It is hard not to think of cocktails when it comes to celebrations. A glass of it sets a night on a festive note. It makes you want to mingle, clink your glass with others, and enjoy the evening making special memories over good spirits. But what others may not know is that a cocktail is more than just a pretty drink. Just like making art, bartending one requires discipline and a lot of skills that can only be obtained through years of experience.

A testament to that was the recently-concluded Ultimate Bartender Championship (UBC). Led by award-winning Scotch whiskey brand Monkey Shoulder, the competition’s goal was to put the spotlight on the “skills that pay the bills,” the creativity, and the expertise that bartenders must have in order to craft the perfect cocktail. During its event held at the Draft at the Palace in BGC last July 17, bartenders put their skills to the test after going through a series of challenges—from a knowledge test, pouring, and nosing, to table service and actual cocktail perfect serve. By the end, the contest unveiled its new winner, Melody Joy Lim, one of the Baccarat Room and Bar’s main mixologists. In the process, Melody made a record as the first female winner to be hailed from the Philippines.

“I went to the 2018 UBC as an audience. I saw how fun and how friendly the competition was. So, I was really excited when they announced that they will be having the competition now, after the pandemic,” Melody told Manila Bulletin. “The competition is about skills, knowledge, and speed. And because of my work here [at the Baccarat Room and Bar], sometimes, we get too busy here. So, I got a lot of practice.”

Present at the event was Monkey Shoulder’s Regional Brand Ambassador for Southeast Asia, Brendon Khoo. Throughout his stay in the Philippines, the Malaysian born bartender got to experience the warm hospitality and the unique experience offered by the local bar scene.

“I always hear great experiences about Filipino hospitality. It is one thing to feel it abroad, and another thing to come here and experience it,” Brendon said. “You see that coming through in the food, culture, and quality of service…. In Manila, what is unique is that very strong cultural identity.”

After the competition, Manila Bulletin got the chance to chat with the new UBC winner and Monkey Shoulder’s Southeast Asia ambassador. In our conversation, Melody and Brendon shared the lesson they have learned from years of bartending, what makes the perfect cocktail, and their advice to anyone who wants to become a mixologist.

Expanding flavor profile

As highlighted by the UBC, bartending requires the proper skill set and knowledge of the industry. Like in the art world, one must master the basics, the history, and the demands of the job in order to succeed in the business. Once they got everything in the bag, the fun begins with flavor exploration, which can be done by working in the field, discovering different cultures, or in your own kitchen.

There are a lot of ways one can expand their flavor library. They can try unusual ingredients, pour different alcohol into the mix, or find confidence in the simplest recipes. In Brendon’s case, one can give a new twist to a drink by switching spirits or mixing it with a single ingredient. 

“I always like to use ingredients that people wouldn’t think of using in a cocktail,” he said. “One of my favorite cocktails is from Malaysia, the ‘Jungle Bird.’ It is made of dark rum, Campari, pineapple juice, lime juice, and a bit of sugar syrup. I swapped dark rum for Monkey Shoulder and it was amazing. I also tried Monkey Shoulder with just coconut water. Simplicity is the best way to showcase the freshness of the ingredients and the quality of the spirit you are using.”

One doesn’t need to look further in exploring new flavors. Playing with local tastes and ingredients is what Melody prefers in broadening her flavor profile. In the past, she has created cocktails with malunggay (moringa) and took inspiration from classic Filipino cuisines like Adobo. “It is how you create and put your personal touch on the drinks,” she said.

Cocktails for connections

The art of bartending goes beyond just mixing drinks. It is also about creating connections. The beauty of the job also lies between their interactions with customers. Bartenders give people a chance to sip different flavors as they curate drinks for them. Having conversations is also key for bartenders to build their confidence and personality, and become flexible

“I would usually hide back and not talk to customers,” Melody said. “Now, I have the confidence. I enjoy chatting with the customers and building connections.”

“It is really about knowing your audience. I would like to think that I find it easy to talk to people. But then, when I went into bartending  I met every kind of person. Just like in drinks, everyone's got their own preference… There's no one size fits all,” Brendon added. “I feel that it is the same way also with working with Monkey Shoulder. We got a certain way of doing things. But what is great is that we can be versatile. We are quick on our feet. We adjust to our consumer’s needs also. Being flexible is the thing that I have learned from my years of bartending.”

Knowing the experience

Much like everything in life, the perfect cocktail experience must have the right balance. The drink shouldn’t be too sweet, bitter, or sour. There should be a main flavor profile, but, as Melody noted, “all the components must sing in harmony.”

While awards and recognitions are great, for Brendon, getting one should come second. What they should focus on is serving nothing but the best experience to customers as it is a surefire way to put bartenders, and bars, on the map.

“By the end of the day, what matters most is the experience you give to your guests because they are the ones coming into your doors,” Brendon said. “The awards and recognition will come. It is all about knowing what experience you want to give and being true to what you want to achieve.”

To know more about the Monkey Should and its Ultimate Bartender Championship, visit on Instagram.