For most of us, Christmas is a time to celebrate and look back on the year that’s about to end. Since this year was an absolute nightmare, we’d rather forget about the whole thing. If you’re in need of a hard drink to help speed up the amnesia process (or if you actually want to celebrate), here are a few of our favorite local liquors that made this year a bit more bearable.
Santa Ana Gin
If you want to end the roaring 2020s (pandemic and all) with a bang, this drink is a surefire way to do it. Santa Ana Gin is a recently launched local spirit from the makers of Don Papa rum. It’s named after the illustrious Manila cabaret and hotspot of the 1920s. The bottle—which could start a party by just sitting in a room—was designed to reflect Manila’s art-deco heyday. The gin’s main ingredients are ylang-ylang, dalandan, alpina and calamansi, which gives it a floral, fruity taste.
Crow’s Nest Agrikultura rum
The only thing more rock ’n’ roll than this rum is the man behind it. Former Razorback frontman Jose Mari Cuervo (yes, we know) launched this French-Carribean style white rum earlier this year. It’s made from pure sugarcane juice which gives the rum a refreshing and pleasantly herbaceous flavor. The sugarcane is sourced from farmers in Nasugbu, Batangas, which means this rum goes from farm to bottle.
Lakan lambanog
There’s usually some fear (and lost memories) associated with lambanog. The high-proof Filipino liquor has acquired quite the reputation for its high alcohol content and very strong taste. Lakan’s multi-awarded version of the traditional coconut spirit is crafted in small batches and has hints of jammy fruit and vanilla. It’s the upgraded version of your boozy tito’s bootlegged lambanog that you try—and fail—to avoid at family gatherings.
[READ: What to do and where to go in Lipa, Batangas in a day]
Tarsier Oriental Pink gin
Inspired by raspberries and botanicals found in Southeast Asia, this pink gin delivers a deliciously fruity punch with every sip. It’s a light, refreshing drink that’ll make your tita shake and shimmy on the makeshift dance floor before anyone knows what’s happening—just make sure to get her some water before she takes another sip.
Header image courtesy of Santa Ana gin
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