Cover Weizza gin pays homage to Myanmar (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
Weizza gin pays homage to Myanmar (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
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Being at the forefront of Myanmar’s cultural revitalisation, the entrepreneur draws from the country’s botanicals to create Weizza gin, which will be available at The Upper House from March 18-29
Cultural entrepreneur Ivan Pun has spearheaded Port Autonomy, a modern take on the traditional beer hall with a uniquely Burmese twist, and TS1, an innovative arts initiative that serves as a platform for contemporary and traditional craftsmen, as well as started an eco-conscious furniture line, Paribawga. Now, he launches Weizza, a gin brand paying homage to his home country, Myanmar. The Weizza House Lounge at The Upper House will offer a curated selection of cocktails inspired by the brand’s unique blend of botanicals, complemented by a menu of snacks that pays homage to the rich flavours of Yangon. Under the direction of master distiller Raphael Holzer, each bottle contains a careful blend of botanicals such as jujube and pu’er tea. Ahead of the brand’s invitation-only launch party on March 29, we speak to Pun about the genesis of Weizza.
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Above Ivan Pun is the co-founder of Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
Above Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
Ivan Pun is the co-founder of Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
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Congratulations on the launch of Weizza. As if Art Week wasn’t crazy enough already, you go ahead and launch a gin brand. Where did you find the time?
Thank you. I would never have taken on this project under normal circumstances, but it came about during Covid-19. We’ve taken our time and now we are ready to launch.
What does Weizza mean?
Weizza is a wizard in Burmese folklore. He’s the wizard alchemist who makes potions. We wanted the brand to be cheeky and the branding to reflect the colours and the mood of a turn-of-the-century apothecary in Rangoon [the old name for as Myanmar’s capital city Yangon].
How did you meet your co-founders Raphael Holzer and JR Ching? What expertise do each of you bring to the table?
JR and I have been friends and colleagues for 10 years and he shares my interest in finding interesting things from Myanmar. Raphael is a good friend of mine—I’ve known him since he first moved to Hong Kong, when he was the beverage director of Yardbird. JR developed the business strategy, I came up with the ideas on how I want to present Weizza as a brand, and I engaged Victoria Tang-Owen and Christopher Owen from Thirty30 Creative to do the branding. They are long-term collaborators of mine. Raphael is extremely talented with alcohol and I’m a big fan of Fernet Hunter [a kind of Italian bitters] that his family distils in Austria. He has created an amazing flavour profile for the gin that reflects Myanmar’s ingredients. It’s genuinely a great gin.
What inspired you to enter the gin industry?
Having lived in Myanmar for the past decade, I have found that it has so much to offer in terms of creative exploration, whether it’s aesthetics or food ingredients. There is so much content and it never gets harnessed into branded products. That’s been something that has always interested me: taking things from Myanmar and creating something that can be marketed globally, to show off what the country has to offer. My business made an investment in a local spirits distillery in [the city of] Mandalay. During Covid-19, while the [international] borders were closed, we were doing some domestic travel and I went up to see the facility with JR. We began to understand the process of making alcohol a lot more and realised we had a facility that was capable of making gin. It made sense to do gin with the ingredients available [in Myanmar].
Why is it important for you to launch something that pays tribute to Myanmar?
Myanmar is not a well-visited country. People are not really aware of all the wonderful things [it has to offer]. It’s always fun for us to try and bring the charm of Myanmar overseas. Weizza is rooted in its heritage.
Above Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
Above Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
Weizza gin (Photo: courtesy of Ivan Pun)
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What sets Weizza apart?
Weizza gin offers a sensorial adventure that combines the freshness of citrus, the creaminess of lactic texture, intriguing pine forest notes and a captivating finish with a hint of pu’er tea bitterness. It’s a gin that leaves a lasting impression and a desire to savour its unique flavours time and again.
[We distil the gin twice.] The result of this meticulous distillation process is a gin with a final alcohol content of 68 per cent. To achieve the desired drinking strength, the spirit is then carefully diluted down to 40 per cent. However, our commitment to quality doesn’t end there. We believe in the importance of allowing the flavours to harmonise and mature, so the gin is rested for a minimum of six months. This resting period allows the various elements to integrate and develop, resulting in a truly refined and balanced drink. The distillation process showcases our commitment to capturing the essence of our botanicals.
What was your first gin experience?
Gin has always been part of my life. So much of my upbringing was in England and gin was very much part of that. But I also associate gin with the tropics, and have an almost romantic notion that people in hot, sweaty places are drawn to gin. I love the smell too.
How should one enjoy Weizza?
I’m a purist and I like to drink mine with soda and a local Burmese lemon called shauk thee. I cut a huge wedge of lemon, add ice, a splash of soda and a double shot of Weizza. It’s really refreshing and not too strong.
What’s next for Weizza?
We are developing a platform to sell Weizza online. It’s already available at The Upper House and Dr Fern’s Gin Parlour at The Landmark. Our goal is to stock it in as many places as possible.
Finally, what would you like our readers to know about your home country?
Myanmar is an extremely charming country with cosmopolitan vibes and a rich heritage. It’s been off the global travel map for so long, but if you take one stroll down Yangon [streets], it still has all the old architecture intact. When you walk around, you see a city with a truly interesting history. I love showing people around.
As Content Director at Tatler Hong Kong, Tara shapes the brand's editorial vision across social, digital and print, and reports on Asia's most influential figures — from CEOs and leaders across business, style and the arts. In her dual role as Head of VIP, she also drives the planning and execution of Tatler's flagship IPs, curating star-studded events and building the relationships and communities that define the brand. Born and raised in the Middle East, she honed her craft in Dubai, crafting communication strategies for luxury brands across the Gulf. Follow her on Instagram @tarasobti.
