The origin of the drink is unknown but there are stories about it. The word “caipirinha” is the diminutive of the word “caipira”, which in Brazilian-Portuguese refers to someone from the countryside.

One of the most reliable story says that Caipirinha is based on Poncha, an alcoholic drink from Madeira, Portugal where the main ingredient is aguardente de cana, which is made from sugar cane.

Portugal had pioneered the plantation system in the Atlantic islands of Madeira and São Tomé switching to Brazil as they needed more land to plant it on. By 1570, the extensive cultivation of sugar was for the export market.

It is possible that the sailors who used to drink citrus juices with spirit to ward against scurvy, adopted cachaça instead of rum when they arrived in Brazil.