What do you get when you combine high-octane white rum and a live snake? Viper Rum! I figured this was just a bit of Central American lore…wow, was I wrong.
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Most Central American countries claim a wide array of bizarre alcoholic potions and home grown concoctions. Belize is no different. After listening to endless rumor about a strange spirit called Viper Rum, I set out to find a bottle and get the details for myself.
Following a week-long chase, I finally tracked down Viper Rum in a small cantina in San Pedro, Belize. The bartender explained that it is made by villagers in the mountainous region of the country and is indeed spiked with a live snake during the bottling process. It was $10 a shot and the bottle was nearly empty, apparently someone is drinking this stuff.
The origin of this strange concoction is still a bit sketchy. Some will tell you that its roots are in the ancient Mayan culture where it was common to infuse medicinal potions with insects and reptile parts. It is said that live critters were added to these potions so the imbiber would take on their spirit after a drink. Others will say that Viper Rum is brewed up every year before tourist season to make a quick buck off of drunken gringos. I’m not sure which version is accurate, but I’ll chalk it up as one of the more bizarre rums that I’ve come across.
As you may have guessed, the taste of Viper Rum leaves much to be desired (think Wray & Nephew with a hint of reptile) but I paid my 10 bucks for the experience and feel that I surely lost a brain cell and taste bud in the process. Still, I plan to bring a bottle back to Rum Connection headquarters and temp our crew into a nip of this peculiar rum.
Have you sampled any strange spirits during your travels? Be sure to tell us all about it!! Cheers!
Tagged: Brands
July 17th, 2009 at 8:03 am
i was just wondering does anyone no where and if its possible to buy it in australia can anyone helpme????
July 17th, 2009 at 8:47 am
Viper Rum is not available in many “developed” countries as its production (adding a live snake) can be seen as animal cruelty. I tracked it down in Belize and have seen it in other parts of Central America. I think your only option in Australia is going to be a homemade batch.
August 5th, 2009 at 8:16 am
This brew is made for the crazy drunken Gringo. I Lived in Belize. The Maya don’t drink the stuff here in Mexico. They are smarter.
August 22nd, 2009 at 12:44 pm
So if you get a bottle and leave it sit in your shelves for a while, wont it continually infuse with the snake? Imagine that baby in 3 years!
Almost Trafalgar’s blood-esque!
August 31st, 2009 at 1:14 pm
No, aged viper does NOT sound appealing. Maybe you can come up with a better infusion recipe, Adam.
September 7th, 2009 at 8:25 am
They actually talked about this on the Tonight Show with Conan O’brien. Needless to say, the guy who drank it, says it’s disgusting.
What’s with ppl, snakes, and alcohol? Apparently the Taiwanese make snake penis liquor. Vietnamese make cobra snake wine. The Japanese also make a habu sake. Mexicans make a rattlesnake tequila.
This kind of stuff isn’t new, but I just don’t get it.
September 7th, 2009 at 7:13 pm
I’m willing to try anything! Check out my videos on GOOGLE—the best martini’s in Laguna Beach.
Dan
October 27th, 2009 at 9:01 am
the viper in the picture above is a knock-off with a harmless snake. the real “viper rum” tm. is produced by me at Maruba Spa in Belize. It is also the one zane got a bottle of, no charge. viper rum is not sold by shot or bottle. that would be illegal. the story of viper rum is that it increases sperm motility in men and women so its good for making babies and the yellow jaw tommy goff is the snake in the bottle which is the deadliest snake in the america’s.
Maruba Resort Belize also produce stinger rum with a scorpion in it. The rum gives a girl a panty fire so just make sure there is someone to put it out. If a guy need a little help maruba also produces Mugha, it is an herb drink with different roots, barks, and resins, one of the main ingredients is palo de hombre, translated to English “stick of man” it gives you a wooden.
May 20th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
http://www.hulu.com/watch/12735/three-sheets-belize
November 11th, 2010 at 9:14 am
Hello Mike,
Enjoy all the information and insights. I have recently come across an unconventional, yet appealing flavor. I’m located in North American, Midwest area in particular. Not likely you’ve stumbled this way in your travels, but we have a small town called Oswego, near Lake Tippecanoe where they distill opossum tail rum. I know it sounds sick as hell, but there’s this little mini mart near a river where all these marsupials feast on catfish. The flavor is intense. I believe it’s manufactured behind a local pier shop. They haven’t mass produced this yet, but likely you hear about in the coming years.
Keep up the great work!
Cheers,
Lakeman
February 3rd, 2011 at 8:59 am
So you’ve actually tried this? I’ve heard it is horrible but it makes for one hell of a story to tell your friends.
Cheers!
February 3rd, 2011 at 10:59 am
Yes, it tastes as bad as it sounds. Maybe worse.
February 5th, 2012 at 8:07 pm
I had it at Maruba Spa in Belize years ago! It was strong and nasty!!! Great times in Belize!!
February 22nd, 2012 at 8:29 am
And they talk about my “Root Juice”, they have a similar snakey illixer in Vietnam as well. It never ceases to amaze me what people will really drink. ;o)
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:43 pm
Ugh. I can’t say how wrong this is! I don’t do shakes… At all, and this is just… Awful!
Thanks for being adventurous, but hide that bottle if I come over.