Thousands of microdistilleries are helping to change the face of Brazil’s national spirit, creating aged and wood-blended expressions that are pulling in new fans.

Believe it or not, cachaça is the third most popular spirit in the world. In its homeland of Brazil, there are some 5,000 registered brands, with many more unregistered, and 40,000 distilleries.

For many drinkers outside of its native Brazil, cachaça is a largely mysterious category, perhaps known as the star of a Caipirinha and nothing more. In its homeland, however, cachaça’s popularity borders on religious.

Brazil’s cachaça is carving out an identity for itself ahead of the 2016 Olympics, as Richard Woodard reports

Pirassununga 51 was the world’s best selling cachaça in 2012, according to Drinks International’s The Millionaire’s Club 2013.

Diageo, the world's leading premium drinks business, has announced that it has reached agreement with Ypióca Agroindustrial Limitada to buy cachaça brand, Ypióca, and certain production assets.

The US is to officially recognise cachaça as a spirit from Brazil. The sugar cane spirit is currently labelled Brazilian rum in the US.

Brazil’s national spirit is confined mostly to its own country’s shores. But Hamish Smith unearths a number of factors that look about to change all that

Gruppo Campari has announced the acquisition of Brazilian cachaça brand Sagatiba and half-year sales growth of 14.2%.