Sometimes the Dominicans cover the bottle in wicker but that can’t hide its magical properties.
Mama Juana is a mixture of bark and herbs left to soak in rum (most often dark rum but white rum is not uncommon), red wine and honey.
After the arrival of Columbus, indigenous locals added alcohol to the recipe. Besides its rumored aphrodisiac qualities, Mamajuana is also consumed for medicinal purposes.
The alcohol is said to create additional curative properties as a herbal tincture that is often served as a shot. The beneficial effects vary from a flu remedy to a digestion and circulation aid, blood cleanser, and of course kidney and liver tonic.
Even if it doesn’t work as medicine, the yummy rum, wine and honey mix masks what ever ails you.