Have You Heard About The Where Next Club?

Glenfiddich is part of a core liquor and spirits memory for me. I think it’s probably my first sip of premium whisky back when I didn’t even touch alcohol. And that sip opened my eyes and palate to why whisky was a drink associated with success. After beer, after rum, after vodka, after tequila, where would a curious drinker go next to explore the world of liquor and spirits? 

It is but apt for Glenfiddich to start up the Where Next Club – the whisky’s celebration of the maverick spirit of business and entrepreneurship by searching for the next great idea to take up to the next level.

The illustrious Speyside whisky brand hosted a dinner at Gallery by Chele to celebrate the next round of that search. It was an eye-opening evening of education, whisky, and great food.

Of note was the crash course detailing how to take any idea from its formation to the expansion courtesy of the Where Next Club’s judges and post-competition mentors. Manny Ayala, Managing director of Endeavor PH talked about finding funding and pitching to investors. Anne Gonzales, Co-founder of Terry S.A., gave a peek into marketing and exposing products to the public as she did for the premium brands under her care like Havaianas, Aura Athletica, and Common Thread. And lastly, tips on how to scale up and scale out a fledgling enterprise were given by Manny Cu who grew the headcount of logistics giant NinjaVan from zero to 10,000.

The trio agreed that they weren’t looking for copycat startups that may have flourished abroad but would not work in the Philippines. They noted that many Filipino startups were in the FINTECH and online payments space but were keen on finding AgriTech startups that are needed now more than ever to address the growing food needs of the country.

For the startup that is chosen to enter the Where Next Club, they get a One Million Peso non-equity dilutive grant and will receive mentorship and guidance by the trio of judges.

Education that evening wasn’t just about business and startups. After all the serious talk, the spotlight was on multi-awarded bartender and Willam Grant & Sons brand ambassador Kate Osmillo, who guided guests through the whisky and cocktail pairing prepared by Chele Gonzales and his team.

To start off, I was pleasantly surprised with the Glenfiddich 12-year-old. Ordinarily, the youngest in the range would be unpolished and would have a burn in the finish. This was pleasant and honey sweet. Used in the base of  a Pomelo Whisky Sour, sipping it was like an extension of the grapefruit dressing and the bit of yuzu sorbet of the Salchichon Salad

The Glenfiddich 15-year-old is a favorite of a lot of whisky drinkers for its spicy notes. It is a special liquid that is aged in an infinite solera cask. Think of a gigantic barrel where distillate goes on top, and 15-year-old whisky is occasionally taken out. The result is a whisky that’s spicy and has loads of character. This was the base of the Tropical, a refreshing light cocktail with the 15’s spiciness balanced out by Pineapple Liqueur and Cinnamon Syrup. 

This, along with neat pulls of the Glenfiddich 15, was paired with the two mains. I thought the Dorado was already buttery as is. With a beurre blanc, it became a very rich dish. Dabs of Calamansi gelee cut through the richness to make a nice bite. 

A bit of duck with Glenfiddich duck jus with carrot purée and pickles was richer than the dorado. This deserved sips of the 15 neat between bites of the indulgent dish, the spice of the whisky melding with the that meaty duck.

I really love Old Fashioneds. The last cocktail, the Dark Cacao, was made with the most polished whisky in Glenfiddich’s core expressions —The Glenfiddich 18-Year-Old. I thought it was a bit sweet, but Kate assured me that the Talandang—chocolate frosted shell with a Glenfiddich Chocolate Ganache hiding inside it—would be strong and bitter to match the drink. Personally, I would have liked the drink or the dessert to have a stronger punch to balance out each other’s sweetness. Though it wasn’t anything another neat shot of the 18 wouldn’t fix.

With this, judges now move on to screening a smaller group of startups where they will eventually pick the next startup deemed worthy of joining the Where Next Club. Hopefully, it won’t only be startups that will go to the next level, but the community at large as a whole.