Hello Steemians! How are you today? Cause I am very excited to be posting again! I've been in a long pause from my first post due to lack of time, I've been doing many work-related travels lately, so I couldn't sit down and write.
But, this post will be exactly about that, travels (And booze)!
If you read my first post (My introduction post https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@dibujito/introduction-dibujito) you can see that I work as a Cabin Crew Member in Venezuela, and during my many travels, I have had the chance to get a brief view into the folklore of my country, and I realized something that maybe isn't a surprise for any local.
Venezuelans love booze!
Being a Venezuelan myself, I can assure you that alcohol is something very important for our people, being an essential part of our culture, way of living, way of having fun and yes, even our manners!
(In Venezuela, if you get invited to a house for the first time, it is considered of good manners to gift a good bottle of whiskey or rum to the man of the house)
Disclaimer! While alcohol is something that most people enjoy to overdo, it must be consumed in moderation to avoid any kind of risky alcohol-related diseases, so keep that in mind while reading this article about the best Venezuelan drinks and liquor that you should taste at least once!
1. Rum
First of all, the good ol' rum. While it does not originate from Venezuela, Venezuelans have always outdone themselves with rum. Venezuelan rum is one of the best rum in the world, and it isn't just in my opinion, many rum critics around the world can agree on this, if you search online for lists of the best rums worldwide, chances are that you will find at least one Venezuelan rum in there, standing proudly with a nice, smooth wood and spice flavor, and a huge but well-deserved reputation on their back.
I have tasted almost every rum from my country, and I will recommend these two:
- -Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva
An amazing rum, distilled in copper pot stills and aged for 12 years, this rum is easily considered the best rum from Venezuela. Having a prominent banana flavor, subtle touch of vanilla and a smooth chocolate scent.
- -Santa Teresa 1796 Rum
A revolutionary rum! This rum is aged using the old artisanal solera process. It is the first premium añejo rum to be aged in this way. It has a delicious smell, giving a very strong aroma of fruits, honey, black chocolate, and vanilla. It has a sweet but complex flavor, with palatable touches of tobacco, leather, and a pleasant toasted and smoked taste. A personal favorite.
This one is perfect to be drunk on the rocks!
Fact: Venezuela is the only country in the world with a law that says that "To sell liquor under the label of `Rum´ it must be aged for at least 2 years"
2. Cocuy
This liquor is entirely Venezuelan, being only produced, distilled and drunk in here. It was even declared a cultural heritage of the Lara state in 2005!
Cocuy is not very known by many Venezuelans since it was first produced by the aborigines of our country and not many were interested in trying it out, but due to the decaying economic situation of Venezuela and how cheap it is to make, it has gained some fame.
Cocuy is made from a wild plant called "Agave Cocuy" which grows mainly in the Lara and Falcon states. It has a strong but sweet flavor, and it is usually drunk dry.
3. Amargo de Angostura
Its name honors the ancient "Angostura del Orinoco", nowadays called Ciudad Bolivar (Bolivar City), because it was in this land where the German doctor named Johann Gottlieb Benjamin Siegert created a mixture of herbs and roots that could relieve stomachaches caused by an epidemic of cholera, in a country in the middle of a war.
While it was initially a remedy for your tummy, it has now become an unmissable part of many cocktails and drinks, being used to add flavor and enhance the aroma. The Amargo de Angostura has a bitter taste and an alcoholic volume of 44.7%. It's used in small amounts to slightly bitter a drink.
If you want to taste this liquor, I recommend that you drink a "Cuba Libre" with a Venezuelan Santa Teresa Rum, coke-cola and of course, a couple drops of Amargo de Angostura to taste, add some lemon slices to make it look nice and there you go. I guarantee you that it will be the best Cuba Libre you will ever taste!
And that's all Steemians! I hope you enjoyed this post! :D
I'm still pretty new to these things, so please let me know what you think of this post in the comments!
Does your country have any liquor that you would recommend to the world? I'd love to try new stuff!