Culture

Poncha and sugar-cane rum tasting

A glass of poncha, Madeira's sugar-cane rum, honey and citrus drink

Calheta is one of the few places on Madeira where the rum is distilled where you drink it. The mill in the village runs copper column stills, some over a century old, on fermented cane juice, and pours the result as poncha: rum, honey and citrus. Entry to the mill is free, so the tasting costs whatever you order.

Highlights

What you get out of it

  • A working mill rather than a museum reconstruction
  • Aguardente de cana, cane honey and fresh cane juice in season
  • Poncha made with rum distilled on site
  • Free entry