Today, May 21st, we celebrate Brazilian’s favorite – along with football and beautiful women: cachaça. Once an outcast, pinga (one of its many nicknames) is today famous worldwide and now even gets its own day.

The days in which cachaça was seen as the poor cousin of great drinks are long gone. Today, a well renowned bottle of cachaça can cost up to US$ 150, more expensive than some Scotch whiskeys. Even the way  you drink it has changed: you can’t simply slide such a precious liquid down your throat. This exquisite spirit must be tasted served in fine glasses such as wine or cognac.

And if you think Brazilians are the only ones to appreciate a good cachaça or its most famous variation, caipirinha, you’re wrong. Last year only, 11 million liters were sold to approximately 60 countries. Producers have been dreaming about making it widely recognized as a Brazilian original product just like tequila to Mexico and Champagne to France.

Chatting has been fun, but let’s make this interesting: how many “pinga” shots are you having to celebrate Cachaça Day??