There is a special place in hell for women who do not help other women. – Madeleine Albright
I bet my readers are probably wondering what on earth I was doing in a different drink blog’s event. To really simplify things, I decided to outline my reasons:
- I believe there is room for more than one person in the field of online beverage writing, and that no one has a monopoly on it (I am a big fan of winefolly.com, winewankers.com, ozclarke.com… I can go on all day). Each one has their own voice to lend to the topic, and each perspective (I have a particular preference for the academically sound yet entertaining ones) is unique and interesting.
- I think that the Philippines has so much potential for growth in the wine category, and those who understand the topic should find ways (whether through accessible classes, media, and even events) to share the information in a relatable (yet intelligent) way.
- To echo the quote I used to start this article, Filipinas (especially those in such a niche, traditionally male-dominated field such as alcohol) should help and support each other in whatever way we can.
It really seems like my third point has major #hugot written all over it, and it does.
On International Women’s Day (of all days), I received a message from my husband telling me about a man trolling DrinkManila.com’s Instagram account, mentioning something particularly disparaging about Filipinas and our ability to identify a proper tipple.
Naturally, as a Filipina in the industry (whose origin story in putting up this blog in the first place involves a heated argument with a particularly ignorant foreigner… Again, not my finest hour, and since then I’ve learned to #ignoretheignorant), I felt the need to lend my presence (and a little bit of my web space) to the event. Similarly, in the spirit of being a female WSET Advanced Certificate Awardee and an educator, I thought that I could use this as a teaching opportunity by letting a positive, educated, woman’s perspective be known.
A little background: The Women and Tipple Series is a set of events which focuses on tasting quality beverages, geared towards women, and providing ladies with a “safe place for women to feel relaxed and thrive in an environment that focuses on and are supportive of their exploration of drinks and spirits.” The events encourage “spirited conversations” between female drink enthusiasts of all levels, and is an excellent opportunity for Filipina tipplers to mingle with bartenders and brand ambassadors of alcohol labels. It is an excellent collaboration between the editor-in-chief of DrinkManila.com Tatum Ancheta and Discovery Primea (the hotel is launching a series of alcohol promotions, and I’m planning to cover that in succeeding articles for the blog).
The first of the series featured the proudly pinoy rum phenomenon (and what I can attest is ubiquitous in a number of premium Parisian liquor stores) Don Papa Rum, spearheaded by Brand Manager Erica Larkins and Senior Regional Brand Manager Cristhel Molina, with drinks made by DrinkManila.com’s mixology expert, Icy Mariñas.
The second of the series featured Botanist Gin, which I’ve written about in a previous article. The brand’s mixologist Alyona Vinogradova (one of my favourite people in town) made gorgeous concoctions from this Islay gin. I still prefer Botanist with a little ice, fruits (or just a couple of slices of lemons if I’m too lazy), topped with Fever Tree Tonic Water. This blend also managed to convert my sister Paulette from being anti-gin to a fan (I owe her a bottle, eheh).
I’m quite excited because the next in the series will feature a friend of mine, renowned (and proudly pinay) mixologist, Kathryn Eckstein of Dulo in Poblacion (whose drinks, even on the fly, I gladly accept can blow my concoctions out of the water… Plus she looks hot doing it). Trust me, if there’s any Filipina who can show anyone how well pinays know a good tipple, it’s her.
That said, here’s to creating more safe, collaborative venues for Filipina tipplers. Cheers!
