Drink & Food Guides

What is Velvet Falernum? And How To Make Them

Tim Parry

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Velvet Falernum is a sweet, low alcohol liqueur that is flavored with the dried peel of the Caribbean lime and ginger. This drink has a spicy tropical flavor that can be used to enhance many cocktails. In this blog post, we will explore velvet falernum, how it’s made, and what you can do with it!

What is velvet falernum?

Velvet Falernum is a sweet liqueur that originated in Barbados. It combines the flavors of almond, clove, vanilla, ginger, and lime to produce what many consider an essential ingredient for any Tiki cocktail. The syrup is often used as a mixer with dark rum or other spirits. This drink can be found at most liquor stores across the United States and Canada.

The history of Falernum

In the late 1800s, a man named John Taylor owned a plantation in the Caribbean. He was supposedly so impressed by his own product that he began to bottle and sell it commercially.

Taylor’s original Falernum recipe is said to have been made with rum, water, lime juice, sugar, vanilla beans, and cloves. However, there are many variations of this drink today- some use alcohol while others use fruit juices or syrups instead of sugar syrup.

In addition to these variations in flavor profile, there are also differences between how long you shake or stir your Falernum before straining it for service. The most common length of time is 15 seconds, but some recipes call for up to 60 seconds of shaking time before serving!

Uses of Velvet Falernum

This is an alcoholic drink that can be used in many ways. It may be used as a mixer with other beverages, such as gin and tonic, or it can be used as a sweetener for iced coffee. There are many possibilities to what you can use the Velvet Falernum for.

It can be used to make a delicious tiki cocktail, or it could even be used as an ingredient in the kitchen.

Velvet Falernum is great for many uses other than simply drinking it. You can use this sweet liqueur as an additive when making your own coffee drinks at home by mixing them with iced coffee.

You can also use Velvet Falernum as a sweetener to your favorite alcoholic drinks, such as vodka or gin. It is the perfect way to make an easy drink that has no added sugars and won’t cause you any problems with weight loss diets like Keto or Paleo.

The possibilities are endless when it comes to using Velvet Falernum. It’s an excellent sweet liqueur that has a variety of uses and can provide you with endless possibilities for drinks and food items!

How to make a spicy tiki cocktail with Velvet Falernum

How to use your homemade Velvet Falernum

This is a cocktail that uses Velvet Falernum to create an extra spicy and tropical flavor with a hint of almond in the background. While it has some heat from jalapeno, this drink finishes sweet from fresh pineapple juice. The flavors are brightened up by lime juice which helps balance out all the richness from rum, falernum, and syrup.

This drink is a great way to use up any extratropical juices from your fruit bowl or drinks you have leftover from last night’s party. The spicy jalapeno adds an unexpected kick that will keep guests coming back for more! I used Kraken spiced rum in this cocktail but feel free to play around with different flavors of your favorite rum.

You will need:

  • Ice – Crushed ice works best, but cubes are fine too!
  • Rum – I used Kraken spiced rum today, but any dark or gold will work well in this drink. Try a silver for something lighter and fresher.
  • Velvet Falernum – Try using a homemade version of this falernum recipe or if you’re feeling lazy, pick some up at your local liquor store.
  • Jalapeno – This is the only crucial part of this drink as it gives the heat and spice! Don’t skip it!
  • Pineapple Juice.

How to do it

For a spicy tiki cocktail, add one shot (¾ oz) of Velvet Falernum and two shots (11/12 oz each) of rum to your glass. You can use any dark or light rum you like; I recommend using either Myer’s Original Dark Rum or Flor de Caña Extra Dry White Rum.

Add ice and garnish with a grapefruit wedge, lime wheel, and candied ginger. The spiciness of the cocktail is easily customizable; add less or more Velvet Falernum depending on your tolerance for heat. If you’d like to make it extra spicy, substitute in fresh jalapeño slices for the candied ginger.

For a fruity and refreshing version, add two shots (11/12 oz each) of pineapple juice in addition to the rum and Velvet Falernum; garnish with fresh mint sprigs instead of grapefruit wedge, lime wheel, and candied ginger. You can also make this recipe with coconut or almond-based cream liquors in addition to the rum and pineapple juice.

How to use your homemade Velvet Falernum in other drinks and recipes

How to make a spicy tiki cocktail with Velvet Falernum

When making cocktails, bartenders often add a dash of Velvet Falernum into drinks that they want to add some spice and complexity to. This works especially well when you’re trying to make an existing recipe with fresh ingredients from the garden or your local farmer’s market. Here are three examples:

Strawberry Daiquiri with a touch of Velvet Falernum 

A Strawberry Daiquiri is a delicious and refreshing summer drink, but after you’ve been making them for a while, they can start to taste the same. Try using your homemade Velvet Falernum instead of simple syrup in this recipe next time you’re looking to mix things up. The flavor is subtle but just enough to add a little depth and complexity without being overpowering.

Velvet Falernum Mojito 

Rum drinks are always fun in the summertime! You can use your homemade Velvet Falernum in place of simple syrup when making this classic Cuban cocktail. For added flair, try muddling in some fresh mint right before you serve it over ice for a delicious drink that your friends will love!

Dark and Stormy with Velvet Falernum 

This popular rum-based beverage is the perfect choice when you want to cool down on a hot summer day. It’s pretty simple to make, but it can often come off as a little flat. You might not notice the difference right away if you’ve never had one before with homemade Velvet Falernum, but soon enough, you’ll be hooked!

Conclusion

Velvet Falernum is easy to make and can be used in many different recipes. It’s a great way to add flavor, spice, or complexity without having too much of an overpowering taste.

You can use it on any recipe that calls for simple syrup or honey; just substitute your velvet falernum instead!

If you want more information about how this works with other cocktails, give us a call at the number listed below. We’ll answer all of your questions, so you know exactly what ingredients to buy before heading out to the store.

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Tim Parry

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