When Tokyo called, Manila answered with a cocktail
The evening saw a masterclass on cultural exchange, drawing out some of the metro’s top personalities into a room where smiles, greetings and hugs flowed as easily as the spirits served.
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The evening saw a masterclass on cultural exchange, drawing out some of the metro’s top personalities into a room where smiles, greetings and hugs flowed as easily as the spirits served.
ONE night, countless stories poured over ice and light.
Angelo Mendoza
ONE night, countless stories poured over ice and light.
Some nights feel like a hug of pause and calmness. Some whisper persuasively that ordering another glass is, in fact, the most sensible decision you’ll make all week.
For one night, that persuasion is what the city of Makati embraced, as Visa and Maya Black transformed Problem Child into a temporary outpost of Tokyo’s acclaimed cocktail culture. And just like that, “We’ve Got a Problem Vol. 2: Tokyo Shift,” the latest collaboration between Maya Black and Problem Child, came to life in full throttle.
Flying in was a ray of sunshine named Kyoka Ogawa, one of Japan’s most respected bartenders whose work has helped place her bar among The World’s 50 Best Bars. Normally, meeting her creations would involve a Visa-stamped passport, a grumpy immigration officer and an inconvenient exchange rate. This time, it only required an exclusive invitation, and on event day — a seat before the ice melted.
The evening saw a masterclass on cultural exchange, drawing out some of the metro’s top personalities and Maya Black Visa Credit Cardholders into a room where smiles, greetings and hugs flowed as easily as the spirits served.
The menu was nothing short of exceptional, seamlessly blending cultural influences with culinary precision.
The drink “Exotic Garden” saw Silent Pool Gin elevated wwith tomato, elderflower, Timut pepper and tonic, opening crisp and herbaceous before finishing with gentle citrus and a whisper of spice. It was refreshing without trying too hard.
Meanwhile, the “One Night Problem” brought together tequila, bergamot pomelo, Scarlet Amaro and red wine. Bright fruit met appealing bitterness, while the wine added just enough depth to keep the cocktail grounded instead of theatrical.
The floral Geisha in Paradise mixed gardenia, coconut, Campari, lemon and soda into something fragrant yet clean, balancing sweetness with citrus rather than allowing either to dominate.
Perhaps the most contemplative of the quartet was Oriental Beauty, where high mountain tea-infused vodka met sansho pear, sandalwood and Champagne. Lightly aromatic with delicate fruit and fine bubbles, which lingered in your mouth before finishing refreshingly.
Maya Black Visa Credit Cardholders earned 10 times Maya Miles throughout the evening before the celebration brought by exclusive cocktails transitioned into a much louder after-party.
As Manila continues to elevate its bespoke cocktail scene by introducing original, innovative drinks crafted from locally sourced ingredients, international collaborations have become increasingly common — bringing cities together through the universal language of hospitality, craftsmanship and a well-balanced pour.
