Cheers to That: Our Very Own Lambanog Is Apparently the 10th Best Spirit in the World
Call a friend today to celebrate, folks. The Philippines' traditional lambanog has caught the attention of reviewers from the international food database Taste Atlas. So much so that it had ranked the drink as the 10th best spirit around the world. Cheers to that.
"Aside from its classic version, lambanog‘s modern varieties may be 'tinted, sweetened, and flavored,'" it said. “In the past, it was frequently produced by farmers, similar to a local version of moonshine, but recently it has mostly shifted to factory production, and its quality has significantly improved."
Lambanog, which originates from Quezon Province, packs quite the punch. The traditional Filipino distilled coconut palm liquor comes from tuba made from coconut sap. Our "coconut vodka" or "coconut nectar" is known for its high alcohol content and clear-to-white coloring. It usually contains about 40 to 45 percent alcohol by volume (ABV) after a single distillation.
After a second distillation, its (ABV) can even go as high as 83 percent. According to the Department of Science and Technology, the officially documented process of distillation is via the batch type pot-still process with rice hull or wood as source of fuel. While we can mix it with cocktails, it's traditionally enjoyed neat.
Its history can even be traced as far as back as the Spanish colonial period, when it had been inaccurately called "vino de coco," or coconut wine. Even further than that, lambanog was said to have existed during the pre-colonial period. Seen here is a distillery for lambanog back in 1912, located in Pangasinan.
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Mexico’s Reposado tequila from Mexico was hailed as the world's best, according to the report. Taste Atlas wrote of the drink: it “has been aged for a minimum of two, and a maximum of 12 months, usually in French or American oak. This tequila is characterized by a pale golden color and mellow agave flavor.”
Lambanog joins global favorites like Islay scotch, gin, soju, cognac, London dry gin, armagnac, and Highland scotch, among other world-famous drinks, on Taste Atlas' top 10 list. It becomes the only Filipino spirit to do so.
With over 10,000 recommended listings of specialty dishes, drinks, restaurants, and local ingredients, Taste Atlas is an online food and travel database that shines the spotlight on local culinary culture in various countries worldwide.
