Any Rums from Brazil I should ask a friend to bring back?

[malice]

I know about Cachaça, but only to the extent that I am pretty sure I am not a fan of it. I wasn't fond of all 2 of the Caipirinha's I tried and I had quite a shock when I cracked open and tried my bottle of Leblon neat that I bought on a whim.

I have a friend visiting Brazil in a month or so, specifically Florianopolis and the Island of Santa Catarina I believe, but he plans to travel around on the mainland a bit as well.

Are there any rums I should request he bring back if he has room in his bag or a particular bottle of cachaça that I shouldn't miss out on trying if I have the opportunity that I can't find in the United States?

Thanks!

[Edoc]

I have to agree with you about cachaça. I prefer a Caipirissima to a Caipirinha any day of the week. Pretty much the only cachaça I've ever found acceptable is Cabana Cachaça, which I tried recently at the NYC rum festival. It's a $30 bottle however, which strikes me as kinda dear for cachaça.

[Edward Hamilton]

Your friend probably won't find Cabana in Brazil. If you don't have a taste fro cachaзa I'd ask him to look for some aged cachaзa. The good news is that even aged cachaзa isn't generally expensive in Brazil.

[Dave in the basement]

I have to agree with you about cachaзa. I prefer a Caipirissima to a Caipirinha any day of the week. Pretty much the only cachaзa I've ever found acceptable is Cabana Cachaзa, which I tried recently at the NYC rum festival. It's a $30 bottle however, which strikes me as kinda dear for cachaзa.

Care to share your recipe? Online I have found recipes ranging from 2 teaspoons to 3 (!) ounces of lime juice. Thanks in advance!

Dave

[Edward Hamilton]

There are a lot of measures, about the only thing I've seen that is consistent in cachaca is that you want to add a lot of sugar and a lot of lime juice.

In regards to the recipes on this site, most were added by forum members.

[Edoc]

I generally customize my cocktail recipes depending on the strength of flavor of the rum or ingredients (even limes can vary quite a bit in flavor/bitterness). My Caipirissima recipe:

half a lime, cut and muddled in a glass
optional teaspoon of superfine sugar (or simple syrup)
fill the glass with crushed ice
top the glass with a good white rum

Variations on the theme:
1. same as above, but instead of sugar or syrup add a sweet flavored rum to float on top
2. same as above, but instead of white rum, use a rhum agricole or a funky dark agricole such as Barbancourt 4yr or 8yr

Some bars and restaurants carry 10 Cane rum, which is a good fit for a "sparkling Caipirissima":

half a muddled lime
crushed ice
10 Cane
a splash of Sprite or 7 Up

Also: Here's a review of Cabana Cachaça (http://www.drinkhacker.com/2008/06/07/review-cabana-cachaca/) which sums up my opinion of it nicely.

Also 2: Just noticed that RumDood has a review of Cabana (http://rumdood.com/2008/04/19/rum-review-cabana-cachaca/).

[Dave in the basement]

Thanks very much for sharing!

I didn't even realize we had recipes here. :o I should have known better!