Aguardiente, a combination of the Spanish words agua and ardiente, is a 38% to 54% alcohol by volume
spirit made by fermenting and distilling fruits, including citrus, bananas,
madronho grapes, tubers, like manioc, beets, and potato, and grain, such as
rice, millet, and barley. That which some consider to be
"true" Aguardiente is made from sugar cane and bamboo. |
A broad category which could include spirits as varied as Pisco, Chicha, Sake, Guaro, and Vodka, Aguardiente, such as Aguardiente de caña Cubana, in both amber and white expressions, is made from a molasses and water slurry often produced in small homemade batches and has a more robust and rustic mouth and flavor than rum or Brazilian Cachaça. (In Brazil, the distinction between the two spirits is by the particular byproduct of sugarcane used as the base and the amount of alcohol by volume (ABV) - Cachaça, with an ABV of 38 to 48% is made from cane juice expressed in the sugar refining process.)
While other Latin American and Caribbean
cultures developed their rum and aguardiente, distilling was banned in Cuba by
the Spanish crown in the 17th century and aguardiente was home brewed to get around the laws of
Spain, before the year of British rule brought distilling to the island.
Country: Brazil, Cuba, Columbia, Catalonia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Galicia, Haiti, Mexico, Portugal, Sardinia
