The Caribbean Liqueur That's Perfect For Summer Cocktails

What do summer cocktails mean to you? Do you lean light and lemony? If so, try a Tom Collins (an oldie, but a goodie). If you're more into tropical or tiki drinks, three experts we spoke with have another suggestion to offer. Rodrigo Urraca and Eric Van Beek, the two partners behind Mexico City's Handshake Speakeasy currently working with 1800 Tequila, both endorse an ingredient called velvet falernum; as does Tiffanie Barriere, a mixologist who blogs about booze at The Drinking Coach.

Velvet falernum, a rum-based liqueur, has a flavor that Barriere describes as, "Lime, ginger, almond, and clove; it's tropical magic." According to Urraca and Van Beek, "Falernum is associated with tiki-style or Caribbean-style drinks. These drinks are mostly based on rum. This originates from culture but also accessibility back in the day when there was a limited supply of things." Barriere concurs that velvet falernum is a perfect match for rum, but feels it also pairs well with gin, tequila, and sparkling wine. As she says of the mixer, "It's a flavor bridge, not just a sweetener." It's cheaper to make craft cocktails at home, so don't be afraid of bringing this bar staple into your home.

Urraca and Van Beek admitted that falernum isn't widely available in Mexico, so they don't often have the chance to experiment with it, but they recommended mixing it with seltzer and a squeeze of lime to make a falernum spritzer. Barriere suggested a different summer sipper, one made by combining one part falernum with two parts ginger beer and a few dashes of bitters served over crushed ice.

There are several other drinks in the cocktail canon that are typically made with velvet falernum, including what Barriere called "a few Caribbean classics that deserve more love." These include the Corn 'n Oil, made with dark rum, velvet falernum, and lime; and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club, which includes these same ingredients along with dry curaçao. There's also the Talking Heads-inspired tiki drink called Take Me to the Liver that also includes gin and falernum along with lime juice, honey, dry curaçao, allspice dram, and angostura bitters. Oh, and don't forget the Zombie, a tiki classic created in 1934 at the legendary Don the Beachcomber bar. This over-the-top concoction combines two different juices (grapefruit and lime) with cinnamon syrup, bitters, grenadine, Pernod, falernum, and three different kinds of rum. As Barriere interprets it, "Falernum helps balance the rum-heavy chaos with spice and sweetness."