Classic cocktail gets a bubbly update
A 40-year-old cocktail is getting a fizzy update aimed at Gen Z drinkers. Maria Clara Sangria, the top-selling brand of Destileria Limtuaco & Company, has launched a carbonated version of its signature drink in sleek, ready-to-go cans.
Maria Clara Sparkling Sangria is tailored for a lifestyle on the move—road trips, beach outings, rooftop gatherings and poolside hangouts. With no need for glassware or large bottles, the canned sangria offers a more convenient, hassle-free option.
The sparkling version is a lighter twist on the original, featuring 7-percent alcohol by volume. The flavor has been slightly sweetened and given a creamier texture. A touch of fizz, the result of the canning process, adds to its refreshing appeal.
Aaron Limpe-Aw, 37, executive vice president of Destileria Limtuaco, belongs to the sixth generation of the Limpe family. He has taken on the challenge of preserving the 173-year-old distillery’s legacy while steering it toward innovation and contemporary tastes.
The original Maria Clara Sangria was developed in 1985 by Julius Limpe, says Olive Limpe-Aw, chairman and CEO of the company, and Aaron’s mother. It was named after the heroine of “Noli Me Tangere” and conceived to embody the Filipina—strong, resilient, and elegant. Julius Limpe, Olive’s father, led the company at the time. Over the decades, the label evolved, featuring Maria Clara in traditional baro’t saya. The latest canned design now highlights the sangria’s fruit ingredients, such as grapes, lemons, and oranges.
Niche products
The brand has also expanded its lineup to include Maria Clara Virgin Sangria, a nonalcoholic option developed during the alcohol ban in 2020, and the halal-certified Maria Clara Punch for the Muslim consumer.
Aaron sees the sparkling sangria as part of a broader push into canned beverages. Though the canning capacity is modest, the alcohol distillery has begun developing niche products. It recently introduced a line of nonalcoholic mixers—soda, tonic, and ginger beer—under the Crown label, local alternatives to imported mixers.
Starting with a widely recognized brand made strategic sense. Maria Clara Sangria, already popular in the market, offered a strong platform for launching the company’s first canned cocktail.
Millennials, says Aaron, tend to have fixed drinking habits. By contrast, younger consumers prioritize experience over intoxication. For them, drinking is less about chasing a buzz and more about facilitating social connection. They are just as likely to drink something nonalcoholic as they are a cocktail, as long as it enhances the atmosphere.
For millennials, the phrase “social drinking” often carries a tongue-in-cheek undertone—drinking with friends but still aiming to get drunk. With Gen Z, the behavior appears to shift. The emphasis is on shared experience, not excess. As Aaron observes, they drink less but are more open to a wider variety of beverages, including Lo-No (low alcohol or no alcohol) options.
That mindset shaped the development of Maria Clara Sparkling Sangria. Aaron acknowledges that the drink’s 7 percent alcohol content may seem counterintuitive, especially since it’s higher than the average 5 percent found in beer. But, like wine, he points out, it’s meant to be consumed differently.
Sip don’t slurp
“It’s not something you drink in large amounts,” he explains. “It’s sweet, it’s heavy—you can have one or two cans, and that’s enough. It’s more about the experience than volume.”
That experience, however, was carefully tailored to appeal to both seasoned drinkers and a younger generation that prefers lighter, more social beverages. Olive notes that her sons wanted to develop something that reflected the way Gen Z likes to unwind: casually, socially, and without the goal of getting drunk.
To align with that lifestyle, the sangria was carbonated to enhance its freshness and drinkability. The alcohol content was also slightly reduced, and the added fizz made it smoother—easier to sip and share in relaxed settings. The goal, Olive says, was to create a drink that felt approachable and fun, without the heaviness typically associated with wine.
Maria Clara Sangria Sparkling made its debut this June in 7-Eleven stores, priced at P63 for a 330 ml can. Early sales have been encouraging, boosted by its accessible price point and convenience.
Aaron notes that other strong performers in the company’s portfolio include the Hombre line of tequila-flavored spirits and White Castle Whiskey, a long-running brand developed by his grandfather.
Despite inflation and a shift in consumer spending toward essentials, Olive says business has remained stable—even as social gatherings have become more modest. Destileria Limtuaco, now in its 173rd year, continues to push forward. More product launches are already in the pipeline, proof that the country’s oldest distillery has no intention of slowing down.
