While we appreciate well-crafted tequila or a world-class bottle of whiskey, we can’t help but acknowledge that liquors distilled in our very own motherland are worth the time, too. Four bartenders work their magic with some of our regional spirits, turning our local lambanog, a Vigan basi, and a dragon fruit wine into delectable cocktails easy enough to make at home.
Liquidosatro by Kalel Demetrio
A sweet ginger-spiced drink balanced with the tanginess of dalandan.
- 30 ml Manille Liqueur de Dalandan
- 30 ml Empire London Dry Gin
- 20 ml Vigan Basi
- 45 ml fresh dalandan juice
- 30 ml egg white froth
- Muscovado sugar
- Fresh ginger
- Garnish with a dalandan slice and burnt star anise
Lambanog Sour by Larry Guevara
Delicate yet sophisticated, you’ll never guess that this classic sour drink was made with lots of lambanog.
- 60 ml San Juan Premium Lambanog
- 30 ml Manille Liqueur de Calamansi
- 20 ml rich simple syrup
- 20 ml fresh lemon juice
- Egg white foam with Angostura bitters mist
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Bakunawa by Lee Watson
A potent but delightful dragon fruit cocktail with the smoky aftertaste from a little bit of mezcal.
- 30 ml Dragon Fire Dragon Fruit Wine
- 30 ml Jose Cuervo Reserve de la Familia
- 15 ml blood orange syrup
- 15 ml agave nectar
- 15 ml freshly squeezed calamansi
- 8 ml Vida Mezcal
- Rim with Hawaiian black sea salt
Colonial Comfort by Enzo Lim
It tastes like the best version of your mom’s apple pie—but spiked.
- 60 ml Vigan Basi
- 15 ml Paradise Mango Rum Liqueur
- 8 ml cinammon bark syrup
- 8 ml egg white syrup
- Garnish with a cinnamon-dusted mango strip
All regional spirits by Destileria Limtuaco, from cmcestore.convoymktg.com.
This article originally appeared in the March 2016 issue of Esquire Philippines. Minor edits have been made by the Esquiremag.ph editors.
