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Dominican Mamajuana

A traditional Dominican herbal tonic combining dark rum, raw honey, spices, and tree bark infused for weeks.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 33 1 ounce
Course: Cocktail Mixer, Digestif, Herbal Tonic
Cuisine: Dominican
Calories: 60

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 750 milliliters dark rum
  • 1 cup raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons dried mamey or guayaba bark broken into pieces
  • 3 to 4 cinnamon sticks about 3 inches each
  • 1 tablespoon whole cloves
  • 4 to 5 star anise pods
  • 1/2 teaspoon whole nutmeg or one small piece
  • 1 tablespoon whole allspice berries
  • 2 ounces fresh ginger root thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 4 to 5 garlic cloves lightly crushed
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes optional

Equipment

  • large glass bottle or jar (at least 1.5 liters capacity)
  • cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
  • Measuring spoons and cups
  • Wooden spoon for stirring
  • funnel (optional but helpful)
  • smaller glass bottles for storing finished mamajuana
  • labels for dating your batch

Method
 

  1. Thoroughly clean the glass bottle with hot water and soap, rinse completely, and let it air dry.
  2. In a small dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, and allspice berries for about 2 minutes until fragrant.
  3. Add the toasted spices, tree bark pieces, dried oregano, sliced fresh ginger, and crushed garlic cloves to the clean glass bottle.
  4. Pour 750 milliliters of dark rum over the dry ingredients in the bottle.
  5. Add 1 cup of raw honey on top of the rum, then stir gently with a wooden spoon to begin dissolving the honey.
  6. Seal the bottle tightly and store it in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight.
  7. Shake the bottle gently every few days for the first week, then once a week, allowing the mixture to infuse for 3 to 4 weeks.
  8. After 3 to 4 weeks, strain the infusion through a cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer into a clean container, discarding all solids.
  9. Transfer the strained mamajuana into smaller glass bottles, label with the infusion date, seal, and store at room temperature in a cool, dark cabinet.

Notes

Store mamajuana at room temperature in a cool, dark place. It improves with age and can be used as a digestif or cocktail mixer.