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 beyon ...

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 and a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual pseudostems (false stems made of the rolled bases of ...

, 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 genu ...

, 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 of ''Pimenta dioica'', a midcanopy tree native to the Greater Antilles, southern Mexico, and Central America, now cultivated in many warm par ...

. 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 Punch commonly refers to: * Punch (combat), a strike made using the hand closed into a fist * Punch (drink), a wide assortment of drinks, non-alcoholic or alcoholic, generally containing fruit or fruit juice Punch may also refer to: Places * Pu ...

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. 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 *

Rum Collins A Rum Collins is a cocktail based on the Tom Collins substituting a light rum for the gin. Ingredients * 2oz light rum * Juice of one lime * 1 teaspoon granulated sugar * Carbonated water * Lemon slice * Cocktail cherry * Ice cubes Mixing Shake ...

(some variations) * Bermuda Rum Swizzle *Saturn Cocktail *White Lion *

Zombie A zombie ( Haitian French: , ht, zonbi) is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. Zombies are most commonly found in horror and fantasy genre works. The term comes from Haitian folklore, in w ...

(

Don the Beachcomber Don, don or DON and variants may refer to: Places * County Donegal, Ireland, Chapman code DON * Don (river), a river in European Russia *Don River (disambiguation), several other rivers with the name *Don, Benin, a town in Benin *Don, Dang, a vi ...

'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