Editing Paraty (section)

=== Cachaça ===
Before the gold mines came sugar cane, the products of which were the main exports of Brazil beginning around the 1500s. Under Portuguese occupation, most of the colony's regions were dedicated to the production of sugar, but Paraty remained focused on [[cachaça]]. This is most likely due to the more-humid climate, which resulted in a better mash.<ref name="UNESCO Nomination">{{cite web |url=https://whc.unesco.org/document/170535 |title=World Heritage Mixed Site Nomination for UNESCO: Paraty Culture and Biodiversity; Response to the ICOMOS and IUCN joint letter from October 17, 2018 (document GB/AS/1308rev.Add.Inf_1) [Supplemental Materials] |publisher=[[UNESCO]] World Heritage Centre |date=November 2018 |access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref> Cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugarcane juice, is the main ingredient in a [[caipirinha]], the national drink of Brazil.<ref>{{cite web |last=Henry |first=Zane |title=A beginner's guide to cachaça |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/beginners-guide-cachaca |website=nationalgeographic.com |date=June 15, 2021 |access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref> Cachaça is said to be older than rum, as it has been made since the 1500s.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.avuacachaca.com.br/cachaca-its-history |title=Cachaça and its History |website=avuacachaca.com |publisher=Avua Corp. |access-date=March 12, 2025}}</ref> Through the gold rush, cachaça remained an economic powerhouse in Paraty, widely demanded both in Brazil and in Europe. By 1820, over 150 cachaça stills were operating in the region. Over time, the production of cachaça became entwined with the identity of Paraty, and the "cachaça of Paraty" was awarded a Protected Indication of Provenance in 2007.<ref name="UNESCO Nomination" />