What Is Lambanog
Dubbed as the “Philippine Vodka” or “Coconut Wine,” lambanog is a natural and chemical-free liquor
made by distilling naturally fermented coconut nectar. Its high alcohol content and potent kick is
perfectly balanced by its neutral taste and slightly sweet finish. Since lambanog is pure alcohol like
vodka, it makes an excellent based for cocktails, such as lambanog martini and many more.
Lambanog initially starts as “tuba,” or native palm wine. Filipinos have made tuba even before pre-
colonial times and were widely consumed both for recreational and religious events. In the late 1500s,
the Spanish introduced distillation, which were adopted by native Filipinos and used as the process to
transform tuba into Lambanog as we know today.
Today, Lambanog is mostly produced in the Quezon Province, Philippines. It is a local product and an
important part of the festive culture of Filipinos.
How do you make Lambanog?
A farmer (also known as mananguete) climbs up the coconut tree with long bamboo containers to look
for unopened coconut flowers. He then cuts the tip of a flower with his knife (also known as a sanggot)
to release the milky white nectar, which he collects in his container. One tree usually produces a liter of
sap, if not more.
After the mananguete gathers the nectar, it is carefully fermented to produce another alcoholic product
called “Tuba”. Manual distillation is then done – a simple yet very tedious process that extracts the finest
and purest form of lambanog.