The Excellence of Philippine Spirits: From Heritage Distilleries to Global Recognition

The Philippines has been influenced by many cultures, but the Spanish colonial period has had the greatest impact on the country's rums. Hence, Tanduay rums are traditionally Spanish in style, so light and sweet. The making of Tanduay rum starts in the sugar cane fields of Negros Occidental, the largest area of sugar production in the Philippines with the largest sugar millers and refineries. This gives Tanduay unique access to the quality A-grade molasses from which their rums are made.

The Craft of Tanduay Rum Production

Production starts with sugar cane where the rich soil, warmth and rains provide the perfect environment for the crop to germinate and grow. It takes 10 to 12 months for the cane to reach a maturity ready for harvesting. Although modern harvesting machines are used, so is the traditional method of harvesting with lines of itinerant cane cutters using long-bladed knives, known as espading, to cut and clean the leaves from the canes. The cut canes are transported to Tanduay's in-house sugar mill where they are cleaned and crushed to release their sugary juice. This is refined to produce sugar, and both the sugar extraction and sugar refining processes yield a by-product: molasses.

Tanduay only uses first syrup molasses, commonly known as Grade A molasses, and this is the key ingredient in making Tanduay rum. The molasses are then fermented and this process turns the sugars into alcohol creating a ferment ready for distillation. There are Tanduay distilleries throughout the Philippines, including:

• Murcia, Bacolod in Negros Occidental
• El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental
• Barrio, Cabuyao in Laguna
• Batangas, Lucena (Luzon), Quezon

Destileria Limtuaco and the World Drinks Awards

Destileria Limtuaco, the Philippines’ oldest distillery, was celebrated at this year’s World Drinks Awards ceremony at the Waldorf Hotel in London, where it secured multiple accolades for its diverse range of beverages. Founded in 1852 by Bonifacio Lim Tua Co., the company is renowned for crafting spirits and liqueurs that utilize local ingredients and celebrate Filipino heritage.

Several signature products received top honors for their exceptional quality:

• Intramuros Liqueur de Cacao was named Winner for World’s Best Chocolate Liqueur, praised for its rich profile of nutty and roasted cacao.
• Manille Liqueur de Calamansi was named Country Best Fruit Liqueur – Gold.
• Amadeo Coffee Liqueur earned Country Winner for Best Coffee Liqueur – Gold.

Full Circle Craft Distillers and Archipelago Spirits

Full Circle Craft Distillers’ handcrafted artisanal spirits also bagged top honors in international spirit competitions. ARC Botanical Gin, Full Circle’s flagship spirit, is distilled from 28 botanicals, 22 of which are locally sourced from across the country. Every Archipelago spirit is crafted with precision using the finest, locally-sourced ingredients such as fresh pomelo, calamansi, dalandan and mango, and a selection of exotic fragrant flowers like sampaguita and ylang-ylang.

Celebrating Filipino Flavors: Pick Your Potion

Marco Polo Ortigas, Manila recently came together to launch a limited line of cocktails inspired by Destileria Limtuaco’s line of Philippine spirits. The event introduced guests to the refreshing flavors of Manille Basil Smash, the playfully tangy Manille Dalandan Margarita, and the delightfully sultry Paradise Mojito. The crowd selected the Manille Dalandan Margarita to take centerstage at VU’s Sky Bar and Lounge in the coming weeks as “Potion of the Quarter.”

Award-Winning Philippine Spirits