The signature spirit of Brazil is cachaça (ca·sha·sa) which distilled from fresh sugarcane juice. There are two styles, unaged, which is bottled just after distillation, and aged, which is aged in American, Brazilian, or French oak barrels from three to twelve years; some of these aged versions are double distilled.

The best examples of cachaça offer flavors of banana, powdered sugar, coconut and pepper; some have a more rustic, fuel-like character. While some cachaças are enjoyed on their own, most are used to mix in cocktails, in particular Brazil’s national cocktail, The Caipirinha (kie-purr-REEN-yah), which is simply cachaça, sugar, and muddled lime.