Aguardiente is a high-proof distilled spirit from Latin America and the Iberian Peninsula, most often made from fermented sugarcane juice, though some versions use grapes or other fruit. Its name comes from the Spanish agua ("water") and ardiente ("burning"), a reference to its strength, which generally runs 29-60% ABV.
It's a national or regional spirit in several Latin American countries, notably Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela, usually drunk neat or mixed into cocktails such as the Colombian or Ecuadorian canelazo (aguardiente with cinnamon and sugar or citrus). In cooking, it's occasionally used to flambé desserts or added to marinades and sauces for its assertive, often caramel- and vanilla-toned flavor.