LIST: 50 bars that exchange cucumbers into free drinks for 'World Cucumber Day'

MANILA, Philippines — To mark "World Cucumber Day" on June 14, international spirits label Hendrick’s Gin brings back the Cucumber Currency Exchange where over 50 bars across Metro Manila will allow guests to exchange a cucumber for a Hendrick’s & Tonic drink.

List of participating bars: 

Makati

Taguig

Muntinlupa

Pasig

San Juan

Bulacan

From June 13 to 15, the gin brand will also treat bar-goers to a spectrum of peculiar activities, which run from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., with redemptions limited to one per person. Guests only need to purchase two Hendrick’s cocktails and they will be given a token that they can use to redeem these peculiar experiences.

The activities, which include a Cucumber Spa (a five-minute hand massage with cold towel service) and on-the-spot haiku creation, can be enjoyed in 11 outlets across the metro:

"The cucumber really lifts our gin. It's a different realm as compared to other gins out there,” Charmaine Thio, Hendrick’s Gin Regional Brand Ambassador, told Philstar.com in an exclusive interview on why cucumber and World Cucumber Day are so important for the brand.

"In the original concoction with just the 11 botanicals that we had, it's okay, but with the addition of the cucumber on it, you really get a gin that is super fresh, very crisp and light - perfect for Southeast Asia weather, to be honest," she noted.

The botanicals in the gin are a balance of different things, she said. "It is quite floral and the cucumber we use in it is quite subtle… The problem with other garnishes, the oils tend to cover up the subtle nuances that we want you to taste. So with a cucumber slice, that gets elevated a lot. It brings out all the flavors. One slice is honestly enough. If you feel indulgent, you can go for three."

Apart from having an unusual pairing of rose and cucumber, the brand boasts of a "very unique production process,” she said.

A curious yet harmonious marriage between two very dissimilar stills – the antique Bennett and the rare Carter-Head — Hendrick’s Gin is an art of peculiar craftsmanship that brings cucumber and rose together with other botanicals. 

"We use two different types of stills, which help make our gin both