Redondo understood the importance of advertising so he launched the first Portuguese advertising campaign using billboards. Meanwhile, a law forbidding the claim of medical properties for liqueurs came into force, the alcoholic beverages were no longer qualified as medicinal. The young man from the North took this opportunity and started producing the nectars independently, with the same craftsman’s processes, in a small factory. During the maceration, the secret recipe of 13 spices, plants and aromatic seeds is blended with alcohol of agricultural origin.

Although the origin of the caipirinha is officially unknown, there are several unproven stories on how this drink came to be! Cut the limes in half, lengthwise. (Photo 2) Stand the halved limes up and slice lengthwise in quarters. (Photo 3) That goes for your limes! They have to be very juicy, or they won’t produce much liquid when muddled and your caipirinha will be just a sweet shot of cachaça!

Catherine Fallis

It is made from a double distillation of seeds and herbs, including mint, cinnamon, cardamom and lavender, from all over the world, including former Portuguese colonies of Brazil, Sri Lanka, and India. The right way to prepare a caipirinha is by layering the ingredients. Lime and sugar go in first, and get muddled to release the lime juices. Then, you add the ice and finally the liquor. Here’s how I make caipirinha. As always, you will find the printable (and more complete) version of the recipe at the end of this post! Step 1: Prepare the limes Once the alcoholate is ready, it is then added into a mixture of alcohol, sugar and water. This mixture is then tested to ensure it fits the secret recipe’s parameters. On my very first trip to Lisbon in 2006, I discovered a sweet, herby liqueur and promptly fell in love with it. And with Lisbon, of course.

However, if your experience was not the best, please don’t run for the hills! Give my recipe a try. I would love the chance to change your mind! 😉 What is Caipirinha? If you don’t have an ice machine that produces crushed ice, place your ice cubes in a resealable bag, and smash with a meat tenderizer or rolling pin until the ice is crushed. (Photo 7) You could also crush the ice using a blender or food processor. After being weighed out and mixed, the plants and herbs are mixed with alcohol, and remain in maceration for a minimum of about twenty to twenty five days. The resulting contents are then twice distilled in copper alembics. [1]The usage of natural plants and herbs is one of this liqueur’s main distinctive factors since it doesn’t make use of essences and artificial aromas like in most liqueurs — rather, the aroma used is produced locally, an alcoholate made from the base ingredients.