Whisky Expert Ervin Trykowski Woos Filipinos In February All For the Love of Scotch

A glass of good scotch can bring the warmth of a smoky hearth down your belly with each sip.  Its texture and depth of flavor still makes scotch the world standard for mass-produced whisky.  Be it for single malt or the more widespread blended Asian varieties the Scots are still the most revered whisky producers. Ervin Trykowski a.k.a. @scotch.boy on Instagram, Scotch Ambassador for Diageo (a global leader in distribution), hops through continents to woo people for scotch’s sake.  As early as in his teens he was introduced to whisky and later began attending tasting events very much like the one organized by Diageo in early February.  It was Ervin’s first time to be in the Philippines and he was quite excited to be here candidly mentioning how friendly Filipinos were.

“I’ve been a bartender from the age of 18.  I’ve always been kind of worked in that kind of sector, it would’ve been come from that.  My stepfather is an Orcadian man, he is from Orkney and he’s a big scotch drinker.  Just after I turned 18 he kind of introduced me to drinking.  Then I went into the bars and then started making drinks.”  By law, scotch is required to be manufactured in a specific manner, ensuring an unrelenting level of quality.

More popularly known as a “hard” drink scotch didn’t seem to be the go-to drink for younger people a long while back.  With a growth of awareness in drinking culture, manufacturing, and a curiosity surrounding its origin, a healthy appreciation for scotch consumption has somewhat grown amongst younger generations.

“A lot of people ask, ‘What meal I would pair with scotch?’ but it is more of like picking a scotch for your dish,” Ervin explains.  Scotch, being made from grain makes it extremely flexible in terms of flavor pairing with differing food types.  “There is so much flavor variety.  You can pair so many food types with scotch; from oysters to seafood all the way up to dark chocolates and salted caramel.  You can even see it paired with grain, meat, and things like that.  Also, scotch doesn't have to be just in glass, it can be served as a cocktail to match food.”  Ervin at the #LoveScotch private tasting event also discussed the differences between single malt whisky and blended whisky like the offerings provided by Johnnie Walker. 

While single malt whisky is enjoying popularity with a millennial crowd in Manila these days no one can dispute that the blended whisky variants by Johnnie Walker have conquered the globe.  Ervin explains “If Johnnie Walker black [iconic blend] is like for ‘everyday’, and Johnnie Walker Gold Label [celebration blend] is for birthdays, Johnnie Walker Blue Label [rare blend] is for your wedding…”

Some types of whisky during the tasting had fruitier or woodier notes than others.  One whisky, Talisker, carries a maritime sweetness that pairs well with oysters.  Some of the flavor contrasts mentioned were also connected to the types of casks the whiskies were aged in.  For those who are still somewhat green when it comes to experiencing scotch single malt is the smoothest kind to try, perfect for socializing and early evening relaxation, it isn’t as forward and intense as other types of scotch whisky.  A lot more experienced scotch drinkers favor the strong hit of woody, smoky types which have a more distinct taste and texture.

Last February 6^th International Scotch Day (officially February 8) festivities kicked off in Manila with a whiskey celebration like no other.  Even X-Men Hollywood star, James Marsden also flew to the Philippines to join the event.  For Diageo’s #LoveScotch celebration throughout the whole of February it is all about giving everyone an in-depth look and chance to consider scotch as their next drink to wind down or celebrate with responsibly.  True scotch whiskey sophisticated, strong, and proudly manufactured in Scotland.  Most Scots, Ervin points out, won’t brag enough about their own whiskey but the drink always speaks well enough for itself.