Falernum (pronounced ) is either an 11% ABV syrup

liqueur A liqueur (; ; ) is an alcoholic drink composed of spirits (often rectified spirit) and additional flavorings such as sugar, fruits, herbs, and spices. Often served with or after dessert, they are typically heavily sweetened and un-aged beyond ...

or a nonalcoholic syrup from the Caribbean. It is best known for its use in tropical drinks. It contains flavors of

ginger Ginger (''Zingiber officinale'') is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or ginger, is widely used as a spice A spice is a seed, fruit, root, bark, or other plant substance primarily used for flavoring or coloring food. Spices ...

, lime, and

almond The almond (''Prunus amygdalus'', syn. ''Prunus dulcis'') is a species of tree native to Iran and surrounding countries, including the Levant. The almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree. Within the genus ...

, and frequently

clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands (or Moluccas) in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring or fragrance in consumer products, ...

s or

allspice Allspice, also known as Jamaica pepper, myrtle pepper, pimenta, or pimento, is the dried unripe berry (botany), berry of ''Pimenta dioica'', a Canopy (forest), midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, ...

. It may be thought of as a spicier version of orgeat syrup. The form can be

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

ic (syrup liqueur) or nonalcoholic (syrup). Versions with alcohol are generally lower in proof (≅15 ABV), adding rum and emphasizing the clove, ginger, or allspice flavoring aspects for use in mixing cocktails, typically tropical or tiki drinks. It is also enjoyed on the rocks. Depending on sugar content, the consistency is often thick and is therefore sometimes referred to as "velvet falernum" because of the feeling it leaves on one's tongue. Brands vary and the color can be white to light amber, and it may be clear or translucent.

History

The origination of falernum may date back to the 18th century, when it was made as a punch in the areas around Barbados. Some disagreement exists over the origin of the name, and whether the earliest versions would have included the steeping of almonds. The same references also assert that earlier versions contained bitters such as wormwood. The inclusion of bitters historically would seem to be corroborated by a 1982 article appearing in ''The New York Times''. In the literary magazine '' All the Year Round'', owned by

Charles Dickens Jr. Charles Culliford Boz Dickens (6 January 1837 – 20 July 1896) was the first child of the English novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. A failed businessman, he became the editor of his father's magazine '' All the Year Round'', and a ...

at the time, an unnamed author wrote of falernum in 1892, describing it as "a curious liqueur composed from rum and lime-juice". The earliest known reference in bar manuals seems to be the 1930s. One producer claims his recipe dates to 1890, winning awards as early as 1923.

Use in cocktails

Drinks using falernum include: *Better and Better *Captain's Blood Cocktail *Corn 'n Oil (Barbados) *Frosty Dawn *Key Cocktail * Mai Tai (not Trader Vic's) * Port Antonio Cocktail *Puka Punch *

Royal Bermuda Cocktail The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC) is a private yacht club that was established as the ''Bermuda Yacht Club'' on 1 November, 1844, after the sport of racing yachts had become established in Bermuda primarily as a pastime of idle officers of the ...

* Rum Collins (some variations) * Bermuda Rum Swizzle *Saturn Cocktail *White Lion * Zombie ( Don the Beachcomber's) * Trader Sam's Uh-Oa! * Kevin´s breakup no.5 * Tourist n’ Sugar * Three Dots and a Dash

References

{{Alcoholic beverages Sugar substitutes Liqueurs Barbadian cuisine Syrup Drink mixers Almonds

History

Use in cocktails

See also

References