The bar and the boy
Here’s a two-part, alcohol-related question for you: What’s your favorite cocktail, and do you know how to make it at home? I’m not talking about knowing how to mix a simple gin and tonic; I’m talking about knowing how to make it close enough to the version your favorite bar makes it. No? Yeah, me neither.
But sometimes you just need a damn good drink to wind down after a long day’s work and the trip to the bar just ain’t worth it. Or maybe you wanna impress your dinner party guests. Well, you’re in luck: We asked one of Manila’s up-and-coming bartenders for a drink recipe that's easy enough for home but good enough for the bar. The bartender in question is David Abalayan of Oto, who recently won the Diageo Reserve World Class Philippines bartending competition. He’s in the midst of preparing for the World Class Bartender of the Year Competition in
Glasgow, Scotland. We caught up with him a few days before Oto’s last service (they’re moving just across the street, don’t worry) and asked him what actually goes on in a bartending competition, and, of course, for a simple yet potent drink recipe. YOUNG STAR: What got you interested in bartending?
DAVID ABALAYAN: I was supposed to take a music business management course in college, but it didn’t work out, so I ended up part-timing at The Girl and The Bull. That part-time job eventually became three years with them. After that, it was here with Oto. And then they had a couple of cocktails, nothing too serious (or) complicated
naman, but I was interested in it. Once they taught me, wala, I got hooked. (I went on) YouTube, everything. I got addicted to (bartending), basically.
How are you feeling about the global finals? Nervous? Excited?
A bit of both. I was telling everybody that after winning locally, it didn’t sink in until a day after. It’s only now, actually, after getting the challenge for globals that it really did sink in. Although, I think mas excited ako than nervous. What do preparations for a cocktail competition look like?
At least for World Class (locally), it’s three challenges for three months, so one challenge per month. Basically once you’re given the brief for the challenge, you’re given a month to prepare for it. You just have to brainstorm through everything… sometimes it just comes together. Whatever plan that I have, if it doesn’t work out, some of the ingredients that are left, sometimes I can put together, then that’s how I get a drink. What are the briefs like?
For this year, they did challenges per brand. So let’s say this year, for the first month, it was Johnnie Walker. And then the second one was Tanqueray No. 10. And then the last one was Ketel One. The challenge revolves around that. (For example), for Tanqueray No. 10, you have to make a gin and tonic serve that complements the citrus heart of Tanqueray No. 10. Is that what you made today, the one you made for Tanqueray No. 10? It’s like a riff off of it, a friendlier version. Are all the ingredients for the drink you made accessible for regular people?
Yeah. For the spirits, you can get it off of Boozy online. For people at home, they have those ingredients naman. The rest are just fresh citrus, like grapefruit and lemon, which you can get in the supermarket. Even just the chamomile tea, you can get at the supermarket. What’s your go-to drink to make for yourself? Right now, a highball. Just whiskey soda (laughs). But I think my end-of-the-night drink would be a Boulevardier. Just whiskey, Campari, and then vermouth.
Diageo World Class Philippines winner David Abalayan spills his bartending secrets.