MANILA, Philippines – It was an intoxicating night of fun and experimentation at Buddha-Bar Manila when Matthias Giroud, Chief Bar Manager of Buddha-Bar Worldwide headlined the one-night only cocktails feast called Cocktail Festival with Matthias Giroud last April 17, 2015.

The world-renowned mixologist proved to be charming and charismatic, effortlessly concocting an array of great cocktails while regaling guests with stories of his many cocktail-making engagements all over the world and the mixology secrets he has honed through the years. “Cocktails are all about flavors and experiences,” said Giroud at one point.

And that was what Giroud, a native of the French Antilles, demonstrated with a bevy of cocktails that evoke different tastes, feelings, and experiences.

Guests and Manila’s party set were served the following concoctions mixed especially by Giroud for Cocktail Festival – the tingling sensation of Japan Meet Mexico, Tequila infused Japanese tea flavoured flower, with cherry blossom, yuzu juice and Japanese sake syrup; the heady Japan Meet Brazil made up of cachaca infused jasmin green tea, plum mix, lime Juice, agave syrup and sparkling Japanese sake; the equally stupefying Japan Meet France achieved by mixing Cognac from France with yuzu juice, honey and homemade Japan smoke tea soda. All three mixes belong to the Buddha Bar World Fusion concoctions.

Under the Buddha Bar World New Collection are100% Vitamine (ingredients are Vodka, fresh carrot juice, fresh apple juice, celery, campari, and apricot yuzu jam homemade); Tom Sour, made up of Bourbon, fresh pineapple, fresh ginger, combawa essential oil, infused honey and lime juice; and Hot Magic Princess, Vodka infused dry elderflower, Damiana syrup homemade, cassis liquor, raspberry purée and ginger Damiana foam.

Giroud also came up with a slew of Makati-inspired Limited Edition surprise unique creations, namely Makati Cloud which is made up of Tequila, fresh grapefruit juice, mint, vanilla sugar, calamansi, campari and soda water and Fire Cooking cocktails which wowed the crowd with its show-stopping fire-cooking concept (the first concoction’s ingredients are rum over proof, fresh mango, 5 spices syrup homemade, yuzu juice while the other one is achieved by mixing Vodka, fresh carrot juice, fresh apple juice, celery, campari, and apricot yuzu jam homemade).

The enthusiastic audience that night at the metro’s most sophisticated restaurant-bar-lounge enjoyed the signature mixed drinks that the French wizard prepared right before them. And Giroud responded with a performance which displays why he is the chief bar manager for all the venues run by George V Entertainment including Buddha-Bar Worldwide.

With expertise and ease, Giroud proved that mixologists resemble artists, skilled not only in creating blends of flavors that complement each other perfectly but masters of performance and presentation as well.

Cocktail Festival was presented by GrabTaxi, Devant, Antel Hotel, Wheninmanila.com, Pinoytender and Philippine Bartender. The official media partners are Asian Journal, Explore Magazine, 96.3 Easy Rock, Philstar.com, Dekaphobe.com, Angsawariko.com and Inquirer.net.

Buddha-Bar Manila is located at Picar Place, Kalayaan Avenue, Makati City. For reservations, call +632 8566859/ +632 8566719 and 0998-983-2918.

You may also reach them at [email protected] or like and follow them on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram at @BuddhaBarMNL. ADVT