachaca_Dave]

When I was last in Brazil I really liked drinking Germana. I think that they use Banana leaves when they filter it, which gives it a sweeter taste. The one thing that drove me nuts was the recycled bottles that they use under the banana leaf wrapping. And for their 375ml bottle? RANDOM BEER BOTTLES