Spontaneous fermentation, sugarcane like a vineyard, and a philosophical approach to distillation between Italy and Brazil.
There are distilleries that are born to replicate a style, others to respond to a market. And then there are some that are born as an almost philosophical act, a statement about time, matter, and craft. Alba Destilaria, in Monte Belo do Sul, southern Brazil, undoubtedly belongs to this latter category.
Monte Belo do Sul is a small town of just over 2,500 inhabitants, nestled in the heart of Rio Grande do Sul, a region that shares more in common with northern Italy than with the tropical imagery commonly associated with Brazil. Here, around 95% of the population descends from Italian immigrants who arrived at the end of the 19th century. It is a land of vineyards, wine cellars, and patient agricultural work—a land where wine is not just a product but a language.
It is in this context that Alba Destilaria was born, a young project — the first distillations date back to 2021, the first sugarcane harvest to 2022 — yet already remarkably mature in thought and approach.
Pedro Paiva: From Psychology to Distillation
Pedro Paiva did not enter distillation through family tradition or economic necessity. His path is anything but linear: he has a degree in psychology, worked for years as a psychologist, and holds a master’s in philosophy, with a background in Renaissance philosophy and Latin-to-Portuguese translation. His wife and co-founder of the distillery, Rosana Cavaleri, comes from the worlds of medicine and art history.
Two paths seemingly distant from alembics, yet they perfectly explain the distillery’s vision. For Pedro, distillation was never just a technique: it began as a passion, became an obsessive study, and ultimately a life choice. After years of reading, distillery visits, and experimentation, the Alba project was conceived in 2020. In 2021 the distillery was built, in 2022 the first bottles arrived. Shortly after, Pedro left psychology entirely to dedicate himself fully to distillation.
Today, Pedro and Rosana live next to the distillery, in the heart of the countryside, working full-time on a project that is as agricultural as it is intellectual.
Why It’s Not Cachaça
One of the first things Pedro clarifies, almost urgently, is this: Alba does not produce cachaça. And this is neither provocation nor value judgment.
Cachaça, by definition, is a distilled sugarcane juice product in Brazil, typically with short fermentations (often 24 hours), a single distillation, and an alcohol content between 38% and 48% ABV. It is a rich tradition, with regional styles, native woods, and a history deeply rooted in Brazilian culture.
At the same time, it is impossible to talk about cachaça without mentioning Minas Gerais, the state that represents the historical and productive heart of Brazilian cachaça. Here lies a vast portion of national production, from rural micro-producers to industrial operations producing millions of liters annually. In Minas Gerais, two worlds coexist: on one side, traditional artisanal production, often destined for local consumption; on the other, large-scale production for domestic and export markets, with a more neutral, standardized style designed for cocktails.
This “volume production” has played — and continues to play — a fundamental role in making cachaça the national spirit of Brazil: accessible, popular, and deeply identitarian. At the same time, however, it has contributed to fixing in the international imagination an idea of cachaça often far from its most complex and terroir-driven expressions.
Alba deliberately positions itself outside this paradigm:
- Spontaneous fermentation, without selected yeasts
- Fermentation duration: 30 to 90 days
- Double distillation
- Bottled at a minimum of 54% ABV
The result is a profile that many international tasters describe as a cross between an elegant rhum agricole and a more controlled Jamaican rum: structured, fresh, yet also deep and aromatically complex, thanks to time.
Sugarcane as Grapes: Variety, Soil, Identity
One of the most fascinating aspects of Alba’s work is the vinous approach applied to rum. In a wine-dominated region, Pedro decided to treat sugarcane as one would a grapevine.
Alba produces rum from a single variety of sugarcane, from specific plots. There is no “generic white rum”: each batch tells a story of place.
- White cane, grown on rocky granite soils near the river, yields a distillate with pronounced minerality.
- Purple cane, from more clayey and muddy soils, develops earthy, almost umami notes, reminiscent of mushrooms and tomato sauce.
This is a terroir-driven approach reminiscent of some of the new agricultural rum distilleries worldwide, yet it arises almost naturally here, in cultural osmosis with wine.
Fermentation with Fibers: The Grappa Connection
Here lies perhaps the philosophical and technical heart of Alba Destilaria.
In grappa production, it is common to ferment the must in the presence of pomace — skins, seeds, and solid grape residues — to extract tannins, structure, and complexity. Pedro applies the same principle to sugarcane.
After pressing, the juice ferments with the cane fibers, in a sort of “whole cane” fermentation. Fibers are then removed, pressed again, and the liquid reintegrated. It is an extremely labor-intensive process that requires time and manpower but imparts tactile structure, a fuller mouthfeel, and an ideal base for aging.
Vinhoto, Bacteria, and Controlled Creativity
The fibers are never wasted. After distillation, they are immersed in vinhoto (the liquid residue of distillation, akin to Jamaican dunder), where a complex bacterial ecosystem develops, producing natural fruity aromas and acidity.
A portion of this liquid is reintroduced in the second distillation, much like a musician adjusting an instrument’s volume to balance a composition. It is a work of sensitivity, not formula.
Water-Bath Distillation
Distillation occurs in a copper water-bath alembic, a rare choice in rum production but well-known in fine spirits. Indirect heating allows greater delicacy, preserves fragile aromatic components, and contributes to a sense of sweetness and harmony reminiscent of artisanal grappa.
Not Just Cane: Grapes, Fruit, Freedom
Alba is not just sugarcane. Pedro also produces grape brandy and fruit spirits (apples, pears, peaches, plums), all spontaneously fermented over long periods. The result is often “funky” spirits, highly aromatic, far from the clean, controlled style of Central European eaux-de-vie.
It is rum made like wine. Distilled fruit like rum. Boundaries dissolve.
Time as an Ally
Alba already has French and American oak barrels — often first-pass ex-bourbon — intended for long aging. The first releases will likely be around three years, always single cask, always in minimal quantities. It is a project that accepts the idea that time cannot be rushed.
Tasting Notes
I first tasted Alba Destilaria’s pure sugarcane distillate thanks to Leszek Wedzicha, friend of Pedro and a key discoverer and promoter of Brazilian artisanal cachaça. We met in Cartagena, Colombia, during the Rum Fest — November 2025 — and he provided the bottle.
It is an aguardente de cana bottled at 54% ABV, not a cachaça by definition. During fermentation, cane fibers are added, and vinhoto is used in distillation, further enriching the aromatic profile.
On the nose, floral, citrus, and fresh notes typical of pure sugarcane distillates emerge immediately, accompanied by an earthy, complex undertone. On the palate, the 54% ABV is perfectly integrated: no harshness, just coherence, structure, and depth. Aromas develop harmoniously, with surprising persistence.
A spirit of great craftsmanship, reflecting a precise vision and profound respect for the raw material.
Alba Destilaria is more than a young project. It is a continuous dialogue between tradition and thought, between Italy and Brazil, between sugarcane and philosophy.
