Images: Cocktail Professor

In this Travel Edition, we feature the 6 signature cocktails created by Jarl de Vries (a.k.a Cocktail Professor for Villa Caemilla in Boracay. The breath-taking boutique hotel located on Station 3 of Boracay has been awarded ‘Winner of Southeast Asia’s Best Newcomer Boutique Hotel” by Boutique Hotel Awards in 2015.

Cocktail Professor created the cocktails based on stories of local folklore and rituals, concoctions from homemade infusions and syrups using local ingredients. Here we look at how each drink is created, the ingredients used and the story behind them.

One Day Millionaire (main picture)

Story:
Filipinos believe it’s about the quality of life, not money. So most like to save up and spend it all in one day to feel alive. They call this phenomena the ‘One Day Millionaire.’ This cocktail is meant to make you feel exactly like that. Quality Hennessy cognac and home-made Luya Beer are used. The cocktail is strong, balanced and has a hint of spice from the ginger.

Tasting notes:
Hennessy cognac plays a leading role with the lime bringing that little freshness to balance the taste of oak from the cognac, complementing the full flavour of the luya.

Recipe:
Homemade Luya Beer
Ginger ale
Sugar syrup
Hennessy Cognac
Fresh lime juice

Preparation:
Shake and strain over ice ball, which is made with an orchid flower inside.

Local ingredient used:
Luya, the local ginger is made to a variation of ginger beer with local calamansi juice in Villa Caemilla. The recipe is a simplified version where no yeast and fermentation is involved, this way the staff can easily re-produce the luya beer again.

Binakol Cocktail

Story:
A creamy, fresh cocktail with Filipino flavours and some spice at the back of the palate. Named after the famous local dish Chicken Binakol, the vodka also drink inherits its flavours of lemongrass, chili pepper, coconut and papaya.

Tasting notes:
Full texture from the coconut with fresh notes from the lemon and lemongrass. The warmth comes from the papaya and chili gives a little surprising tang at the end of the pallet. It brings together the complexity of the local Filipino dish yet refreshing to drink during a hot day on the beach.

Recipe:
Belvedere Vodka
Thick Coconut milk
Papaya Chili Lemongrass syrup
Fresh lemon juice (Boracay lemons tend to be a bit sweeter)

Preparation:
Prepare the banana leaves and garnish. Add all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake till cold but not too long. Strain the drink over fresh ice in a tall glass. A homemade chili-lemongrass-papaya syrup is pre-made so that during service the cocktail is easily assembled.

Local ingredients used:
Gumamela flower (also known as Hibiscus, China Rose and Shoeflower in different parts of Asia.) for the contrast of red from the flower and green from the banana leaf. The flower is a representation of the island and the banana leaf is a reference to the local cooking technique in the Philippines, which they prepare dishes with.

Lapu-lapu

Story:
This cocktail is inspired by the Sibuyan Sea and named after Filipinos first hero: ‘Lapu-Lapu’. Lapu-Lapu and his army won a very important fight against the Spanish in 1521 and is known as the “Orang Laut”, the man of the sea. This is a fresh cocktail with some saltiness of the sea, made with homemade Sampaguita Flower Syrup, a local flower of the island and served in a sea shell of Puka Beach

Tasting notes:
This drink makes you think of a Margarita, but enhanced with the local jasmine flower (Sampaguita) bringing forth delicious floral notes but deducting the warmth of the orange. The freshness and gentleness of the drink represent the ocean breeze.

Recipe:
Tequila silver
Fresh lemon juice
Pinch of Salt
Sampaguita syrup

Preparation:
Shake and fine strain the liquid into the sea shell.

Local ingredient used:
Sampaguita flower that is made into syrup as part of the ingredient.

Juan Tamad

Story:
This is the ultimate holiday cocktail for your lazy beach moment. On the island, Juan Tamad is used to refer to a lazy person. It is the name of a character in children’s story book.

Tasting notes:
The cocktail is sweet from the fresh pineapple, warm from the brown rum and brandy with surprising chocolate notes at the end of the palate.

Recipe:
Local brown rum
Brandy
Fresh pineapple juice (from slow juicer)
Fresh lime juice
Hershey’s chocolate syrup
Over proof Rum

Preparation:
The cocktail is shaken and served cold with ice in a vessel made from coconut shell. Add a slice of pineapple with some over proof rum and cinnamon and is served in a fire ritual.

Local ingredient used:
Local Pineapple torched in a fire ritual.

Holy Water

Story:
The healthy cocktail is specially made for the sexy ladies on Boracay island. Made with fresh celery juice (good for weight loss), mangosteen (a lot of anti-oxidants), fresh lime (vitamin C) and homemade sampaguita syrup for lucky charm. Sampaguita has an intense jasmine aroma and Filipino’s believe the flowers to be a lucky charm. Taxi drivers pick up the flower necklaces every morning and hang them in their vehicles so that their ride is safe all day.

Tasting notes:
Lots of floral aroma’s come together with the unmistakable scent of celery which together brings a unique freshness. Soft mangosteen on the back palate completes the flavor profile. When you take a sip it tastes light, feminine and refreshing.

Recipe:
Gin infused with mangosteen
Fresh lemon juice
Fresh celery juice (from the slowjuicer)
Sampaguita syrup
Sampaguita flowers

Preparation:
Shaken and strained over new ice.

Local ingredients used:
The local jasmine flowers Sampaguita is used to make the syrup and as garnishing for the floral aroma. The flesh of mangosteen is infused in the gin.

Angol Beach

Story:
Back in the day, it is said that tourists had some wild times on this beach of Boracay. A lot of naked people hanging around and locals recall hearing a lot of moaning. That’s how the beach gets its name - ‘Angol Beach’, meaning ‘moaning beach’.

Tasting notes:
This cocktail is soft and elegant with the dryness from the champagne and some fresh notes.

Recipe:
Local whiskey
Fresh lemon juice
Lychee juice
Homemade Ilan Ilan syrup
Orange zest
Mangosteen shell
Over proof rum

Preparation:
Add whiskey, lemon juice, lychee juice, ilan ilan syrup and a squeeze of orange zest into the shaker. Add ice and shake. Fine strain the cocktail in a champagne flute then add a half mangosteen shell on top. Add 5 ml over proof rum in the mangosteen and light it on fire in front of the guest for aromatics and show.

Local ingredient used:
Ilan ilan, also called ylan ylan and is known for it is distinguished floral aroma used in the famous ylan ylan tea. Ylan ylan is also often used in spas as a relaxing scent.
Mangosteen shells left from the infusion of the Holy Water cocktail are added on top of this cocktail to hold a little over proof rum to be lit on fire in front of the guest for the cinematic effect. When the mangosteen shell gets hot some of the bitter oils of the shell drip down on top of the cocktail, which gives extra depth to the cocktail.

Cocktail Professor is also a contributor to Thirstmag.com. You can read his article about Being a Bartender in 2014.

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