We cultivate it directly in Brava, on terraces facing the sea. The cane grows in the sun, caressed by the ocean breeze. The different canes we use are:
"Cana Preta" - Black Cane
"Cana preta" (black cane) is recognized as the best cane for producing grog. It has several distinctive characteristics:
- Sugar richness: Black sugarcane is known for its high sugar content, making it an ideal choice for producing spirits such as grog. This sugar richness contributes to the quality and flavor of the final product.
- Unique taste qualities: Black sugarcane offers specific taste qualities, often described as rich, complex, and aromatic. These characteristics add depth and complexity to sugarcane-derived products, such as rums and local spirits.
- Distinctive visual appearance: Black sugarcane is often distinguished by its characteristic dark color, hence its name. This deep color can vary in intensity depending on the specific variety and growing conditions.
"Cana Riscada" - Red Cane
"Cana riscada" (red cane), now endangered as it is grown in small plots for better care and manual harvesting.
- Reddish coloration: Red sugarcane gets its name from its characteristic reddish hue, which can vary in intensity depending on the varieties and growing conditions. This coloration can be observed mainly on the leaf sheaths and stems of the plant.
- Sugar richness: Like other sugarcane varieties, red sugarcane is valued for its high sugar content. This sugar richness makes it a valuable raw material for the production of sugar, molasses, and other derived products.
- Yield: Some red sugarcane varieties are known for their high sugar yield per cultivated area. This makes them an attractive choice for farmers and producers looking to maximize their production of sugar and other derived products.
Our Harvesting Method
We harvest by hand, plot by plot, first cutting the head which will then be replanted. Then, we isolate the body to keep only the best. The cane stalks are tied into bundles, then transported on men's backs along the steep paths of the plantation.
This is a job that requires immense physical strength, resilience, and technique: local and ancestral know-how.
Wise words are like sugarcane that you suck: the flavor cannot be exhausted.
Malagasy Proverb
