Mamajuana, The Traditional Drink Of The Dominican Republic

Some local historians and researchers believe that “mamajuana” was in principle a tea made by the Taíno Indians to cure the flu and headaches and toothaches.

Others claim that their history began at the beginning of the 16th century with the arrival of African slaves and their healing practices.

These sources claim that slaves used honey or molasses to sweeten the roots and leaves, although they do not specify when shellfish became part of their elaboration.

As for the name, the most popular version refers to it being a derivation of the French bottle “dame-jeanne”, where it was presumably made for the first time.

The story refers to the story that tells how Queen Juana I of Naples, after taking refuge from a storm in a workshop of a master glassmaker, became interested in the manufacture of bottles.

There, the queen would have tried to make her own bottle and, blowing with great force, she got a ten-liter capacity. This bottle was given the name “dame-jeanne” or “damajuana”.

Over time, the pronunciation changed “d” to “m” and became “mamajuana”.

What is Dominican Mamajuana?

The “Mamajuana” is a drink originally from the Dominican Republic. It is a concoction made with rum, red wine, and honey, which is then macerated with herbs and tree bark. The result is a powerful elixir that tops the list of legendary drinks in this country.

Mamajuana promises multiple mythical benefits to those who consume it, including sexual potency – for something it is also known as “Liquid Viagra.”

What is Mamajuana good for?

Mamajuana was initially created as a medicinal elixir to treat respiratory, digestion and circulation conditions. It was also believed to help clean the blood, liver, and kidneys. Then aphrodisiac properties were attributed.

Some of the benefits we can find in Mamajuana are:

• Being natural products, healthy effects on the body are enhanced.
• Treats ovarian and prostate problems.
• It is an analgesic, for anise and ginger.
• By cinnamon, you can level the sugar in diabetics.
• Resveratrol dissolved in alcohol is said to promote the long-term life of cells in the body.
• Other benefits for the kidney are attributed to arthritis and sinusitis.

How is mamajuana made?

Its artisanal elaboration consists of the bottling of roots, leaves, and barks of endemic trees, to which red wine, rum, and honey are added, which are removed after a “maceration” process of about seven to ten days, to give way to the rum of your choice.

The resulting liquor thus acquires an aromatic sweet taste, irresistible to be taken again and again. Honey and wine soften and sweeten the roots before the rum goes into action offering a “powerfully” male amber drink out of a bottle that can be used for up to 20 years.

As many know, you must cure the herbs to calm any bitterness or impurities that could be found in the herbs. Cure the drink using rum or white wine of low quality (cheap) for at least 24 hours.

1. Fill a bottle of rum, cheap, gin, or white wine.
2. Allow the content to feel and ferment for at least 24-48 hours.
3. Shake the bottle vigorously once a day to dislodge herbal sediments.
4. Dispose of liquid in the bottle.
5. Add rum, gin, or preferred white wine and fill 3/4 of the bottle.
6. Add 1/4 bottle with honey.
7. Adjust the taste to your liking. More honey soothes the taste of liquor.
8. Shake and invert the bottle repeatedly to mix the contents.
9. Allow the content to feel for 24-48 at room temperature.
10. Shake the bottle and pour your drink. Enjoy!

What liquor do you put in Mamajuana?

White rum is suitable for use in Mamajuana, the reason why white rum is used is that it is stronger than golden rum, the stronger the rum used for the preparation of mamajuana is better.

Mamajuana drink alcohol content

It should be taken into account that Mamajuana is prepared with different alcohols (not linked) and that this is why calculating its alcohol content makes it complicated, this drink is commonly prepared with rum, plus other herbs, leaves, and bark of trees, an approximate of Its alcoholic strength is between 30% and 50% and can be increased if gin or whiskey is used.

How do you drink Mamajuana?

It must be consumed at room temperature, although sometimes, some ice cubes are added. The Dominicans take it in shots and the effects are almost immediate. In the Dominican Republic, they drink it at any time and at any time. However, the most careful recommend drinking it after meals or in cocktail preparations.

What herbs are in Mamajuana?

The most popular bottle of Mamajuana includes roots and crusts of guayacán, sweet clove, “pega palo”, maguei, timacle, marabeli, ginger, juana la blanca, brazil stick, anamú, basil, anise, raisins, among other ‘sticks’, as these ingredients are called in the Caribbean country.

What is Pega Palo?

Bejuco Caro or Bejuco Pega Palo. It is known in other countries as Bejuco Ubí, Bejuco de agua, Tripa de vaca, Cortina del Cielo, Grape Cimarrona, Insulin plant, and other names. Its scientific name is Cissus verticillata and it belongs to the Vitaceae family.

Its origin is in Central America, the Antilles, the Caribbean, Mexico, and parts of the United States. It is a perennial climbing plant that climbs through branched tendrils. It can also be presented as a small shrub about 3 meters high. As a climber, it can reach up to 10 meters long.

The main use of Bejuco Caro is medicinal. Traditional medicine attributes various properties. It is considered effective in treating rheumatism, as an antibacterial, and in curing respiratory and digestive conditions. It is also considered a diuretic.

Is mamajuana strong?

The strength of the mamajuana will depend directly on the liquor used for its preparation, the stronger the rum, the better the taste of the drink that comes out of the ‘Mamajuana’, anyway honey and wine soften and sweeten the roots, Mamajuana can be defined as a strong, soft-tasting drink.

What does Mamajuana taste like?

The combination of roots, rum, red wine, and honey to the taste of the consumer; It results in an amber, sweet, woody and strong drink.

You can find the traditional bottle of Mamajuana with ingredients approved by the FDA & USDA at Amazon.

Is mamajuana dangerous?

Some health professionals warn that it is not advisable to take anything that has been prepared for many months or years; it would be the breeding ground for many fungi, bacteria and parasites. Caution should also be taken when mixing mamajuana with other alcoholic beverages.

Is mamajuana a drug?

Mamajuana is not a drug, it is an alcoholic beverage of traditional use in the Dominican Republic created with root extracts to which many physical benefits are attributed, Mamajuana is a common commercial product and is found regularly in any store in the Dominican Republic.

Is Mamajuana illegal in the US?

Mamajuana is not an illegal product, but you should know by immigration and health policies it is not allowed to plant products in an international commercial flight because bottled Mamajuana is made up of roots, it could be seized if you carry it in its dry form.

For both the United States and Canada, you must refill the bottle of Mamajuana with alcohol before traveling, this way it is allowed.