{"id":2401,"date":"2025-03-14T11:47:37","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T04:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost:8080\/sunset-bar-intercontinental-ha-noi-west-lake-2-2\/"},"modified":"2025-03-14T17:04:31","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T10:04:31","slug":"sunset-bar-intercontinental-ha-noi-west-lake-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/how-ve-de-dis-michael-rosen-doubled-back-on-the-gin-industry-in-order-to-leave-with-some-award-winning-spirits\/","title":{"rendered":"How V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i\u2019s Michael Rosen Doubled Back On The Gin Industry In Order To Leave With Some Award Winning Spirits"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cSometimes you have to come back, to be able to know how to leave,\u201d Michael Rosen explains about the phrase that became an international award-winning gin and creme de cacao brand name: V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i.<\/h3>\n

\u0110\u1ecdc b\u00e0i vi\u1ebft b\u1eb1ng Ti\u1ebfng Vi\u1ec7t<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

It\u2019s V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i\u2019s invitation to come along on an enticing journey inspired by Vietnam\u2019s traditions, while giving them a decidedly modern outlook, one that takes us through the bustling streets of Hanoi while stirring up some creativity and igniting excitement along the way.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re meeting at the launch of the V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i installation at Capella Hanoi, a \u201cmagical mirrored cube\u201d called Infinite Reflections that\u2019s as modern and nostalgic as the spirits brand itself. \u201cWe wanted to add to the hotel\u2019s excitement with some V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i cocktails, and a chance to socialize\u2026and take a few photos,\u201d he smiles.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i: to return, in order to go.<\/em><\/p>\n

The First Large-Scale Whisky Distillery In Vietnam<\/h3>\n

Michael, who over the years has been an entrepreneur, business executive, investor, property owner, writer, banker, real estate developer, and professor, had spent 30 years in New York before relocating to Hong Kong in 2010 to work for an energy company and two years later to Vietnam, where, in 2018, he founded another made-in-Vietnam gin made from botanicals unique to the mountains, jungles and terraces of Vietnam.<\/p>\n

He left not long after, and true to the spirit of V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i, returned to the industry in order to \u2018leave\u2019 with an exciting new range of spirits.<\/p>\n

Today V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i, is part of a much bigger project. \u201cWe\u2019ve built the first full scale whisky distillery in Vietnam, and as far as I know, in Southeast Asia,\u201d Michael adds. There they are producing both single malt and corn whiskies.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cWe own the first large-scale whisky distillery in Vietnam, and, as far as I know, in Southeast Asia too,\u201d Michael Rosen tells us.<\/em><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a quickly evolving and diversifying industry where distilleries in places beyond Scotland, Ireland, Canada, the US and Japan are creating their own regional, new world and terroir-driven whiskies.<\/a><\/p>\n

But the growth of distilleries around the world belies the difficulties in creating whisky. It\u2019s a serious undertaking, especially in tropical and subtropical countries. \u201cIt\u2019s certainly more complicated than in temperate regions of the world,\u201d Michael explains.<\/p>\n

In high temperatures and high humidity, whisky ages faster and differently. For distilleries, this can be a challenge and a benefit. As the aging time shortens, the distiller has to skillfully marry a series of processes to ensure they come together at the right moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a unique challenge to manage aging spirits in our subtropical environment. How to bring unique flavors into the whisky, the dance between the liquid and the oak, letting them talk for themselves,\u201d Michael elaborates.<\/p>\n

The V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i team, he tells us, aspire to elevate Vietnamese spirits to the ranks the world\u2019s best. And it starts with their Good Gin and Cr\u00e8me de Cacao.<\/p>\n

A Generous Helping Of Hanoian Attitude<\/h3>\n

But calling it \u2018Good Gin\u2019 seems to downplay the whole endeavor. \u201cIt\u2019s actually really, really good gin, but we wanted to keep the name playful, honest, and with a touch of pride,\u201d Michael smiles.<\/p>\n

He has some justification. V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i Good Gin is distilled from scratch in its Hanoi distillery. That means, unlike some gin companies that buy their base spirit then flavor it by adding in botanicals, V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i starts at the very beginning by distilling Red River Delta fragrant sticky rice.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t dismiss us as \u2018just another gin\u2019 \u2013 this is good gin!\u201d Micheal assures us.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the start, Good Gin needed to be ours, meaning we would do everything ourselves from creating the base spirit to choosing botanicals that offer a different taste of Vietnam,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

That unique flavor comes from a \u201cmagic mix\u201d of botanicals. \u201cWe\u2019d won\u2019t reveal them all,\u201d Michael continues, \u201cbut of course there\u2019s Italian juniper. We hand peel and sun dry Buddha hand, we use lavender, cassia, green cardamom, m\u1eafc kh\u00e9n, and h\u1ea1t d\u1ed5i, and flowers from the world\u2019s oldest tea trees. And we add a touch of Hanoi attitude.\u201d<\/p>\n

V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i\u2019s Cr\u00e8me de Cacao Collaboration<\/h3>\n

Despite not inserting an adjective into the name, it\u2019s clear V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i is equally satisfied with its second product, Cr\u00e8me de Cacao. It was something of a coup for their fledgling company, working with Marou Chocolate<\/span><\/a>, a brand responsible for putting Vietnamese cacao on the map.<\/p>\n

In 2010, Vincent Mourou and Samuel Maruta famously took a trip through Vietnam\u2019s jungle. They quickly decided to leave their corporate jobs behind to create delicious chocolates as their now famous Marou, Faiseurs de Chocolat brand. And last year Marou agreed to work with Michael, his co-founder Nguyen Hung Quan and the team, on a delicious and now international award winning V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i Cr\u00e8me de Cacao liqueur.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cr\u00e8me de Cacao \u2013 a perfect combination of curiosity and the desire to ignite excitement.<\/em><\/p>\n

There was an obvious meeting of philosophies; Marou\u2019s local ingredient-driven artisanal brand collaborating with an upstart spirits brand proudly based in Hanoi with a similar dedication to quality and consistency. \u201cThey\u2019re recognized as among the best chocolate in the world for a reason,\u201d Michael nods.<\/p>\n

And so, in June 2023, V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i received a gold medal from London\u2019s Global Spirits Masters for the V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i Cr\u00e8me de Cacao in the \u2018Liqueurs Made In Asia\u2019 category. And their Good Gin received a gold medal in the \u2018Gins Made In Asia\u2019 category.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i received gold medals from the Global Spirits Masters.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWe entered because we\u2019re passionate about our spirits,\u201d Michael says. \u201cOf course we\u2019re proud that the quality of these spirits is recognized. And, just recently, at the Global Spirits Masters competition, we were awarded gold medals for both our Cr\u00e8me de Coffee and our new make corn whisky. We were also, perhaps most importantly, awarded the very highest honor, the Master award, given only to one spirit in each category, for our new make single malt whisky. So Vietnam single malt is already a bit on the world\u2019s map,\u201d he smiles.<\/p>\n

And on that positive note, Michael has to return to the V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i distillery. But, you suspect, coming back each time helps him to know how to leave \u2013 with more award-winning spirits, including, before too long, those much-anticipated made-in-Vietnam single malt and corn whiskies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u201cSometimes you have to come back, to be able to know how to leave,\u201d Michael Rosen explains about the phrase that became an international award-winning gin and creme de cacao brand name: V\u1ec1 \u0110\u1ec3 \u0110i.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2386,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[120],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2401"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2401\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2386"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2401"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2401"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ve-de-di.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2401"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}