10 Most Popular Brazilian Cachaca Brands

The Menaghel family crafts some of Brazil's best cachaca. The recipe spans five generations, using organic sugarcane, local yeast, and a one-pot distillation method. Yaguara cachaca tastes of:

• Passion fruit
• Papaya
• Mango
• Chamomile
• Guava
• Pineapple

The liquor makes a delicious caipirinha cocktail. Yaguara Cachaca won the gold medal in the 2014 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.

Novo Fogo distills their cachaca in one of the most beautiful places in the world. UNESCO named the Atlantic Forest the world's second-largest biosphere reserve, and the region's purity informs the cachaca's taste. The brand utilizes sustainable, organic distillation methods. They grow their own pesticide-free sugarcane. The spirit tastes of bell peppers, green beans, and yeast. Mix it into a Brazilian old-fashioned for an unforgettable cocktail. 

Leblon makes a tequila lover cachaca. The spirit has a similar initial taste to its agave-based cousin. However, the liquor also tastes of vanilla, citrus, and pepper. Leblon Cachaca's delicious flavor, brought to life by pure sugar cane, earned the double gold medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2007.

Pitu makes traditional cachaca using sustainable methods. The Carniero family developed Pitu's distillation method and continues overseeing cachacas production. Pitu's cachaca is mellow and sweeter than many of its contemporaries. The smooth, buttery spirit makes a top-shelf martini. Enjoy on its own; the drink evinces notes of corn and oak.  

Capucana Cachaca springs from a love story between a Danish engineer and his half-Brazilian, half-German wife. The couple began making cachaca for their own enjoyment. Christiano and Sofia's great-grandchildren continue to use their ancestor's initial recipe to produce some of Brazil's most delicious and unique cachaca. Capucana tastes of honey blossoms, pear, and vanilla.

Ypioca Cachaca claims the title of the oldest Brazilian distillery still in operation. The name means "red earth," referring to the soil that grows healthy sugarcane. The company has been passed down through generations of loving crafters who have dedicated their lives to producing sustainable cachaca. The spirit makes a delicious spicy Paloma. The cachaca tastes faintly of caramel tea and plums.

Avua handcrafts its cachaca in wood casks from Latin American forests. Avua is handcrafted by one of the few female distillers in Brazil, who grows her own sugarcane on her family farm. The personal touch pays off; Avua tastes unique, with overtones of lemongrass and herbs. The spirit goes beautifully in an Amburana and Coke. 

Sagatiba Velha makes creative, bohemian cachacas. The brand constantly reinvents itself, trying new distillation methods while honoring the spirit's origins. Sagatiba Velha ages its cachaca for two years prior to bottling. The resulting spirit tastes of coconut custard, banana, praline, and golden raisins. The cachacas mix well in cocktails but also tastes great alone. 

Velho Barreiro makes one of Brazil’s favorite cachacas. The company grows its own sugarcane and carefully oversees every step of distillation. Velho Barreiro uses Jequitiba Rosa wood barrels to store their cachaca. The wood doesn't impart any flavor to the cachacas, keeping the taste pure—the spirit tastes of caramel, cinnamon, and cumin.

With over 240 million liters sold each year, Cachaca 51 is the main cachaca brand in Brazil and the second-most popular spirit worldwide. The Brazilian neutral alcohol cachaca is made by distilling sugar cane juice that has undergone fermentation. The finest varieties of cane crop from the center of the Brazilian plantation area are used to make Cachaca 51, which is gathered when its sugar content is at its highest.