Destileria Limtuaco eyes agri crops for new products

MANILA, Philippines - Liquor maker Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc.  is looking at several agriculture products such as calamansi that could be used to manufacture of new alcoholic drinks.

The company has signed a marketing agreement with the Tugdaan Mangyan Center for Learning and Development for the supply of calamansi rinds which will be used for making a limoncello-like drink.

The Tugdaan Center is a group of  Mangyan tribesmen from Oriental Mindoro who are engaged in calamansi growing and processing. Their products include calamansi concentrate, hibiscus concentrate, organic wild honey and other herbal products.

The cooperative is a certified producer of organically-grown calamansi.

Under the agreement, Destileria Limtuaco will purchase calamansi rinds from Tugdaan at a price equivalent to the price of the whole fruit.

Transportation of the rinds will be shouldered by Destileria Limtuaco while the Department of Agriculture will support the operation of Tugdaan Center by providing chest freezers and weighing scales.

The maiden purchase from the cooperative will begin on Sept. 2.

The agreement will be valid for three years; shipment of rinds will be made at the peak of harvest.

 â€œWe chose them because they manually squeeze the calamansi juice, therefore the rinds are not damaged,” said Destileria Limtuaco president Olivia Limpe-Aw.

Limpe-Aw is introducing to the market  soon its limoncello-like drink called Manille de Calamansi.

Lemon liqueur is traditionally made by steeping lemon peels in grain alcohol until essential oil is released.

“We developed this product because of feedback from the market. We were told several times that there is demand for this product,” said Limpe-Aw

The calamansi liqueur will join Destileria Limtuaco’s roster of popular products like White Castle Whisky, Napoleon V.S.O.P Brandy, Maria Clara Sangria, El Hombre Tequila, and Toska Vodka.

The new product will become a new revenue stream for the company without the need for additional investment in equipment.

 â€œWe have existing infrastructure for this,” said Limpe-Aw.

This month, the company will also begin exporting to the US its Paradise Mango Liqueur and Amadeo Coffee Liqueur. 

Limpe-Aw said Manille de Calamansi will be marketed as a specialty product in Duty-Free outlets and eventually exported to the US.

 â€œCalamansi is now in season so we are talking advantage of it now,” she said.

Limpe-Aw the company is also looking at the potential of commercially producing basi or wine made from sugarcane.