You might not find a bar to belly up to in Rustan’s Makati, but you’ll find the most fashion-forward men’s looks, right next to the most prized single malt whiskies released by The Dalmore. All on the first floor of the department store.
Sharing floor space on the first level you’ll find The Dalmore’s section right alongside a new section, one the department store is calling Rustan’s Man 2.0.
With head buyer John Tee at the controls, it’s a curated selection of emerging brands from the US, Canada, Spain and Japan that will take your ensembles to a new version of… yourself.
With high-quality fabrics and impeccable detail, these brands represent the very best in modern menswear.
Rustan’s Man 2.0 new collection.
There’s Hari Mari, a Dallas-based footwear brand, emphasizing comfortable footwear for travelers and adventurers, Featuring bold color pops, timeless patterns, and luxurious textures, Hari Mari’s designs match daily moods and adventures. The brand gives back, too, donating 1% of sales towards fighting pediatric cancer and helping children and families in need.
Founded in 2009, Onia offers functional, minimal wardrobe options for both men and women, with fabrics chosen for their endurance and high quality, with well-crafted essentials that transition seamlessly from active days to restful weekends.
Canada’s Psycho Bunny focuses on young trends, embracing individuality and self-expression. Clever detailing (and bunny logos), vibrant colors, and exclusive fabrics are designed to stand out and showcase personality, featuring mother-of-pearl buttons, fine piques, and tapered seams.
On the “West Coast” side of things, Tee notes, Faherty is a family-owned American brand that offers laidback and sustainable clothing made from premium fabrics, including organic cotton, recycled polyester, linen, and hemp. Its eco-friendly operations include the use of non-toxic dyes, water-efficient processes, and plastic-free packaging. There’s a surf vibe to these pieces that fit in well with Filipino casual culture.
Matching that beach vibe is Satorisan footwear, inspired by ancient Japan’s mythical creature, the Satori: their trainers, slip-ons, sandals and boots are planet-friendly and ergonomic-designed for conscious walking comfort, helping you blend harmoniously with nature.
And for the preppy “East Coast” in you, there’s Tailor Vintage, offering authentic and comfortable everyday essentials with erudite luxury and casual elegance. Its clothing features unique fabric blends and coastal New England style sensibilities. The Airotec technology repels water and manages moisture (good for this climate), resists stains and prevents microbes.
(From left) Raymund Zamora, Whyte & Mackay Asia marketing director; Val Khodaverdi, Rustan Commercial Corporation VP of Store Operations; Gregg Glass, The Dalmore Master Whiskey Maker and Blender; Wilmer Camaya, Rustan’s Makati store branch manager; and Mylene Lingad, Rustan’s merchandise manager at The Dalmore tasting and launch.
Meanwhile, Kato Jeans offers timeless, comfortable vintage menswear in classic denim jeans using a 4 Way Stretch material for maximum comfort and style. An eco-friendly finishing process also promotes sustainability.
Tee says these hand-selected brands offer an alternative to the classics and legacy men’s styles, something the 2.0 in you might just vibe with. Rustan’s Man 2.0 promises to further bring an array of exciting new launches in the near future, so keep an eye out for more brand additions in this section.
A hint of umami in this rare Scottish Whiskey
Sometimes talking about whiskey can be, as the expression goes, like “dancing about architecture”: you’d much rather experience it through your own senses of taste and smell.
But when the person talking about whiskey is The Dalmore Master Whiskey Maker and Blender himself, Gregg Glass, in town at Rustan’s Makati to celebrate the release of the house’s two annual expressions — The Dalmore 18 Year Old 2022 Release and The Dalmore 21 Year Old 2022 Release — it’s well worth perking up your ears.
Glass was at Rustan’s to speak about its history (started under the Scottish MacKenzie clan, which accounts for the stag horns on each bottle), the special casking choices that go into every bottle, as well as the prized special collections that can fetch up to £120,000 per bottle at auction.
In my years of sniffing and sipping spirits, I’ve never heard of “umami” applied to the flavor profile of a single malt whiskey. But that’s what Glass describes emerging from The Dalmore 21 Year Old 2022 Release.
Aged in American oak and then cold-transferred to rare 30-year-old Spanish Matsulem Oloroso sherry casks, the second maturation is said to amplify hints of marzipan and licorice, something Asian tastes of The Dalmore have described as close to ginseng, even balsamic vinegar, which could account for the umami feel.
Glass describes the “antique properties” that come through in this enhanced maturation process as an “in and out” of the senses. A heightening.
Yes, this 21 Year Old is a shape-shifter.
“The Dalmore Experience” brought Glass, recently awarded the coveted title of Master Distiller of the Year 2023 at the Icons of Whiskey Scotland Awards, to our shores for the first time, where he shared the history of The Dalmore and led us through a tasting trio.
This includes a glencairn of Port Wood Reserve, which is matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks and finished with aged tawny port pipes. It’s a viscous sip giving off sweet berries, Seville oranges and toffee pudding to the nose; nectarines, caramel and roasted chestnuts to the palate; and a thicker finish of plums, blood oranges and macerated cherries —very welcome for dessert.
We sampled next the 15 Year Old (40% ABV), which is described as The Dalmore’s “House Style” single malt, and one prized fondly by both Gregg and his mentor, Master Blender Richard Paterson. It’s aged in a variety of sherry casks (Apostoles, Amoroso and Matsulem Oloroso) with a nose of cinnamon, nutmeg and marmalade notes; the palate offers up vanilla, mandarin, ginger and crushed apples, while the finish offers caramelized orange and rich dark chocolates.
The glass describes the 15 Year Old’s “charm,” with a waxy mouthfeel that suggests orange rinds, warm chocolate notes. “It’s one I could cuddle near a fireplace.”
We shifted to the 18 Year Old (ABV 43%), initially matured in American white oak ex-bourbon casks then finished in 100-percent aged Matsulem Oloroso sherry casks. It’s an excellent sip offering up vanilla, dark chocolate, English marmalade and sweet licorice to the nose; chocolate raisins, citrus fruit, figs, rich coffee and spices to the palate; and a delicious hint of stewed fruit and heady toffee in the finish.
The 21 Year Old was not on offer, alas; there are far too few bottles to spare on journalists. We had to place ourselves with a description of its tasting notes: an aroma of Seville oranges and dark chocolates, Columbian coffee, gives way on the palate to sweet licorice flavour, Black Forest fruits and marzipan, what Glass describes as “luxurious” taste. Asian tasters have described hints of leche flan, which Filipinos adore, and even ginseng.
Using the “rule of three,” gaining new flavors from three sniffs of the Cairn, Glass noted that, “Early on, I always related the taste of whiskies to my childhood. For me, it was candies, sweet, warmth, the food my mother would make. It always relates to who you are. You enjoy whiskey the way you like it.”
And with The Dalmore, you always will.
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As the country’s premier retail institution celebrating 75 years of excellence, Rustans’ has been a proud partner of The Dalmore since 2015, and The Dalmore 18 Year-Old and 21 Year-Old 2022 Releases will be available for purchase at Rustan’s Makati.
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