If you’ve been flirting with the idea of a cachaça-based cocktail, summer is a great time to turn your fancy into fact.
From a flavour perspective, cachaça has much in common with its sister spirit, rum. Both are distilled from sugarcane—cachaça from sugarcane juice and rum from molasses. This difference in raw material significantly impacts the final taste, with cachaça often described as having a grassy, vegetal flavour, while rum tends to be slightly sweeter.
Here are a few of our favourites.
1. Caipirinha
No cachaça cocktail list would be complete without Brazil’s national drink—the Caipirinha. Simply muddle lime wedges and a teaspoon or so of caster sugar in a tumbler before filling with crushed ice. Pour over a double measure of cachaça and stir to chill. Serve with a lime wedge. Zesty, and refreshing; the lime and sugar beautifully complement the earthy kick of cachaça.
Perfect for: Summer evenings, BBQs or happy hour.
2. Batida de Coco
This dreamy blender cocktail is a summer winner and couldn’t be easier to assemble. Add a double shot each of coconut cream and cachaça to a blender with a splash of sweetened condensed milk and a handful of ice. Whizz till smooth and frothy and serve in a chilled glass garnished with a pineapple wedge. A rich and creamy cocktail, like a Brazilian-style Piña Colada, but with cachaça’s distinctive depth.
Perfect for: Poolside lounging or dessert-style sipping.
3. Rabo de Galo
A spirit-forward, slightly bitter cocktail: think of it as a Brazilian take on the Manhattan or Negroni. Add 15 ml of sweet (rosso) vermouth, 45 ml of golden cachaça and a dash of Angostura bitters to a mixing jug with a handful of ice. Stir well to chill and strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice before garnishing with an orange twist. This cocktail packs a punch so sip sparingly.
Perfect for: Evening sipping or pairing with savoury snacks.
4. Cachaça Sour
A close relative of the Brazilian Pisco Sour, this variant has a silky-smooth finish. Dry shake a double shot of cachaça with 25 ml each of fresh lime juice and sugar syrup, an egg white and a few drops of Angostura bitters. Once combined, shake again with ice and strain into a champagne coupe. Frothy and citrusy, this elegant cocktail plays up cachaça’s earthy notes with a velvety texture.
Perfect for: Cocktail bars or impressing guests at home.
