Laksoy facts for kids

Laksoy (also called lacsoy) is a special traditional drink from the Philippines. It is a type of strong alcohol made from the sap of the nipa palm tree. This sap is first turned into a palm wine called tubâ. After the tubâ ages for at least two days, it is then distilled to become laksoy.

Laksoy comes from different parts of the Philippines. You can find it in Eastern Mindanao, the Visayas Islands, and the Bicol Region. In the Visayas, people sometimes call it dalisay or dalisay de nipa. In the Bicol Region, it is known as barik. A long time ago, during the Spanish rule, it was also called vino de nipa in Spanish, which means "nipa wine." Laksoy is quite strong, usually having about 40 to 45% alcohol content after being distilled once. Another similar Filipino drink is lambanog, which is made from coconut sap.

History of Laksoy

Ancient Palm Wines in the Philippines

Long before the Spanish arrived, people in the Philippines already made and drank tubâ, a type of palm wine. These drinks were important for fun and for many religious ceremonies. Spanish visitors often wrote about how much alcohol was consumed in the islands. Even today, social drinking, known as tagayan or inuman in Tagalog and Visayan languages, is a big part of how Filipinos interact with each other.

Laksoy's Origins

Laksoy has been around since before the Spanish came to the Philippines. Even though laksoy and lambanog were made by distilling, the Spanish often incorrectly called them vino de nipa and vino de coco. These names mean "nipa wine" and "coconut wine."

Early Descriptions of Dalisay

A Spanish missionary named Francisco Ignacio Alcina wrote about "dalisay" in his book Historia de Las Islas E Indios de Bisayas (1668). He described it as "nipa wine, the first to be extracted and the strongest." This shows that laksoy was known for its strength even back then.

Later, in a dictionary from 1794 called Vocabulario de la lengua Tagala, primera, y segunda parte, Domingo de los Santos defined dalisay as a type of alac that was "very strong and good."

Another writer, Juan José Delgado, described native drinks in his book Historia general sacro-profana, política y natural de las islas del poniente, llamadas Filipinas (1697-1755). He said there were three types: vino ordinario (the first distilled drink), dalisay (from the second distillation), and mistela (from the third distillation). Unlike others, Delgado used the term dalisay for both nipa and coconut drinks, calling them dalisay de nipa and dalisay de coco.

How Laksoy is Made

Making laksoy is a special process that takes time and care. It is a bit more difficult to make than lambanog.

Preparing the Nipa Palm

First, the nipa palm tree needs to be prepared. The part of the palm that produces flowers (called the inflorescence) is covered in mud for six weeks to several months. This helps the sap flow better.

Collecting the Sap

After the mud is removed, the inflorescence is cut. The sweet sap that flows out is collected in special bamboo containers. These containers are called salhod or salod. People collect the sap every day. To keep the sap flowing, the cut branch is sliced again by a few millimeters each day.

Fermenting and Distilling

The collected sweet sap is then put into large earthen jars called banga. In these jars, the sap ferments and turns into tubâ, the palm wine. After the tubâ has fermented for at least 48 hours, it is then distilled. Distilling means heating the liquid to separate the alcohol, making it much stronger. This final strong drink is what we call laksoy.