Academia da Cachaca

Brazil's famously potent national drink, cachaca, is celebrated in all its myriad forms at this lively little bar that has become a Leblon nightlife institution. The national firewater may have a reputation for being as harsh on the palate as it is on the head the following day, but Academia da Cachaca proves that the best cachacas are genuinely delicious tipples. There are some 80 versions on offer here, including barrel-aged and artisan versions, which can be enjoyed by themselves or mixed into dangerously tasty cocktails. There's a small shop here, selling bottles of cachaca as well as caipirinha-making kits.