 A traditionalstill used for distilling laksoy in the ButuanNational Museum | |
| Type | Palmliquor |
|---|---|
| Origin | The Philippines, EasternMindanao,the Visayas,Bicol, SouthernLuzon |
| Alcohol by volume | 35–50% |
| Ingredients | Nipa palm sap |
Laksoy (also spelledlacsoy), is a traditional Filipinodistillednipapalmliquor. It is derived fromtubâ (palm toddy) made fromnipa palm sap which has been aged for at least 48 hours. It originates from EasternMindanao, theVisayas Islands, (where it is known asdalisay ordalisay de nipa), theBicol Region (where it is known asbarik), and SouthernLuzon (where it is known aslambanog orlambanog sa sasa). During theSpanish colonial period, it was also known asvino de nipa inSpanish. It has a typical alcohol content of 70 to 100proof (40 to 45%abv) after a single distillation.[1]
Tubâ, a variety ofpalm wine, existed in thePhilippines before colonisation. They were widely consumed for recreation and important in various religious rituals. Heavy consumption of alcohol in the Philippine islands was described in several Spanish accounts.Social drinking (tagayan orinuman inTagalog andVisayan languages) was and continues to be an important aspect of Filipino social interactions.[2][3][4]
Laksoy is pre-colonial in origin. Despite being distilled, laksoy and lambanog were inaccurately calledvino de nipa andvino de coco, respectively, in Spanish. InHistoria de Las Islas E Indios de Bisayas (1668), the Spanish missionaryFrancisco Ignacio Alcina described "dalisay" asvino de la nipa, el primero que se extrae y más fuerte ("nipa wine, the first to be extracted and the strongest").[5] In theVocabulario de la lengua Tagala, primera, y segunda parte (1794) by Domingo de los Santos, he definesdalisay as a type ofalac that ismuy fuerte y bueno ("very strong and good").[6]
InHistoria general sacro-profana, política y natural de las islas del poniente, llamadas Filipinas (1697-1755) by Juan José Delgado, native liquor is described as being distinguished into three types:vino ordinario (from the first distillate),dalisay (from the second distillate), andmistela (from the third distillate). In contrast to Alcina and other authors, Delgado applies the terms to both nipa and coconut liquor, distinguishing them asdalisay de nipa anddalisay de coco.[7][8]
Tubâ has two main variants. The most common being the one made fromcoconut sap. It is distilled intolambanog. The second most common type of tubâ is made fromnipa palm sap. Laksoy is derived from the sap.[9] Like lambanog (made from coconut sap), it is particularly potent, having a typical alcohol content of 70 to 100proof (40 to 45%abv) after a single distillation.[1]
Laksoy is more difficult to produce than lambanog because the nipa palm must be covered in mud for six weeks to several months in advance. The mud is scraped off and the inflorescence is cut off. The sap which flows out of the cut branch is collected in attached bamboo containers (salhod orsalod). The bamboo containers are collected every day and the inflorescence is sliced again by a few millimeters to renew the flow of the sap. The sweet sap is fermented inbanga (earthen jars) to make tubâ, which is then distilled into laksoy.[10][11]
