Now on its 10th year, World Gin Day was founded by British blogger Neil Houston and is celebrated every 2nd Saturday of June. What started as a day to bring his friends together to drink gin has grown into a worldwide celebration.
Here in the Philippines, World Gin Day was first celebrated in 2014 coinciding with the celebration of Ginebra San Miguel’s 180th anniversary, highlighted by the launch of a travelling exhibit showcasing the brand’s colorful history and rich heritage.
Ginebra San Miguel is he world’s number 1 selling gin!
Love for gin is something that the Philippines shares in common with the world and for 184 years, Filipinos have been enjoying the distinct taste and quality of the country’s pioneering spirit, Ginebra San Miguel.
“Gin is enjoying a wave of popularity the world over right now,” says Ginebra San Miguel Marketing Manager Ron Molina. “Owing to its versatility, gin can mix with a variety of flavors. In the Philippines, this love for gin and Ginebra San Miguel is celebrated with regional flair and flavor. Local mixes and pairing with local food takes the gin experience to a whole new level.”
For this year’s World Gin Day celebration, Ginebra San Miguel gathered three of the Philippines’ top mixologists Enzo Lim, Kalel Demetrio and Icy Mariñas for a showdown of flavors held last night at Green Sun Hotel in Makati. Media and other guests were treated to a ginstronomic experience as the masters created special Ginebra San Miguel cocktails that represented all the three major islands of the country – Luzon (Kalel), Visayas (Icy) and Mindanao (Enzo).
Kalel Demetrio created the “Quatro Katipunero Sour” – a cocktail that incorporates the four dominant Luzon ingredients that he loves to use: kamias, sampaguita, labuyo, and calamansi. For Visayas, Icy Mariñas crafted the Cebu mango-based “In It to Gin-It” cocktail with flavors of sinamak vinegar, peanut kisses, and Leyte pineapple. As a representation of Mindanao, Enzo Lim made the Samal Beach Cocktail, a fusion of Pinoy flavors with Davao pomelo as its dominant taste. These concoctions were, of course, prepared using Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue Light Gin and GSM Premium Gin as base.
The three rockstar mixologists were also at the judges’ panel for “Mixologist Showdown”, a contest where the country’s best bartenders whipped up signature cocktails using unique and indigenous ingredients that captured the spirit of the Philippines as a gin nation.
Rockstar chef Rolando Laudico also prepared a sumptuous “pulutan” feast, creatively paired with the rockstar mixologists’ cocktails. Chef Lau’s cocktail food dishes aptly named “Nilasing na Sisig”, “Chicken Ginasal Wrap” and “Spicy Tuna Ginilaw”, similarly used Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue Light Gin and GSM Premium Gin as ingredients.
Among the guests who graced the event were famous personalities like dancer/director Gab Valenciano, Mr. World Philippines 2016 Sam Ajdani, and all-around vlogger Vince Vandorpe. Travel and beauty vlogger Angel Dei Peralta, and international model couple/reality TV stars Chelsea Robato and Christian Busby also had a taste of the gin-credible night.
Entertainment was provided by GSM Blue endorser Myrtle Sarrosa, singer, rapper, and songwriter Quest, and Europop Festival Gold Medalist Ana Ramsey who delivered outstanding performances that captured the hearts of the audience.
Brothers James and Phil Younghusband together with the rest of the Davao Aguilas were also present during the event.
World Gin Day celebrations were also held in Cabanatuan, Cebu and Davao at selected bars and establishments where Ginebra San Miguel offers the Gin O’ Clock promo. The World Gin Day celebration carried on throughout the whole Philippines, as they toasted with Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao – now as One Gin Nation.
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