What's the Difference Between Cachaça and Rum?

The world of sugar-cane spirits is far more diverse than it often gets credit for. This makes sense, as it grows widely in tropical and subtropical climates around the world, and provides plenty of carbohydrates for yeast to convert to alcohol. As such, there are cane-based (and cane-inclusive) spirits from South America and the Caribbean to the Philippines, India, and beyond.

Yet it’s rum that has tended to get the most attention in the United States, specifically rum from throughout the Caribbean. In the past decade or so, however, cachaça has gained enough popularity that some clarification may be in order: What, exactly, is the difference between rum and cachaça?

Both rum and cachaça begin with sugar cane. The majority of rum is produced from molasses, which means that after the sugar cane is harvested, the juice is then cooked into molasses; That molasses, in turn, is fermented and then distilled. This process, it has to be noted, doesn’t totally divorce the spirit from its constituent cane’s place of origin…at least when the cane itself is conscientiously sourced.

“It’s always an interesting conversation when it comes to sugarcane and terroir,” explains Gabe Urrutia, brand ambassador for Brugal 1888, adding: “As we get into sugar production, we end up with the by-product of molasses. At that point, we are removed from the original juice. Does that mean we want molasses to come from another part of the world? Absolutely not. There can still be a farm-to-table approach as it pertains to this. Brugal 1888 rum, for example, sources their molasses from two local sugar producers. The rum then has to be fermented, distilled, and matured in the Dominican Republic.”

The aging environment has a large impact on the final product – variations in temperature and humidity are crucial – as does the way in which it was distilled. “Column stills produce a lighter, higher proof spirit using a continuous process,” Urrutia notes. “As a result, we end up with a lighter spirit with fewer congeners,” the compounds that give fermented and distilled liquids their unique flavors and aromas. “A pot still, on the other hand, is a batch process that produces a spirit at a lower ABV; this introduces more interaction with the liquid and still. The heavier congeners stay with the liquid, producing complex flavors that can be tasted in the rum.” Neither method has a monopoly on producing great rums, yet they do result in substantially different liquids coming off the still. Personal preference, as always, is key.

Some rums (and all cachaças) are crafted from the juice itself, and skip the cooking-into-molasses part of the equation. These are referred to as agricole-style rums. There is a legal place-name distinction for rhum agricole of Martinique, but agricole-style rums are produced elsewhere, too, including Copalli in Belize, Kuleana in Hawaii, Renegade in Grenada, and elsewhere. They are all produced from the cane juice itself, not molasses.

Molasses-based rums can also be made from estate-grown sugar cane. Mount Gay has a Single Estate Series which is first turned into molasses before being fermented and distilled, yet retains a seriously delicious sense of idiosyncrasy. Ron Barceló in the Dominican Republic has a Rare Blends Collection which is based on estate-grown sugar cane. And last year, Plantation Rum released an Under the Sea Vintage Collection No. 2, which provides a phenomenal education in the various influences of cane source, aging time and vessel, and climate through rums from Jamaica, Fiji, Venezuela, Guyana, Panama, and Barbados.

Cachaça is also produced from cane juice, yet by law it must be made in Brazil — it’s a legally recognized place-name: There is an inherent geographic demarcation that by definition encompasses cachaça that sets it apart.

Still, Brazil is a huge country, and the breadth of terroirs and micro-climates in which the sugar cane for cachaça is grown is significant. This is why some producers rely on single-estate cane, which allows their finished spirit to more fully express a particular plot. Even with those that don’t, cachaça is a unique product unto itself, expressive of its place of origin.

“Rhums agricoles from the French Caribbean are a closer cousin to cachaça on the family tree of cane spirits, because they too are distilled from fresh sugarcane juice,” notes Luke McKinley, marketing director for cachaça producer Novo Fogo. “However, rhums agricoles are column-distilled to a higher proof and usually bottled at 45% to 50% ABV, while artisanal cachaças are distilled in pot stills to a lower proof and must be bottled between 38% and 48% ABV.” As a result, he continues, “Cachaças reflect the round, fresh flavors and aromas of the fresh sugarcane plant. Rhums agricoles also evoke fresh sugarcane, but their production method lends to a drier spirit.” They’re often described as being spicier in character, and more vegetal.

Then there is the issue of wood aging, which is another potential difference between cachaça and rum: Many cachaça producers age their spirit in woods that grow in Brazil or elsewhere in South America, as opposed to American or European oak, which is far more common in the world of rum.

"About a dozen indigenous woods have been used for making barrels over the 500-year history of cachaça production in Brazil,” McKinley adds. “Some of the Brazilian woods contribute delightful sensorial characteristics to cachaça. But in reality, a lot of the types of Brazilian wood used for barrel-aging are endangered at some level. We at Novo Fogo carefully use three different kinds of Brazilian woods in our Two-Woods Cachaça series, which are first aged in American oak (which we prefer), and then transferred to Brazilian wood barrels for finishing. For us, these cachaças are part of our platform to raise awareness about rainforest conservation in Brazil, and we release them sparingly. We believe Brazilian woods should only be used in small quantities by people who understand the full picture, or else they could contribute to the destruction of Brazil’s precious forests, even unwittingly.”

Great cachaça, agricole-style rum, and molasses-derived rum are an increasingly important presence on American shelves and back bars. Which means that there are more opportunities than ever before to learn about and taste wide swaths of them all. This, as always, is the fun part.