Lambanog

Lambanóg is a traditional Filipino distilled palm liquor made from the naturally fermented sap (tubâ) of the coconut palm. It originates from Luzon and the Visayas Islands (where it was historically known as ''dalisay de coco'', among other names). During the Spanish colonial period, it was also known as ''vino de coco'' in Spanish (despite being distilled and thus not a wine). In the international market, it is commonly sold as "coconut vodka" or "palm brandy."

Lambanóg usually has a clear to milky white color. It has a final alcohol content of 80 to 90 proof (40 to 45% abv), which is similar to whiskey or vodka. Lambanóg is used as a base liquor for various flavored spirits and cocktail creations. Its smoothness has been compared to that of Japanese sake and European schnapps.

The term "lambanóg" may also be applied to distilled tubâ made from the sap of other palm species, like the nipa palm (''sasa'' or ''nipa'') and the sugar palm (''kaong''), but these are usually differentiated by other regional native names like ''laksoy''.

History

Tubâ, a kind of palm wine, existed in the Philippines before colonisation. They were widely consumed for recreation and played an important role in various religious rituals. Heavy consumption of alcohol in the Philippine islands was described in several Spanish accounts. Social drinking (''tagayan'' or ''inuman'' in Tagalog and Visayan languages) was and continues to be an important aspect of Filipino social interactions.

Tubâ could be further distilled in distinctive indigenous stills, resulting to the lambanóg, a palm liquor derived from tubâ. There were hundreds of local distilleries for lambanóg production, largely improvised. They varied from portable stills with around capacity, to large stills which can process . They usually consist of two large pans ('' kawa'' or ''karaha''), a hollowed out log, and a bamboo tube. One pan was filled with the tubâ and set on the fire. The hollowed out log was placed in between, acting as the walls of the still. The second pan was then placed on top of the wooden cylinder and constantly filled with cold water to induce condensation. A bamboo tube was attached to the wooden cylinder to collect the distillate to containers. Larger stills were barrel-like and made from planks reinforced with rattan hoops. The joints of the still were sealed with clay or rags. The entire upper part of the apparatus was usually connected to a lever that allowed them to be swung aside to refill or clean the lower pan.

The first historical mention of coconut liquor in the Philippines was in 1521, in Antonio Pigafetta's chronicles of the Magellan expedition. It was among the first gifts received by Ferdinand Magellan's crew from the natives of Suluan, after they anchored off the island of Homonhon (the first landfall of the expedition in the Philippine islands). Pigafetta recorded its name as ''uraca''.

During the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines, lambanog was inaccurately called ''vino de coco'' ("coconut wine"). From around 1569, it was introduced via Manila galleons to Nueva Galicia (present-day Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit), Mexico by Filipino immigrants who established coconut planations. It quickly became highly popular in the region. It competed with the sales of imported spirits from Spain, leading Spanish colonial authorities and the Royal Audience in Spain to ban the production of ''vino de coco'' and issue an order for the destruction of coconut plantations. By the mid-1700s, ''vino de coco'' production in Mexico had ceased (though non-alcoholic variants of tubâ persisted). The prohibition of ''vino de coco'' and the introduced distillation technologies from the Philippines led to the development of mezcal and tequila by the indigenous peoples of Mexico.

During the American colonial period, the Food and Drugs Board of the Philippine Islands set up regulated distilleries for lambanóg with modern equipment. Home production of lambanóg was made illegal, as unregulated production can result in the retention of toxic levels of methanol due to improper procedures. They also standardized the trade name of lambanóg to "Philippine palm brandy" (also "Philippine coco palm brandy"). This was due to the fact that they were distilled (and thus not wines); as well as concerns about the local prejudice against "native drinks" (which are generally known as ''vino'' or ''bino'') which could affect their marketability.

TasteAtlas in the "Top 79 Spirits in the World" March 15, 2024 list ranked Lambanog as No. 2 with 4.4 star rating from a possible 5. It described Lambanog "the clear, colorless, and strong Lambanog originating from the fermented sap of coconut palm, with a usual alcohol content around 40% ABV."

Description

Lambanóg has a very high alcohol content of 40%-45% abv (80 to 90 proof), in comparison to bahalina (10%-13% abv) and tubâ (2% - 4% abv). Lambanóg is usually served pure, though it can also be traditionally flavored with raisins. Modern lambanóg has recently been marketed in several flavours such as mango, blueberry, pineapple, bubblegum and cinnamon in an effort to appeal to all age groups.Lambanog: a Philippine drink
, TED Case Studies #782, 2005

Production

Lambanóg production was traditionally centered in the Southern Tagalog region. The current main producing areas are the provinces of Quezon, Laguna, and Batangas, where coconuts are a dominant agricultural crop. Not all lambanóg variants are from coconut. Lambanóg is also used as a generic term mostly in Southern Luzon, specifically in Quezon, for all alcoholic drinks from palm trees—whether they are from kaong, coconut, or nipa. In Mauban, ''lambanóg sa sasa'' is called ''nipanog''. Most lambanóg producers are small-scale cottage industries with only around 4 to 25 employees. Quezon is the leading producer of lambanóg, hosting the three largest lambanóg distillers of the country: Mallari Distillery, Buncayo Distillery, and Capistrano Distillery. Lambanóg (as ''dalisay'' or ''dalisay de coco'') was also produced in the Visayas Islands in the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines.

Health concern

Unregistered lambanóg production is illegal in the Philippines under regulations by the Food and Drug Administration and the Department of Agriculture. Consumers are warned to only purchase lambanóg that is properly sealed and made by companies registered with the FDA. Several deaths still occur each year from methanol poisoning after drinking lambanóg moonshine or adulterated lambanóg from retailers.

In December 2019, at least 11 people died and more than 300 were treated after drinking moonshine lambanog in Laguna and Quezon, two provinces south of Manila.

See also

* Bahalina
* Basi
* Kaong palm vinegar
* Mezcal
* Nipa palm vinegar
* Tapuy

References

External links

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{{Filipino cuisine

Filipino distilled drinks
Philippine alcoholic drinks