More than 1,000 bartenders from around the world joined forces at Tales of the Cocktail to proclaim Cachaça as Cachaça, not as Brazilian Rum, as currently required by U.S. law. The Cachaça Declaration of Independence was unanimously signed and ratified, and it will be sent to the U.S. Government’s Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), the agency responsible for labeling spirits. The original document will be sent to the Museum of the American Cocktail in New Orleans for display.
As part of the ceremonies, bartenders gathered in front of the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans and chanted “Legalize Cachaça” alongside a local street jazz band. Traffic was stopped, and Leblon Cachaça’s Gerard Schweitzer read the declaration aloud. When local law enforcement arrived to clear the street, they signed the declaration as well.
Supporters intend to continue the “Legalize Cachaça” campaign until the government approves the recognition of Cachaça as a legal description. Cachaça is the third most consumed spirit in the world and is made from fresh sugar cane juice not molasses, as are most rums. The United States is one of the few countries that does not recognize Cachaça by its official name.
To learn more and to sign the Declaration, visit www.legalizecachaca.com.