Sip the Islands: 8 Must-Try Filipino Craft Alcohols Infused with Local Flavors
Monday, April 21, 2025
Whether you're a curious tourist eager to sip something truly local, or a proud Pinoy rediscovering heritage through flavor, these 8 Filipino craft alcohol brands are worth raising your glass to.
Bonus: They make for unforgettable pasalubong or thoughtful gifts for balikbayans who miss the taste of home.
Ube Cream Liqueur
Awarded World’s Best Cream Liqueur in 2022, this ube-infused spirit puts a proudly Pinoy flavor on the world map. It’s sweet, velvety, and tastes just like spiked ube ice cream. I didn’t think I was into ube — until this bottle changed my mind.
If you loved Kahlua, Tequila Rose, or the Ube Cream Liqueur, this bottle’s got your name on it. The Sula Coconut Cream Liqueur is sweet, tropical, and unmistakably Filipino. Housed in beautifully designed bottle that’s just as gift-worthy as it is sip-worthy.
Our native citrus fruits shine in the calamansi and dalandan varieties of Manille Liquor. This vodka-based spirit is refreshingly tropical, perfect to enjoy solo or as the base for your next island-inspired cocktail.
Don Papa Rum elevates Filipino rum to new heights. Crafted from sugarcane grown in the lush foothills of Mt. Kanlaon in Negros, its smooth, flavorful profile is complemented by beautifully crafted bottles — each one telling a story with every pour and every label.
ARC Archipelago Gin has earned international praise, and its Archipelago Botanical Gin is a standout. Infused with local flavors such as dayap, calamansi, sampaguita, and ilang-ilang, it’s a taste of the Philippines that has captured the world’s attention.
If carnival popcorn was your childhood treat, this is the drink that will take you straight back there. Its sweet, nostalgic flavor hits you right away, making every sip a trip down memory lane.
The Philippines is home to the world’s best mangoes, so it’s only fitting that a mango-flavored spirit exists. Paradise Mango Rum is the first liqueur made from our famous mangoes. One sip, and you’re instantly transported to a tropical beach.
Engkanto Brewery stands out with the most international awards among local Philippine craft breweries. Although I’m not into beer, it’s a brand my beer-loving friends swear by. Their playful branding and unique brews — like the Chocnut beer — make it a true Filipino experience in every sip.
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