Raffles Makati’s Ella Mae Varona Wins BCCP’s 3rd World Gin Day Bartending Competition

British Chamber of Commerce Philippines (BCCP) held its 3rd Bartending Competition in celebration of the World Gin Day last June 27, 2019, at Dusit Thani Manila. It has been an annual tradition of BCCP to celebrate World Gin Day together with BCCP members and friends of the Chamber, and for consecutive years they hold a bartending competition utilizing local Ginebra San Miguel Gin and participated by local hotel bars in the metro. 

For this year, various brands of gin brands were available on the premises for tasting. Brands who participated were Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Williams Chase Great British Extra Dry Gin, Berry Bro. & Rudd Sloe and London Dry Gins, Smeaton’s Bristol Method Dry Gin, and Ginebra Premium Gin.  

For the competition, the contenders are tasked to create a British-inspired drink utilizing a local Filipino ingredient. The criteria for the competition were: Taste and Balance – 40% (use of one local fruit ingredient); Originality and Creativity of the Recipe – 30% (must be original and creative); and Visual Appeal – 30% (use of colorful and unique garnishes). Judges of the night were Tatum Ancheta (DrinkManila.com’s founder and editor-in-chief), Sarah McLeod (Trustee of the British Chamber of Commerce and Managing Director), Giselle Villanueva (GSMI’s Brand Manager for Premium Gin), and Paulo Tupaz (GSMI’s Brand Manager of Ginebra San Miguel). 

The bartending competition hailed Ella Mae Varona of Raffles Makati, one of the eight hotel bartenders, as this year’s winner. Apart from being the only female contestant, Varona stood out among the rest with her winning creation, Fancy A Cuppa which is a high tea-inspired gin cocktail using only three ingredients: rose tea syrup, a citrus mix of dalandan and calamansi juice, and gin.

Her use of ingredients is simple compared to the rest of the contenders who had seven or more elements in their recipes, but according to the judges, she garnered the highest score due to her well-balanced, straightforward concoction that anyone can enjoy. The key is Balance, and each ingredient should not overpower nor lose the gin in the mix. Varona’s local selection of snacks like kwek-kwek, lumpia, chicharon, and ensaymada beautifully displayed in her three-tier curate stand paired to her tea cocktail is a refreshing take on the usual three-course British morsels. 

With only a few points behind, the first runner-up was Mark Joseph Tolentino of Dusit Thani Manila with his savory and creamy cocktail Spring of Ale, inspired by Waldorf Salad. Tolentino swept the judges off their feet with his unique fusion of gin and beer. The gin, infused with black tea and celery, was mixed with lemon, key lime, orchard syrup, egg whites, vanilla greek yogurt, celery bitters, and apple beer, which resulted into a smooth, creamy apple-flavored drink with a hint of acidity and floral profile. It was, then, garnished with salt, celery, and key lime for added saltiness and zest. 

Coming in second runner-up was hotel bartender Kenneth Aparece from Makati Diamond Residences with his visually appetizing cocktail called Caliber, inspired by King Arthur’s Excaliber sword. The drink contains lemongrass blue pea mix, Syrup, DOM Benedictine, kamias mixed with Hibiscus, and GSM Premium, Aparece created a fruity masterpiece with heavy floral notes. What also took everyone’s breath away was his striking presentation of a magnificent sword thrust atop of the large cube ice of this lowball drink.

The Champion brought home Php15,000 cash from Ginebra San Miguel, Tanqueray 10 from Diageo Philippines, a stainless Parisian shaker from Bevtools, and a Ferrari Backpack. The first runner up took home a Sunday Brunch at The Pantry from Dusit Thani Manila, Corregidor Day Tour for two from Sun Cruises, Chase Williams GB Extra Dry Gin from Wine Depot, and a Ferrari Umbrella. The 2nd runner up got a Sunday Brunch at The Pantry from Dusit Thani Manila, Chase Williams GB Extra Dry Gin from Wine Depot, and a Ferrari Umbrella.

Other participants of the night were Renato Remiendo of Grand Hyatt Manila, Tyro Jhorele Samonte of Discovery Primea, David Valerio Jr. of Marriott Hotel Manila, John Rick Uy of Holiday Inn & Suites Makati, and Dominic Malicdem of New World Makati who landed People’s Choice Award for the night. 

For more events like this, follow BCCP on Facebook or visit their website at www.britcham.org.ph.