history.
Historically, falernum is ancient Roman. It used to be a wine made from grapes growing in vineyards on the flanks of Mount Falernus, half an hour south of Rome. Falernian wine in Latin = Falernum.
The Romans would make this wine from Aglianico grapes for example, and spice it with lemons, herbs, botanicals such as cinnamon, cloves and add a Sicilian invention: Orzata which evolved into orgeat. The wine was usually made and kept for special occasions such as weddings.
Praised by historical Roman figures such as Cicero and Crassus, just about all written documentation about falernum disappeared with the decline and downfall of the Roman Empire, only to resurface around the 18th century in Barbados and Jamaica.
According to migration experts and historians, it is more than likely (in several cases even proven) that among European colonists that settled in the Carribbean, a few were descendants from ancient Romans carrying with them a recipe handed on from generation to generation.
One tiny detail turned falernum into what we consider it to be today: vines didn’t grow in the Caribbean, but sugar cane did.
And what do we make from sugar cane (among other things)? That’s right: rum.
From this point on, falernum was made with rum and promoted as a Caribbean creation. In all fairness, that’s partially true: the version we know today and most producers worldwide are making is the Caribbean version. But we decided to change history…
Big Daddy’s Falernum.
Big Daddy’s Falernum was created by Rob Biesmans, the founder of Koks & Tales, an award winning bar in Belgium.
