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Mamajuana

A potent Dominican herbal infusion made with rum, red wine, honey, and a carefully chosen collection of roots, barks, and herbs that creates a complex digestif with warm, spiced flavors that improve with age.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 14 days
Total Time 14 days 20 minutes
Servings: 33 one-ounce servings
Course: Drinks and Beverages
Cuisine: Caribbean, Dominican
Calories: 85
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main
  • 750 ml bottle of quality rum light or dark
  • 250 ml bottle of red wine dry or semi-dry
  • 1 cup raw honey
  • 2 inches of fresh ginger root peeled and sliced
  • 4 to 5 pieces of dried guaiacum wood 2 to 3 inches each
  • 3 to 4 pieces of dried sarsaparilla root 1 to 2 inches each
  • 2 to 3 pieces of dried mauby bark 1 inch pieces
  • 2 dried cinnamon sticks
  • 4 to 5 whole cloves
  • 2 dried star anise pods
  • 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon whole nutmeg pieces or 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 to 3 dried bay leaves
  • 1 piece of dried angelica root optional, about 1 inch

Equipment

  • Glass jar with tight-fitting lid (at least 1.5 liters)
  • Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
  • Cutting board and sharp knife
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Funnel
  • Bottles for storing finished mamajuana
  • Labels for dating your batch

Method
 

  1. Find a glass jar large enough to hold all your ingredients with a bit of headroom. Wash it thoroughly with hot water and dry it completely.
  2. Cut your guaiacum wood, sarsaparilla root, and mauby bark into smaller pieces about 1 to 2 inches long to increase surface area.
  3. Peel your fresh ginger root using a spoon or vegetable peeler. Slice it into 1/4-inch thick rounds or thin coins.
  4. Add the prepared ginger, guaiacum wood, sarsaparilla root, and mauby bark to your glass jar.
  5. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, allspice berries, thyme, bay leaves, nutmeg pieces, and angelica root if using to the jar.
  6. Pour the 750 ml of rum and 250 ml of red wine directly into the jar over your herbs and spices.
  7. Stir in your raw honey until it dissolves as completely as possible into the liquid. Cap the jar tightly and shake vigorously for one full minute.
  8. Place your sealed jar in a cool, dark cabinet away from direct sunlight. Shake it gently every 3 to 5 days during the aging period.
  9. After 2 to 4 weeks, taste your mamajuana to check flavor intensity. Once satisfied, pour the liquid through cheesecloth or a fine mesh strainer into clean bottles, leaving the solids behind.
  10. Store finished mamajuana in sealed glass bottles in the refrigerator for up to one year. Serve at room temperature or chilled in 1 to 2-ounce glasses.

Notes

Don't throw away the strained solids. You can add fresh rum and wine to create a second batch that often tastes even more complex than the first. Store in dark glass bottles in the refrigerator for best results. Shake the jar every few days during aging for even flavor extraction.