Clyde Ferrer is the newly crowned winner of the Dewar’s Highball Challenge for 2024. He and five other talented bartenders from across the Philippines showcased their skills during the Battle of Highballs held at Prohibition Lounge in Metro Manila. This momentous occasion marked a significant achievement for Clyde, a young bartender with just nine months of experience slinging drinks as a bartender. Along with the coveted bragging rights, he also earned a trip to Japan, where he will immerse himself in Japanese culture and explore the heritage of Dewar’s.
Clyde discovered his passion for bartending in college during a Bar Management class. “That’s when I realized I wanted to be in the bar industry,” he recalls. Today, you’ll find this talented bartender behind the stick at the hidden jazz and cocktail bar in Makati Central Square, Fat Cat.
For Clyde, Christmas is a truly special occasion that brings the entire family together. “We all gather at our home, which my nieces and nephew affectionately call the ‘grandparent’s house’,” he states. This season, he shared with us a special cocktail recipe inspired by cinnamon rolls with cream cheese. “Although I used to dislike cinnamon as a child, I have come to appreciate the delicious combination of cinnamon rolls with cream cheese in recent years,” he explains. “Eating homemade food, playing with kids, and sharing life’s highs and lows with the people you love is something I envision while drinking this cocktail. The balance of flavors between the creamy frosting and the warm spice of cinnamon works remarkably well,” he adds.
Christmas Cocktail Recipe: “How are you, son?”
Watch the video below to learn how to make the drink
Ingredients
45ml Cheese, Salt, and Cinnamon-infused Sweet Vermouth
5ml Fernet Hunter
22.5ml Cocchi Americano
Prosecco
Cinnamon Spray
How to infuse the Sweet Vermouth:
Infuse the rouge vermouth with cheese at room temperature for two to three hours. After the infusion, place the mixture in the refrigerator and allow it to rest for twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Once it has rested, transfer the mixture to a sous vide machine and infuse it with cinnamon, and salt. Set the sous vide machine to a suitable temperature and let it blend for two hours.
Directions:
In a highball glass, build all the ingredients and finish with cinnamon spray before serving.
Tasting notes:
It is a sweet, savory, and cheesy twist on the classic Negroni Sbagliato. The initial sip reveals a pleasant sweetness, perfectly balanced by the savory notes of the infused cheese. A subtle warmth from the cinnamon lingers on the palate, adding an inviting complexity to the drink experience.
Shot on location at The Bizarre Bar in Poblacion.
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