Tres Papas by Don Papa Rum: Celebrating home, friendship, and Filipino talent

Thanks to its vanilla, honey, and candied fruit notes—the result of combining high-quality sugar cane, the distinct terroir imparted by the Mount Kanlaon foothills, and the country’s time-honoured tradition of distilling rum for over a century—Don Papa Rum is a fantastic choice for mixing in an assortment of cocktails. Tres Papas: Homecoming allowed the three expert bartenders to explore this versatility and complexity in exclusively crafted concoctions, championing Philippine ingredients and their stories of home in unique ways. 

“We infused our Filipino roots by celebrating local produce; we used cacao nibs from Davao and strawberries from Baguio,” David Ong, the co-founder and managing partner of various coffee and cocktail concepts like The Curator, OTO, and EDSA Beverage Design Group just to name a few, shared of his own creations at the event. 

He named one of them “Enriquez” as an homage to OTO’s street, calling it home. The recipe is a riff on one of their signature cocktails, one modelled after a childhood favourite, the Twin Popsies. Ong augments the original blend’s flavour by making this one with tablea-infused Don Papa Rum, together with sweet vermouth, orange bitters, and sugar. The resulting drink is potent and delicious, featuring that bittersweet tsokolate decadence that many Filipinos have come to know and love.

More from Tatler: Don Papa Rum and Auro Chocolate Pairing: More Than Just Chocolate and Cocktails

The well-decorated Joma Rivera, now the general manager of Tamba in Singapore, later shared his own homecoming story, saying, “When I think of home, I think of family, inspiration, and community. There’s always an excitement thinking of home. It’s the place where you start building your dreams and where you are surrounded by your loved ones.”

For Tres Papas, he showcased his spin on Don Papa Masskara in a cocktail called “Hey-A-Ron”, a tribute to Don Papa Rum’s global brand ambassador, Aaron Goodall, who is half-Filipino and half-Australian. Inspired by a drink from down under, this highball-style drink mixes fresh granny smith apple, manuka honey, and bee pollen with the infused rum for a bright, velvety, and refreshing finish.

Last but not least, Pourhouse Hospitality and ReCraft managing partner Cedric Mendoza celebrated hometown friendships by creating two cocktails that were respective homages to his fellow guest bartenders. One of his drinks was playfully named “Dong Papa” after Ong’s industry nickname, “Dong”. The recipe is a nutty riff on the classic daquiri, in which hazelnut and spiced syrup bring out the caramel notes and vibrancy in the Don Papa Masskara.

Keeping with the eponymous theme was his second concoction of the night; “Yo Mama” was a Mai Tai riff named after Rivera. Made with overproof spirit, kumquat kiqueur, lime, yema Orgeat, and angostura bitters, this blend leveraged the vanilla and citrus fruit notes of Don Papa's flagship spirit, the Don Papa 7. 

See also: 10 years of Don Papa: a 4-hands dinner by chefs Cyrus Todiwala and Patrick Go

The first iteration of Tres Papas ultimately highlighted an undeniable truth—with every pour of Don Papa Rum, we're not just indulging in an exceptional spirit; we're sipping a piece of the Philippines, a story told through generations of craft and culture. In each of us, the spirit of Don Papa lives on, forging connections and reminding us all of home, wherever we may be. 

The brand is set to host two more guest shifts this September, so make sure to be on the lookout and follow Don Papa Rum on Facebook and Instagram at @donpaparum.

NOW READ

Do You Need A Drink? Here Are 4 Rum Cocktails To Make At Home

Homegrown and world-class: ARC Spirits' Full Circle Craft Distillery is open for tours and tastings

These are the people behind Asia’s most popular restaurants and bars