[Aktungbby]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

Had a sip earlier and must say it was quite nice with only a small hint of coconut, nothing at all like Malibu.

One small problem...what to mix it with or drink it neat

Wicked stuff first noted by Magellan's officer Pigafetta in 1523 in his detailed account of the Magellan expedition.

Lambanog is a very clean-tasting spirit, with a subtle, sweet finish. This gives it plenty of versatility in cocktails, since you can pretty much pair it with anything you want. Try it with citrus or lychee juices, for sweet, but potent mixes. Its clean taste also makes it perfect for infusions. Traditionally, Lambanog is steeped with either raisins or prunes to give it a sweeter flavor. With the variety of fruits we have, the types of infusions you can do are endless. For the enterprising barkeep and the alcohol gourmand, feel free to experiment. It’s easy. Place Lambanog in a mason jar, steep your favorite fruit in it, and delight your guests with an apéritif you made yourself.

He fought beside Ferdinand Magellan at the failed amphibious assault on the village of Lapo Lapo

So we continued to retire for more than a good crossbow flight from the shore always fighting up to our knees in the water. The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus did we fight for more than one hour, refusing to retire farther. An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face, but the latter immediately killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out but halfway, because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide. When they wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats. Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats, which were already pulling off."

<Jeeze! now I need a drink! Methinks I'll combine the best of both worlds: the Gimlet with 1/4 lime, 1oz. Rose's lime water and 3 oz. Lambanog in place of gin or vodka and see how it goes. One good thing leads to another apparently:

The Manila galleons sailed the Pacific for 250 years, bringing in to Mexico their cargoes of luxury goods, economic benefits and cultural exchange. Filipino sailors aboard the Manila galleons, brought portable stills that were used to make coconut nectar-based lambanog. The stills were a huge hit in Mexico, but due to unfamiliarity and the risks involved in harvesting coconut nectar, the native population quickly turned to agave by applying the craft learned from the Filipino sailors. (hence Tequila)

Well damn! I'll just have to have a Margarita chaser too! I'll B "weng-weng" after that! Filipino slang for someone who is completely intoxicated.