51 Cachaca Brazil
Cachaça | 1L | 40% ABV (80 proof) | Unaged — 51 Cachaça Brazil — also known as Caninha 51 — is Brazil's best-selling cachaça and the backbone of the national cocktail: made by Companhia Müller de Bebidas in Pirassununga, São Paulo, since 1959. Cachaça is not rum: it is distilled from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice (never molasses), fermented about three weeks in copper or wood vats, and bottled unaged and crystal clear as the traditional branca style. Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor in San Diego, CA.
The profile is built for one job: the caipirinha. Importer and retailer notes describe a soft, velvety, lightly sweet spirit with vanilla tones on the nose and vegetal, fruity, citrus notes — neutral enough to let muddled lime and sugar shine, characterful enough to carry the drink. Internationally launched in the 1990s as "The Brazilian Original," it earned ISW medals in 2022 and 2024 (importer tech sheet). This is the essential bottle for Brazilian cocktails — distinct from rum, and typed accordingly.
Tasting notes
Appearance: crystal clear. Nose: vanilla tones (importer). Palate: soft, velvety, mildly sweet, lightly vegetal and fruity (citrus). Designed as the neutral base for caipirinhas.
Why buy it from Del Mesa Liquor
- 1L, 40% ABV — unaged (branca) Brazilian cachaça
- Cachaça 51 — Brazil's iconic brand since 1959, from Pirassununga, São Paulo
- The essential caipirinha base — fresh cane juice, never molasses
- Available to order online at Del Mesa Liquor
How to serve it
Make the classic: muddle half a lime with two teaspoons of sugar in a rocks glass, fill with crushed ice, and pour 2 oz of 51 over it — the caipirinha.
Frequently asked questions
Is cachaça the same as rum?
No — cachaça is distilled from fresh sugarcane juice; rum is distilled from molasses (or cane syrup). They are distinct categories.
Is 51 aged?
No — it is unaged (branca), bottled clear.
What size is the bottle?
This listing is the 1L bottle — the most common US-facing format.
Who makes it?
Companhia Müller de Bebidas in Pirassununga, São Paulo, Brazil — founded 1959.