Cachaça continues its run for the It Spirit of the ’00s. Here’s another contestant: Água Luca, an otherwise standard cachaça with the distinction of being filtered twelve times en route to the bottle.

Maybe that filtering robs Água Luca of some of its character? Água Luca has a very typical cachaça profile, with a strong industrial, alcoholic edge that’s cut with the sweetness of sugar cane and a nod at citrus notes.

Straight, Água Luca wasn’t a hit. I found it too plain. My wife curiously said it reminded her of tequila, probably because she’s used to smoother cachaças that have hit the market recently.

In a caipirinha, Água Luca shined brightly. It’s a natural with lime and sugar, though even at 40 proof it comes on strong. Looking to pack a punch in your cocktail while using less liquor? Maybe Água Luca’s your man.

B- / $31 / agualuca.com