BIZ BUZZ: Kevin Tan’s passion project

A few years before integrated casino resorts became popular in the Philippines, there was already what was then called Resorts World Manila—a joint venture project of Megaworld (later Alliance Global Group) and the foreign Genting Group.

But with the exit of the latter from the business, the father-and-son team of Andrew and Kevin Tan decided to transform the sprawling development in Pasay City into a more attractive undertaking, starting with the project’s recent rebranding into “Newport World Resorts.”

Kevin, in particular, spends a substantial part of his productive hours nowadays reimagining Newport World into a new development, inside and out.

And one key component of this transformed venue is the younger Tan’s very own pet project dubbed The Whisky Library, described as “a haven of luxury hosting the largest collection of whisky in Manila along with cosmopolitan liquors that taste of its global origins.”

That may sound like marketing exaggeration but seeing its insides gives credence to this claim. That’s because The Whisky Library is home to over 240 selected fine aged Scottish and international single malt whiskies from leading producers worth over—brace yourselves—P100 million.

Specifically, there are over a dozen types of distilled spirits from whisky, rum, cognac, tequila and mezcal, vodka, gin, Moutai and various liqueurs, and contained in 670 bottles on display at the bar. That’s quite a sizable collection, and a pricey one, at that.

Biz Buzz recently got a glimpse of the collection’s highlights which include the Dalmore Constellation series (exclusive to The Whisky Library); the Dalmore Constellation series of 1971 (P3.4 million); Glenrothes 8-year-old MacPhail’s Collection from the HighlandPark Distillery single malt Scotch whisky; Mars Komagatake 2020 limited edition single malt Japanese whisky; 30-year-old Kweichow Moutai Baijiu (P465,920); Clase Azul Tequila Ultra (P380,000), and even Brockmans Gin (P13,000).

But Biz Buzz hears that the transformation of Newport World Resorts has just started because, in a few weeks time, the brand will be announcing a new restaurant concept owned by a foreign celebrity chef that will soon open for the first time in the Philippines. Abangan!

—Daxim L. Lucas

Novellino boosts UP basketball

“Love” for the University of the Philippines drove Nonoy Quimbo, founder and CEO of Novellino Wines maker Calabria Co. Ltd., to add his name to the growing list of sponsors of the state university’s men’s basketball team.

“I believe the UP MBT has a good chance of regaining the UAAP championship this year,” says the business administration graduate, “Its support base is still way below that of Ateneo and La Salle and this is also among the reasons I came forward.”

Quimbo was welcomed as the latest supporter of the UP Fighting Maroons by the NowheretogobutUP Foundation led by chair Jed Eva and founding chair Renan Dalisay during the recent send-off dinner for the team held at the University Hotel ahead of UAAP Season 86.

He was joined by “veteran” Maroons backers Robina Gokongwei-Pe of Robinsons Retail Group, Vincent Henry Go of TopBreed and Lilian Castro-Selda of Palawan Pay. Also represented during the get together were sponsors JJ Atencio of Januarius Holdings Inc. and Dennis Anthony Uy of Converge who could not make it to the dinner.

Supporting the UP Fighting Maroons, however, is but the latest expression of Quimbo’s undying love for his alma mater.

Previously, he donated to the reconstruction of the UP Grandstand, the Oblation monument at UP BGC and the Case Discussion Hall of the Virata School of Business. He also donated three professional chairs at VSB as his way of giving back.

“This year, our beloved fraternity Pan Xenia celebrated 100 years and there was a groundswell of support for our alma mater by the brods,” said Quimbo, “I hope [my helping out the Fighting Maroons] will inspire more UP alumni to come forward.”

— Tina Arceo-Dumlao