What is "falernum"

n. A sweet spiced syrup used in Caribbean and tropical drinks.

Falernum (pronounced fah-learn-um) is a sweet syrup used in Caribbean and tropical drinks. It contains flavors of almond, ginger and/or cloves, and lime, and sometimes vanilla or allspice. It is used in cocktails in a manner similar to orgeat syrup or drunk on the rocks.

The syrup form can be alcoholic or nonalcoholic.

The consistency is thick, the color can be white to light amber, and it may be clear or translucent.

Some reports have the origination of falernum dated back to the 18th century.

In the literary magazine All the Year Round, owned by Charles Dickens, Jr. at the time, an unnamed author wrote of falernum in 1892, describing it as "a curious liqueur composed from rum and lime-juice."

The earliest known reference in bar manuals seems to be the 1930s. One producer (see below) claims his recipe to date to 1890, winning awards as early as 1923. Famous drinks using falernum include:

• Bermuda Rum Swizzle
• Don the Beachcomber's Zombie and perhaps Mai Tai
• Captain's Blood Cocktail
• Frosty Dawn
• Key Cocktail
• Port Antonio Cocktail
• Puka Punch
• Royal Bermuda Cocktail
• Corn N' Oil
• some Rum Collins variations
• White Lion
• Zombie

Fee Brothers produces a nonalcoholic version, and John D. Taylor's Velvet Falernum is an alcoholic version available in the United States. The Bitter Truth released their Golden Falernum in 2011, available in Europe, USA and in Asia.