Decree 73,267 and Law 371 of the Ministry of Agriculture
Definitions of Cachaça, Rum, etc.
1. "Cachaça", "aguardente de cana", "pinga" or "caninha" are the beverages obtained with an alcohol content of 38 - 54% v/v, from the distillation of fermented sugar-cane juice. Sugar may be added to the beverages, at at rate of up to 6 grams per litre. Beverages containing more than 6 grams of sugar per litre, (and less than 30 grams per litre), will be called "sweet cachaça", or "sweet cane aguardente", or "sweet pinga", or "sweet caninha."
Aged cachaça / aguardente de cana / pinga / caninha is a beverage containing at least 50% of distillate that has been aged for a minimum of 1 year. Caramel may be added for color adjustment. The total content of congeners shall not be less than 2000 ppm, or more than 6500 ppm, on an anhydrous-alcohol basis.
2. "Aguardente of molasses" is the beverage containing 38 - 54% v/v alcohol, obtained in a single distillation of fermented diluted molasses. Sugar may be added, up to 6 grams per litre.
3. "Rum" is a beverage with an alcohol content of 35 - 54% v/v alcohol, obtained from a single distillation of fermented sugar-cane juice, molasses, or mixtures of both, maintaining the aromatic components responsible for its specific organoleptic characteristics (of rum), totally or partially aged. The total content of congeners shall not be less than 400 ppm, or more than 5,000 ppm, on an anhydrous-alcohol basis.
4. "Cane Single Alcoholic Distillate" is the product with an alcohol content above 54% v/v and below 95% v/v, obtained from the distillation and, optionally, partial rectification of fermented sugar-cane juice. It is destined for the preparation of alcoholic beverages.