MANILA, Philippines — Hollywood actor James Marsden arrived in Manila to sit down with us, as he took a step back from his Hollywood responsibilities to discuss his poison of choice (although, as Westworld fans, we were definitely tempted to ask). “I find that when I’m looking at a drink menu and I’m confused about what to have, I can always default to scotch,” he says. (For those who may want to send him a drink at the bar, Marsden’s preferred way of enjoying scotch is with just a little bit of room-temperature water. You’re welcome.)
A true scotch enthusiast, Marsden doesn’t find that he has a single favorite; rather, each occasion calls for a different scotch. “It depends on my mood. I tend to jump back and forth between my mood and my atmosphere. If it’s dark and fire-lit, I would go with a Lagavulin. If it’s a sunny day, I’d go for a Singleton. And if I felt like throwing in some mixers, I’d definitely go with Johnnie Walker. They all have different characteristics and flavor profiles, so it’s a bit like picking your favorite color.”
He says that while he doesn’t have a distinctive first memory of his experience with scotch, he remembers exactly when it was an important drink to have. “I booked the role of Cyclops and celebrated with my manager at the time with a very nice glass of scotch. I don’t remember what it was, but I do know that it was not that affordable,” Marsden says with a small smile.
But the greatest thing to him about scotch is the complexity of the process required to make it. “I just visited the Cooperage Distillery in Edinburgh, and it made me realize the passion and craftsmanship that goes into making scotch. You see the men and women who take great pride in making sure those casks are perfect, that the temperature is perfect. There’s just great pride in what it takes to make great scotch. I’m a fan of things that aren’t necessarily easy to make, where there’s craftsmanship and passion that needs to go into it.” He adds, “It’s also part of your style: you put effort into having a nice suit, nice watch, nice shoes. But a nice scotch is for everyone — men, women, young, old, mixed or straight.”
Joining Marsden was global Scotch Ambassador Ervin Trykowski. Both promoted the #LoveScotch campaign, designed to tout the world’s favorite whisky clear across the globe in over 70 countries. Trykowski conducted several tasting sessions to allow would-be scotch connoisseurs to familiarize themselves with the varying flavor profiles of Johnnie Walker Black Label, Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve, and Singleton of Dufftown 12. And if you’re a frequent customer at the top bars in Manila, it’s also likely you would’ve seen more prevalent scotch offerings in the last few weeks, together with guest bartenders, bar takeovers and collaboration parties. The month steeped in scotch officially began with a party at Manila House Private Club that boasted the mixology talents of The Curator, 12/10 and Yes Please.