Ginebra San Miguel’s World Gin Day is Back!

The World Gin Day celebration is back!

After more than two years, Ginebra San Miguel comes back to celebrate World Gin Day in the Philippines. The celebration consists of month-long activities, highlighted by a media launch last Friday (June 10) at the Makati Diamond Residences to kick off the nationwide Gin Bar Crawl challenge.

Held every second Saturday of June, World Gin Day was first celebrated on June 13, 2009, in Birmingham, England. Ginebra San Miguel led the first World Gin Day celebration in the Asia Pacific region in 2014, coinciding with the 180th anniversary of its flagship brand, Ginebra San Miguel. Since then, the celebration in the Philippines has become a much-awaited, month-long event for gin enthusiasts and Ginebra fans.

Last Friday night, four of the country’s top professional mixologists take centerstage to craft one-of-a-kind cocktails based on Ginebra San Miguel’s new gin products.

NEW INNOVATIONS

Among its latest creations is the 1834 Premium Distilled Gin. Infused with classic juniper berries, and unique Philippine botanicals such as Sampaguita and Calamansi, 1834 appeals to sophisticated tastes.

Renowned mixologist Lennon Aguilar and Tabitha Rice showcased their creations using the new 1834 Premium Distilled Gin brand. Lennon with his whimsical “Strawberry Fields Forever” and Tabitha’s sensual and sexy “Basil Instinct”.

Another exciting new product from the GSM Blue Flavors is the GSM Blue Cosmopolitan. This new flavor is a mix of sweet and tangy notes from Cranberries and Lime.

Drink Manila’s Icy Marinas showcased her GSM Blue Cosmopolitan Blue inspired cranberry-based all day drink called “The First of Many”.

Patrons of the GSM Premium Gin will also have a more exquisite experience with its new look and enhanced flavor of natural ingredients such as juniper berries, botanical essences, and citrus flavors.

Sheraton Manila’s Alius Bernard Abrazado on the other hand came out strong with his refreshing and soda-like “Tea Time Collins” with hints of chamomile and topped with grapefruit.

Ginebra San Miguel also previously released the Ginebra San Miguel Hari, a 1-liter version of the flagship brand, Ginebra San Miguel that is designed for group drinking. Packaged in a bigger Frasco or Kwatro Kantos, the Hari is the perfect size for a barkada or family of four to five. The Ginebra San Miguel Hari also bears the Ginebra San Miguel label with the iconic St. Michael logo made by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo.

For Ginebra San Miguel Light Gin, Crimson Hotel’s Clayton Paul Munar created “Ginebra Mangifera” a mango and calamansi-based cocktail topped with green mango and bagoong.

GIN IS IN

The gin-drinking culture is very much alive in many countries, especially in Europe. Gin has been around since the 17th century but it has remained popular, hip, and loved by many to this day. The enduring fame of the drink can be attributed to its cool vibe.

The rise of the craft gin movement has also spurred a collection of unique blends that everyone — especially the young, can enjoy. Gin’s clear, pure quality is derived from a rigorous distillation process that brings out its best flavors. Gin is also an ideal drink for its versatility, as it can be enjoyed straight or mixed with other ingredients in a cocktail. With an abundance of flavors and accessibility, gin continues to be an all-time favorite among spirits.    

In the Philippines, gin is synonymous with brand Ginebra San Miguel. It is the country’s pioneering gin and the oldest consumer brand still in the market today.

The brand, already an award winner as early as the late 1900s, was originally a drink for the wealthy—popular among both peninsulares and insulares. To this day, Ginebra San Miguel continues its legacy of excellence. Its white spirits line has been a consistent Gold Quality Label awardee of the Monde Selection International Quality Institute.

Reaping accolades both locally and internationally, Ginebra San Miguel is the epitome of excellence. Every bottle of Ginebra San Miguel goes through a stringent production process to ensure optimal quality. As a testament to the strength of its brand name, variants such as GSM Blue, GSM Blue Flavors, and Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, have been introduced to cater to different market segments. 

“Through our World Gin Day activities, we hope that more Filipinos will gain a deeper appreciation of gin and enjoy a unique gin-drinking experience made more special by GSMI’s world-class products,” said GSMI Marketing Manager Ron Molina. 

GIN BAR CRAWL

People who are trooping back to the bars after a long hiatus are in for an exciting and unique experience with the Gin Bar Crawl challenge. Gin lovers are invited to try five specially-concocted signature drinks made with GSMI gin products (Ginebra San Miguel, GSM Blue, GSM Premium Gin, and 1834 Premium Distilled Gin) or buy a GSMI featured product at any of the 30 partner establishments nationwide on June 11, 17, 18, 24, and 25 from 6 p.m. to 12 midnight.

Participants will be given a Gin Passport with five sticker slots. All they need to do is buy the five different signature WGD cocktails from the partner bars and have their Gin Passports stamped with five corresponding stickers. One drink is equivalent to one sticker. Those who complete five stickers will receive a WGD Finisher Pack, consisting of three GSMI products, and a finisher T-shirt.   

Apart from the Gin Bar Crawl challenge, other WGD activities include online videos on the gin attributes and gin-drinking experience as well as pocket events on June 11 in Baguio, Naga, Cebu, and Davao to drum up the celebration.

For list of partner bars and restaurants for the Gin Crawl challenge, see attached. GSMI is the producer of Ginebra San Miguel, the world’s largest-selling gin according to leading global drinks journal Drinks International. GSMI’s other quality distilled spirits include GSM Blue Light Gin, GSM Blue Mojito, GSM Blue Margarita, GSM Blue Gin Pomelo, Ginebra San Miguel Premium Gin, 1834 Premium Distilled Gin, Antonov Vodka, Añejo Gold Rum, Primera Light Brandy, and the Philippines’ no. 1 Chinese wine Vino Kulafu.