From Cane to Glass:
Our Process
Single Farm Spirit
The history of cachaça is connected to the history of agriculture in Brazil. As sugar growing spread across the country centuries ago, distilleries followed, creating a close link between fresh cane and the fresh spirit made from it. This is rare in the world of liquor where base materials are generally ordered in by the truck load. But growing the cane you distill is a cachaça tradition.
We think of Nossa Cachaça as an agricultural product. Every step of the process, from growing the cane to filling the bottle, happens on the Santo Antônio Ranch.
The Soil
The first step is the soil. The Ranch sits among gently rolling hills near the Rio Pará, giving our cane distinct fresh flavors and soft minerality that forms the base of our cachaça. We protect that terroir by cultivating the cane organically.
The Heart of the Cane
We harvest cane every year from June through November, in the Brazilian winter and spring. Every cut of the sugarcane counts, so we work with exceptional cutters who carefully assess each stalk, quickly clip off the tips and stray leaves, and send the hearts of the cane to the distillery.
Slow Press
Sugarcane ferments fast in the hot Brazilian sun, so we move bundles of cane inside as soon as we can. Then we run it through the press to extract as much juice as possible.
Natural Fermentation
We transfer the juice to stainless steel tanks and ferment it for 24 hours. The cane juice naturally ferments when the sun heats the barn and activates the unique yeast that lives wild and free on the ranch. We could add packaged yeast to speed the process, but it's tradition to let nature run its course.
Rested With Care
Fresh cachaça is then aged up to three years in 700 liter barrels made from sustainably sourced amburana wood that adds layers of cinnamon and clove.