If I could say one thing in regards to the circular fashion of society’s ever-changing palate preferences, it’s that today, more than any other time in our history, the resurgence of forgotten spirits is alive and thriving, and the notion that ‘bitter is better!’ has swept the craft cocktail scene. However, the one exception to this movement has been with the rebirth of Brazil’s most popular distilled spirit — cachaça. Within the last ten years, the sugarcane-distilled “rum” has become a favorite among artisanal spirit practitioners and a staple item in most craft bars. Forged in traditional copper pot stills and rested in French oak casks, cachaça, or otherwise known as aguardente, pinga or caninha, is unique to Brazil and can only be crafted within its geographic boundaries. Although it’s only been within a decade that its popularity has spiked, Brazilian sugarcane producers have been crafting this spirit since the Portuguese colonization in the mid-1500s. The libation’s uncommon qualities place cachaça in a category of its own; not quite a rum, but not different enough to be considered not a rum. Coupled with its historical significance and recent boom in popularity, cachaça is currently the third most consumed spirit in the world — and the base spirit for Brazil’s national cocktail: The Caipirinha. The Monkey See Monkey Do is a cocktail that is loosely based on the premise of a Caipirinha. Crafted with Leblon cachaça and containing strong notes of banana and fresh avocados, the Monkey See Monkey Do pays homage to Brazil and its natural exports. Fresh citrus and orgeat round out the flavor palate, creating a perfectly balanced cocktail that electrifies the “complex flavor in terms of sensory attributes” (Leblon) of cachaça.
