Local liquors make popular holiday gifts

When it comes to Christmas cheer, it’s hard to go wrong with a well chosen bottle. Ann-Marie surveyed a few of the local distilleries and files the following report.

Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting

Whether it’s wines, liquors, or the famous One Barrel Rum, Belizeans have been supporting the biggest name in liquors for almost half a century. Today, managing director Romel Perdomo says Travellers has packaged some of its finest spirits for the holidays.

Romel Perdomo, Managing Dir., Travellers

“This is the ideal time to go along with the government in buying local products. Our local product, Travellers, is competitive to the imported ones. So we don’t need to buy imported products when we have good local products for us here. We’d also like to mention that companies that give away products for Christmas, especially liquor, we could give them good prices if they come and buy an assortment from us. We’d like them to promote local products also, especially people that we buy from…this is time for them to buy back for us so that they could give their customers and their workers.”

You can purchase gifts sets like One Barrel and Craboo Liqueur, Cristal and Grapefruit juice or vodka and tomato juice. Whatever combination you prefer, Perdomo says there’s method in the mixture.

Romel Perdomo

“The idea of the vodka and tomato juice is so that people could start drinking something different, instead of drinking the regular rum and coke or the beer. If they want to have a drink, they could also have some nourishment with the juices. The same thing with the pina colada and the pineapple or cherries. We’re trying to change their drinking styles.”

And if you’d like to change your drinking style, how about sampling a bit of Ginseng Liquor from Consolidated Development Enterprise Ltd. A Taiwanese company in the liquor making business just over six months.

Bela Chen, Secretary, C.D.E.

“Ginseng is the best herb from Asia. It has multiple uses. It’s the best herb, it can do almost anything and it’s good for both male and female because it can avoid nervous breakdowns, relieve stress, and bring back your energy. I think it can also keep you young.”

Other distilled products being sold that are not promising the fountain of youth include Tea Rum, Kaio Liang liquor and Cashew Wines.

Bela Chen

“You can do a combination. Some people prefer to have blueberry wine with tea rum, or cashew wine with tea rum, you have the combinations.”

Ann-Marie Williams

“The blueberry is imported?”

Bela Chen

“The printing is supposed to say blackberry, but in our language, we always call it blueberry.”

So in actual fact, its blackberry wine bought in large quantities from Belizean villagers. Then the Chens add their secret ingredients, bottle and wholesale the spirits in local stores.

Bela Chen

“People can give it for a good Christmas gift, because we have two bottles of wine in a gift set that is very beautiful. When you’re visiting friends, you can just buy a gift set or any of the gifts products that we have.”

Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.

Viewers are advised that whenever you decide to drink any of these delicious gifts…don’t plan on driving.