Gin Is In: Discovery Primea Celebrates World Gin Day at Gilarmi Lounge

Enjoy a classic Gin & Tonic and immerse yourself in the global celebration of World Gin Day at Discovery Primea with a series of weekly promotions and events highlighting the celebrated spirit. At a special preview of the World Gin Day festivities at Discovery Primea, guests were treated to an afternoon tipple and more and here's what you can expect in this worldwide celebration of gin...

Tasty starters were served at the preview of Discovery Primea's World Gin Day celebration, just what you need before an afternoon tipple with some of the world's best gins.

From Stuffed Peppers with Chorizo and Feta to savory Pork Sliders and crispy Wontons, guests were adequately prepped for the gin tasting. On June 9, 2018, Gilarmi Lounge formally kicks off the global celebration with a collection of gin labels from Premium Wines & Spirits  for P 1,000++ starting at 4pm all the way to 9pm. 

Sir Winston Churchill may be right. No other spirit defines the British character like gin. And throughout the history of the empire, gin has played a key role in both commerce and culture. The resurgent popularity of the spirit, with its clean and refreshing notes, has opened a whole new world of categories, from the classic London Dry Gin and traditional Navy Strength to the modern expressions of New Wave and Craft Gin all the way to Flavored Gins. And it all began with the Juniper Berry, the female seed cone of junipers. Tracing its origins as an herbal medicine in the middle ages, the original Dutch liquor named "genever" was immensely popular among English soldiers supporting the Dutch in Antwerp against Spain in 1585 during the Eighty Years' War. Enjoying liberal amounts of genever before a battle calmed the nerves, hence the term "Dutch Courage." The rest, they say, is history and the popularity of gin began to blossom in England. The establishment of the London Dry Standard set the bar, paving the way for the spirit's continued popularity.

Since then, the spirit has evolved infused with a rich variety of botanicals for a wide range of distinct and flavorful notes. From cloves to nutmeg, cinnamon and cardamom, start anise and peppercorns, gin enthusiasts the world over can enjoy a refreshing tipple of a more refined version of "Dutch Courage."  

Blogger Emma Stokes, aka Gin Monkey, continued the global gin movement with World Gin Day started by Neil Huston in 2009 allowing bar goers to rediscover the iconic spirit. Held each year on the second Saturday of June to allow enough time to recover the next Sunday, World Gin Day is the perfect occasion to celebrate all things gin. And you can experience this tradition at Gilarmi Lounge. 

During the preview, 8! Botanicals showcased their special Gin & Tonic Cocktail Kit for recreating your cocktails at home. Each kit contains 8 essential botanicals, guides, and bar tools for that perfect cocktail. The eight botanicals include juniper berries, cinnamon sticks, star anise, pink peppercorn, cardamom, nutmeg, cloves, and red chili peppers. And with bar tools like a bar spoon, jigger, garnish tongs, four coasters and a recipe guide, you can relive the art of drinking and tasting and share the experience with friends (for more on 8! Botanicals, check out their website at http://www.8botanicals.com/). 8! Botanicals will also be featured at the Gilarmi Lounge during the World Gin Day celebration on June 9, 2018. And here's a cool deal. Guests can purchase the 8! Botanicals gin and tonic kit for the exclusive price of P 3,500 versus the regular price of P 3,900 on World Gin Day at Gilarmi Lounge. From 9pm to midnight, guests will be treated to a special raffle for gift certificates of Gilarmi Lounge's Gin & Tonic Buffet and the 8! Botanicals Gin & Tonic Kit.

At the preview, Premium Wines & Spirits showcased their exclusive gin labels, starting with The Botanist, a London Dry Gin with 22 botanicals known for its clean, smooth and velvety finish... 

...the G'Vine Floraison, a small batch distilled gin from France infused with grapes, ginger root, liquorice, cardamom, cassia bark, coriander, nutmeg and lime for pronouced fruity and floral hints...

...the Edinburgh Seaside Gin with its briny and saline notes from coastal scurvy grass, bladderwack, ivy and other marine botanicals...

...and the potent Navy Strength Cannonball Edinburgh Gin, a Plymouth style gin that helped the mighty British navy rule the seas for centuries with its armada-busting 57.2% ABV. Naval lore recounts the British fleet's famous gunpowder test to check if the gin provisions were watered down. Navy Strength Gin always ignited the gunpowder, all the time. Guests sampled all variants at the preview, enjoying each sip. The four labels reflect the wide variety of gin, each one distinct from the other. And you can indulge in all four and more at Gilarmi Lounge on June 9.

 Then, it's time to mix your own Gin & Tonic...

For the cocktail session, Fever Tree Tonic Water from the world'd largest mixer company was served. All natural with no artificial sweeteners or preservatives with that perfect carbonation, the founders behind Fever Tree correctly assumed that if 3/4 of your drink is the mixer, you just have to "mix with the best." World Gin Day at the Gilarmi Lounge is also a collaboration with DrinkManila.com, an on-line drinking destination that features news, products, and events in the beverage category. Led by editor-in-chief Tatum Ancheta and mixologist restaurateur Icy Marinas, guests can enjoy in-depth tips and fun facts behind gin and the growing global movement (for more on DrinkManila.com, check out their website at http://drinkmanila.com/).

Through the years, the classic Gin & Tonic has evolved, and Icy Marinas prepared her own refreshing version with grapefruit, rosemary and red peppercorns for a light and soothing cocktail with just the right balance of sweetness and tartness followed by soothing and lingering heat. 

One cocktail done, and it was our turn.

The Botanist, Fever Tree Tonic Water, a fresh grapefruit slice, fiery peppercorns and a "slapped" rosemary completes my Gin & Tonic. Another round? Absolutely.

Icy Marinas then heads over the mobile bar for another creative gin-based cocktail using Plymouth Gin, chocolate shavings and gummy bears. It's yet another indication of how gin continues to evolve. And that's what guests can expect at Gilarmi Lounge on World Gin Day.

Meet the Bears in the Club by Icy Marinas, just one of her many gin cocktails with an inventive and playful twist. On World Gin Day, Icy Marinas takes over the bar at Gilarmi Lounge from 9pm to midnight to prepare her unique gin-based cocktails.

After one round too many, a slice of Prosciutto Pizza from Discovery Primea's Tapenade is hard to resist. One slice, and you're ready for another round of cocktails.

After World Gin Day on June 9 at the Gilarmi Lounge, the festivities continue with Bombay Sapphire on June 16 with guest bartender Nino Jayson Cruz. Guests can enjoy this world famous gin label with unlimited drinks for only P 450++. On June 27, Discovery Primea presents Gins and Jazz at Gilarmi Lounge from 4pm to 9pm with live entertainment and English gin labels like J.J. Whitley, Whitley Neill, and Sipsmith. The World Gin Day celebrations culminate at Discovery Primea with a Botanical Painting Workshop by master crafter Alessa Lanot of Life After Breakfast on June 30. Participants can unleash their creative juices helped by gin cocktails infused with featured gin labels from Don Revy for only P 1,300++. There's a whole lot happening at Discovery Primea for World Gin Day, and it all begins on June 9 at Gilarmi Lounge...