WTF: Kung Fu Siok Tong Tonic Wine / Vino de Chino

At a local mom-and-pop grocery (M&W Townstore) whenever the fam and I are in town (Pila, Laguna), I’ve been seeing these bottles of some “tonic wine” I’ve never heard of.

With a label like this, how can one not be curious?

Kung Fu Siok Tong tonic wine Vino de Chino

Methinks this is the kind of stuff that the Kung Fu “drunken master(s)” I used to watch on T.V. in the ’80s were chugging.

Kung Fu Sioktong tonic wine Vino de Chino ejpadero

Says a cached copy of a page from what looks like the distillery’s dot com:


PRODUCT NAME: Vino de Chino / Vino de Kung Fu

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION: See Hok Tong, the original and pioneer brand of Chinese herbal wines was first produced by Destileria Limtuaco over a hundred and fifty years ago. Being first in the market, it soon became the generic name for the product and evolved in to what is now commonly called “Sioktong”.

Today, DLCI continues to manufacture quality herbal wines but under the current brand names of Vinous De Chino & Vino Kung Fu. For five generations now, Destileria Limtuaco still uses the same secret family recipe of ingredients derived from a variety of chinese herbs.


  • This medicinal wine is perfect for people who want to revitalize their vigor and vitality. Taken daily, it increases energy and power.
  • Distilled from over 15 Chinese herbs with cold and hot properties, it promotes the balance of “yin and yang,” the key to good health.
  • Women particularly take it because it contains blood tonics and blood regulators that is good for reproductive health.

Available in:

  • 350ml bottle / 24 bottles per case
  • 50 Proof / 25% alc. by vol.

LOL. Someone even made a Vino de Kung Fu / Vino de Chino (Sioktong) Facebook Page for it and used this clearer photo below:

Kung Fu Siok Tong Tonic Wine Vino de Chino

I even found a made-up origin of the mysterious liquid, at a blog named Uhaw Pa Sa Camel:

Vino Kung-fu

In 1852, a young chinese kung-fu master brought to Manila the secrets of making medicinal wine using secret herbs. Thus, Vino Kung-fu was born. Energy giving Siok Tong that tastes good. Highly recommended for good health. Drink Vino Kung-fu for V-igor and V-itality.

Kung Fu Siok Tong Tonic Wine Vino de Chino

Says The Amats Project:

Vino de Chino

Hihindi ka ba sa alak na ganyan yung picture?

Labeled as “Original Sioktong” and “Medicinal Wine,” we still have no idea why this drink exists. Judging by the muscle man on the bottle, we’re guessing this P35 bottle of cane alcohol is supposed to make men more virile or something. Or turn you in into the Chinese version of The Hulk. In either case, such an intriguing bottle couldn’t be left untasted.

Vino de Chino actually tastes like a watered-down Jagermeister. It has that herb-y, medicinal flavor to it that kind of stings. It’s not delicious, but for 35 bucks and the promise of the Chinese muscle man, it’s worth a try.

46 thoughts on “WTF: Kung Fu Siok Tong Tonic Wine / Vino de Chino

  1. JOn

    Hombre, this is the counterpart of Vino Kulafu and Fighter Wine in Visayas and Mindanao. Sioktong was my lolo’s favorite. Amazing they still make this. 😀

    1. E.J. Post author

      Spotted in Laguna. Haven’t seen any at shops within the Metro. Any chance of you snapping a photo of Fighter Wine over there?

  2. Meg

    i found some on a bottom shelf in CVC grocery along Marcos Hiway in Antipolo, Rizal. Check out my Tumblr for pics. 😛

  3. Edith

    My grandmother always have a shot of this when I was young. She lived till she is 94 in good health. I guess it works!!!! My mother gave me this with black coffee to help me out with my stomach pain. Oh well it works too!!! Why? I am too young to drink alcohol then. So, it knocked me off. Good bye pain 🙂

    1. E.J. Post author

      Thanks for sharing, Edith. I hear that Siok Tong is highly recommended by a lot of elders. Your mom’s coffee mix sounds like an Asian version of Irish coffee. Maybe you should try making some again, and with some thick cream on top. Hehe.

  4. Jane

    You should try mixing this with Coke (like coke & rhum) since the after taste of this is a bit sweet, it goes well with the cocktail.

    1. E.J. Post author

      Hi, Jane. I got myself a bottle out of curiosity, but it remains unopened. Thanks for the tip! I’ll keep it in mind.

  5. jordan matuguinas

    hello po sa inyo, student po ako ng history sa PUP, gumagawa po ako ng study ukol sa sioktong partikular ung kumpanyang gumawa nito.. ung Vino de Chino ay katumbas po ng Energy Drink ngayon.. actually noong 1852 ng inilabas o ibinenta ito ay mga farmers ang siyang tumangkilik nito. sa Binondo ito unang ginawa kasi un lang place para sa mga christianized Chinese then ito din ang center of trade 🙂

      1. Jordan

        welcome po. By the Way sasalang nakami sa Panel by June 27-28, 2012. lumaganap ang Sioktong hindi lang sa manila ayon sa CEO nito.. nakarating din ito sa Ilocos Region by means of ILOG PASIG. kasi during those years ang Ilog Pasig ang naging way of transportation and trade.

        1. E.J. Post author

          Good luck on June 27-28! Yup, I’ve heard stories of some of my trader-ancestors transporting goods via river barge from Candaba, Pampanga down south to Manila.

  6. Jordan

    yeah. thank you po! 🙂 mayroon na po pala ako sample ng Vino de Chino at Vino de Kung Fu, pero di ko pa tinitikman :))

  7. JAKE

    It’s my LOLO’s fave drink when he was alive. He will not eat lunch and dinner without SiokTong. It used to be sold in round bottle with paper label and very cheap compared to other drinks. It’s very popular among elders way back 30-40 years ago.

  8. Fatima

    i just bought one worth P100 a bottle…the wine tastes good…liked it!…i need it for my period….let’s see if it works for me….hope so…xxxxxxx

      1. Fatima

        hello, i bought it from my supplier of my goods in manila…yes, indeed!,..greatly improved my period…para siyang lasang mild na whisky…

        1. Pachomius Susmariosep

          How would we know whether the company is still using genuine original herbs as were used in the original product?

          Has any government office ever taken the job of checking on its, first, food quality, i.e., it is really nutritious or at least a remedy for the ills of the body and spirit, or it is all nothing but a small volume of alcohol, some sugar, some color, and chemical tastes without any physiological virtues whatsoever, then hopefully still harmless and at least can quench thirst and effect a slight euphoria owing to its alcohol content.

          Perhaps consumers should take some trouble to ask fellow consumers whether they are better off for faithfully regularly taking into their stomach the herbal supposedly herbal brew.

    1. E.J. Post author

      hahah. talaga? saan lugar ka nakakabili? para yata kasi syang wine tonic, helps promote blood circulation, kaya mas-healthy talaga kumpara sa beer na puro calories & pampalaki ng tyan. he he.

  9. glesygurl

    hi just try vino de chino last sunday to test if effective to waste the unwanted blood ,during my period…so far it helps!! keep on observing….my friend recommend me this…so i just try it…thanks

  10. Pachomius Susmariosep

    If we can get it for 35 pesos per bottle and it works at least as well as a bottle of San Mig, plus its medicinal bonuses, why I will definitely try it — though I am healthy even without taking a lot of expensive food supplements and alcoholic energizers: because it has the support of common folks who do not have the means to indulge in expensive beautifully bottled drinks for more nutrition and energy, but it works for them.

  11. mel

    I also tried Kung Fu Tonic wine or Siok Tong, after kc I gave birth to my pre-mature twin ang lakas na ng menstration ko diaper na ang ginagamit ko kc sobrang lakas tlga, then my yaya who is from province of romblon told me that gamot daw yun para sa mga bagong daw ang iniinom sa province nila ng mga nanganganak so when I went to a grocery, a small super market own by a chinese I saw it, so bumuli ako kc I told my self walang masama malay ko totoo. dahil may phobia nko pumunta ng doktor I tried it, and its amazing after the following month na dumating ang regla ko normal na sya hinde na ganun ka lakas, parang ayaw ko maniwala noong una pero wla tlga akong ininom na gamot or something maliban lang doon, until now ok na ang monthly period ko, I take it last nov. 2013 so ilang bwan na ngayon, actually 3 times lang yata ako uminom kc i dont like the taste, di kc ako alcohol consumer or di ako umiinom ng mga alcohol very rare in my life maliban nlng kung mapilitan.well kung sya nga ang dahilan salamat, I just want to share my experience.

  12. KJ

    What’s the diff between kung fu and de chino? Anyways, I take Sioktong before my period because I have very painful PMS cramps. Yung di na makatayo sa sakit and it happens for a whole week before period. I used to take painkillers but it takes quite some time to be effective. I tried this and it gets the pains away faster. Di naman ako nalalasing. Bili namin 42 lng aa Reysal. Also lasing chinese cooking wine siya.

  13. honey

    tsaka gaano po ba dapat kadami ang iinumin para maregulate po yung dugo po pag my period? thanks. tsaka dapt po ba araw arw?

  14. sows

    when i was like 15 or 16, (about 10 years ago – hehe) i used to drink this to ease my irregular menstrual period. Im having a hard time searching for now, nasa Laguna lng pala.. pa ship nga! hehehe

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