Brazil
Over 5,000 distillers produced 1.3 billion liters of cachaça in 2006. Distilled from fresh sugar cane juice, cachaça differs from rhum agricole in that it is distilled to between 38 - 54% alcohol by volume and bottled at between 38 and 48% alcohol by volume. Brazilian distillers also make rum from molasses but cachaça is the national spirit. In the last few years, aged cachaças have begun to be exported from Brazil.
According to the Brazilian legislation:
Cachaça is the typical and exclusive denomination of the aguardente de cana produced in Brazil, with alcoholic graduation from 38 to 48 per cent in volume, at 20 degrees Celsius, obtained the from the distillation of the fermented must of sugar cane, with peculiar sensory characteristics, can be added of sugar until 6 grams per liter expressed as sucrose.
Aguardente de cana is the beverage with alcoholic graduation from 38 to 54 per cent in volume, at 20 degrees Celsius, obtained from the simple alcoholic distilled from sugar cane or from the distillation of the fermented must of sugar cane, can be added of sugar until 6 grams per liter expressed as sucrose.
Cachaça is the focus of Brazilian cane spirit exports, but Brazilian distillers also make rum from molasses for export and domestic consumption.
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In July 2009, I caught up with Gerry Schwitzer of Leblon Cachaça who spoke to me about the origins of sugar in Brazil and cachaça.

- There are 13 sugar cane spirit distillers in this database from Brazil.
- Agroecológica Marumbi Ltda
- Armazem Vieira
- BBL
- Engarrafamento Pitu Ltda.
- GRM
- Guapiara Ind. e Com. LTDA
- Industria, Comerércio e Exportação de Cachaça Meia Lua Ltda
- Maison Leblon
- Missiato Indústria E Comércio Ltda
- Pirassununga
- Sagatiba Brasil SA
- Weber Haus Cachaçaria
- Ypióca Agroindustrial Ltda
- There are also 9 companies in this database blending/bottling sugar cane spirits from Brazil.
- Beija Corp
- Beleza Pura
- Cabana Cachaça LP
- Cuca Fresca
- Fazenda Mae de Ouro Cachaça
- Industria, Comerércio e Exportação de Cachaça Meia Lua Ltda
- Moleca
- Oronoco Ltd.
- Seagram's Brazil