The unveiling of the Destileria Limtuaco Museum marker
The country’s oldest distillery, Destileria Limtuaco, officially opened the Destileria Limtuaco Museum just recently. It is a two-storey bahay na bato acquired in 1979 by the late Julius Limpe, the 166-year-old company’s 4th generation master blender, located at the heart of the walled city, Intramuros, Manila.
The museum, which took 40 years in the making, is not only a home to traditional distillery equipment, but is also a haven for valuable personal belongings of the Limtuaco family and company and the iconic White Castle girl memorabilia.
Personal belongings of James Limpe, the third generation master blender, and of his better half, Siu Yong “Juana” Limpe are displayed on the second floor.
White Castle memorabilia
Destileria Limtuaco President, Olivia Limpe-Aw, said in her speech that putting up the museum was a challenge. “I didn’t want the museum to be a white elephant knowing how important it was to my father. So I picked up where he left off…,” she shares.
“We had so many materials. We took a lot of advice and suggestions from different people so we kept changing our displays. It was as if it would never end… ,” she continues.
Old semi-automatic labeling machine
A collection of the different bottles used for Destileria Limtuaco’s products through the years
Old bottling and labeling equipment
Portraits of Limtuaco’s late master blenders: (Clockwise from top left) Don Bonifacio Limtuaco (1852), Dom Lim Chay Seng (1910), James V. Limpe (1938), and Julius T. Limpe (1982)
Eventually, she asked her son, Aaron, Destileria Limtuaco’s Human Resource Executive and Business Development Manager, to get involved and help realize the vision of opening the Limtuaco museum to the general public. Intramuros Administration also supported Limtuaco in completing the museum and through the guidance of contemporary artist and curator Marika Constantino in the remaining last three weeks before opening, fourth generation master blender Julius Limpe’s dream was finally immortalized.
Guests from the business sector, government offices, diplomatic corps, to the biggest names in the arts, politics, and lifestyle were impressed and pleased with what they saw and experienced in the newly-opened museum. They were also served with the best dishes catered at Destileria Limtuaco’s Manille Beach Bar in Lio, El Nido and BayLeaf Hotel in Intramuros and, of course, unlimited signature cocktails and refreshments.
Destileria Limtuaco Museum is open Tuesdays to Sundays. It is located at Real St. cor. San Juan de Letran St., Intramuros, Manila. For more details, visit www.limtuaco.com.
Destileria Limtuaco Senior Vice President International Sales and Marketing Benny Y. Aw, Embassy of the United States of America Deputy Chief of Mission Michael S. Klecheski with wife Eloisa, and Destileria Limtuaco’s President Olivia Limpe-Aw
CHED Commissioner Nona Ricafort, Miss World Philippines 1973 and White Castle Girl Evangeline Pascual, NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario, Olivia Limpe-Aw, Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982 and White Castle Girl Maria Isabel Lopez, and fashion designer, Renee Salud
Destileria Limtuaco Human Resource Executive and Business Development Manager, Aaron Aw, Miss World Philippines 1973 and White Castle Girl Evangeline Pascual, Olivia Limpe-Aw; Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982 and White Castle Girl Maria Isabel Lopez, and Destileria Limtuaco’s On-Premise Specialist, Brandon Aw
Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands Vice President Ana Ines de Seuera-Ugarte, Olivia Limpe-Aw, and Manila Bulletin’s Head of External Affairs Barbie Atienza
Linda Limpe with Betty Limpe-Ngo and son, Jeffrey Ngo
Commissioner Chairman, Subcommission on the Arts and National Committee on Cinema of the National Commission for the Arts of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) Teddy O. Co and Olivia Limpe-Aw
Embassy of the United States of America Deputy Chief of Mission Michael S. Klecheski, Olivia Limpe-Aw, and US Embassy in the Philippines Consul General Russel Brown
Antonio Pueo owner, Patricia Limpe, flanked by daughters Elizabeth and Barbie Limpe Candano
Mrs. Eleonor de Leon, Michelle Tañedo-de Leon, Maureen Limpe Tañedo, Olivia Limpe-Aw, Markus Tañedo, Linda Limpe, Ambassador Mario de Leon Jr. (ret.), and Macho de Leon
Isabel Limpe-Chungunco, Benny Aw, Comelec Commissioner Atty. Sixto Brillantes, former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, Olivia Limpe-Aw, Patty Limpe, and fashion designer Renee Salud
Lucy and Jerry Limpe
Multi-awarded writer Wilson Lee Flores, Comelec Commissioner Atty. Sixto Brillantes, former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands Executive Director Denissa Venturanza, Olivia Limpe-Aw, Renaissance Philippines and Chairman Emeritus of Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands Atty. Ramon Pedrosa, P.B. Dionisio and Co., Inc. and Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands Treasurer Paulino Dionisio Jr., and Sonia L. Atihug
Comelec Commissioner Sixto Brillantes, former Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, Benny and Olivia Limpe-Aw, with Chamber of Commerce of the Philippine Islands President Jose Yulo Jr.
First-ever White Castle Girl Sylvia Lichauco-de Leon and Olivia Limpe-Aw
Performance artist and event host Carlos Celdran
Benny Y. Aw; Chinatown TV Producer Lolita Ching; Renee Salud, Olivia Limpe-Aw, Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, and Intramuros Administration Administrator Atty. Guiller Asido
Destileria Limtuaco Museum curator Marika Constantino
City Administrator of Manila Atty. Ericson Alcovendaz, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Nora Terrado, Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Olivia Limpe-Aw, and Intramuros Administration Administrator Atty. Guiller Asido
Hon. Cong. Cristal Bagatsing, Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo, Sylvia Lichauco-de Leon, Miss World Philippines 1973 and White Castle girl Evangeline Pascual, Olivia Limpe-Aw, and White Castle girl Maria Isabel Lopez
Intramuros Administration Administrator Atty. Guiller Asido, Hon. Cong. Cristal Bagatsing, and Instituto Cervantes de Manila Managing Director Carlos Madrid
Movement for the Restoration of Peace and Order (MRPO) Founder Teresita Ang-See and Tulay Magazine’s Ang Chak
Miss International 1964 and former Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta, First-ever White Castle Girl Sylvia Lichauco-de Leon and Embassy of the United States of America Deputy Chief of Mission Michael S. Klecheski
Benny Aw, Department of Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Teo and Olivia Limpe-Aw
Manny Reyes, Olivia Limpe-Aw and Regina Feliciano-Sucat
Miss World Philippines 1973 and White Castle Girl Evangeline Pascual, Binibining Pilipinas Universe 1982 and White Castle Girl Maria Isabel Lopez, Wilson Lee Flores, Olivia Limpe-Aw, NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario and Philippines Star’s Igan d’Bayan
Robert Frederick Hayden Jr of LPU and Embassy of the United States of America Economic Officer, Thomas Powers
Benny Aw, Olivia Limpe-Aw, former Tourism Secretary Gemma Cruz-Araneta, Metrobank Foundation President Chito Sobrepeña, and Clark Development Corp. President Benny Ricafort
George Siy of Marie France, Facial Care Centre and Svenson Hair Care, Department of Trade and Industry Undersecretary Nora Terrado, Comelec Commissioner Atty. Sixto Brillantes, Sulu Governor Sakur Tan, NCCA Chairman Virgilio Almario and Wilson Lee Flores
Linda Limpe and Honorary Consul of Belarus in the Philippines Annette Ablan
Benny Aw, Embassy of Singapore Counsellor Ong Che Liong, Jessica Antonio, Prinda Liong and Roy Antonio
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