Here are some impressions from my visit today to Cabral & Martins, the largest grogue distillery on the island. 
They own about 12 hectares of their own sugar cane fields.
Last year, from January to July (that’s when harvest and production season is), 16,000 liters of grogue were produced.
Only red, white, and black sugar cane grows here, and they make a blend from it. The black variety is the most popular because of its highest sugar content and is therefore used most by other distilleries - but they want to create a product that’s as complex as possible, so the blend which can vary slightly from year to year.
Everything is harvested by hand and produced with a team of 10 people. The distillery has only been really active again since 2025 as they previously only produced for their own consumption - meanwhile they apparently have an importer each in Switzerland and France, and work exclusively with the »la Rhumerie« bar in Paris.
The sugar cane juice is fermented for 3-14 days and then has 11% alcohol as sugar cane »wine« and is subsequently distilled on an Alambique over fire with acacia wood. However, only once up to 70%. Subsequently, the »heads« - roughly the first 3-4 liters - are removed and used for cosmetics (supposedly good for the skin 
), then only the heart »Corazon« is used further and the tails are disposed of.
The heart is diluted to 45% and on the basis of this and their own sugar cane honey, a cinnamon, banana, and coffee liqueur (with Café do Fogo from the neighboring volcanic island) are currently still being produced - which are also quite tasty.
The result is:
Cask aging doesn’t take place here so far since they’ve only really been producing again since 2025.
All very, very nice people and definitely worth seeing. The caipirinhas with grogue as a base here, optionally with lime, passion fruit, mango, or even hibiscus, were sometimes even better than in Brazil. Really incredibly delicious!
I definitely have to stop by again in the coming days while I’m here on vacation.
Saúde and best wishes from Cabo Verde!
Oh yes, the cachupa was also amazing!
Photos coming soon but somehow the upload is stuck…
