Gourmands and pleasure seekers turn to Txanton, an elegant restaurant and premium shop located in Makati City, for its curated selection of high-quality foods and exquisite wine collection.

Txanton is revered as the first jamoneria in the Philippines where guests can indulge and savour Jamón Ibérico de Bellota, known to connoisseurs as the finest ham in the world. 

At the heart of Spanish gastronomy, Jamón Ibérico de Bellota is steeped in tradition that humbly began from the pastures of Spain. It is exceptionally cured between 36 to 48 months from a pure passel selection that roams freely in its natural environment and feeds on bellota, acorn, the seasonal fruit that adds a unique flavor to the jamón. 

Imported from its home soil, the iconic jamon, together with other succulent jamones and superb Spanish wines, is a call for a celebration at Txanton. Besay Gonzalez, General Manager for Txanton, passionately shares this rather trendy pairing of food and drink with guests, especially during the holiday season. 

A connoisseur with a curious palate, Besay found the dramatic leap in the quality of craft beers in the Philippines, particularly from Engkanto Brewery, an amazing development. In addition, he has noticed more sommeliers use craft beers in the pairing of their set menus. 

For his own take, he finds the complexity, variety, and nuances of Engkanto beers identical with the Ibérico de Bellota jamones offered in Txanton. The way the high-quality jamones match, from the Iberico de Bellota Guijuelo (lightest in flavor) to the Jabugo (intense in flavor), with the distinct variants of Engkanto craft beers, is as magical as with the wines. 

Michael ‘MJ’ Jordan, Brewmaster for Engkanto, echoes the same excitement and appreciation.  

During his tasting experience of jamón and craft beers at Txanton, he paired the crisp and refreshing Engkanto Lager with the Jamón Gran Reserva, another variety of Spanish ham that has a soft, well-balanced profile. The jamón’s mildness went well with the Lager’s easy and crisp finish. 

MJ's next pairing was the aromatic Engkanto Blonde Ale and the Guijelo, a Jamón Ibérico that has a smooth, sophisticated profile. The Blonde Ale’s light body and notes of citrus, mango, and passionfruit created a subtle finish that enticed another serving of the Guijelo. 

Lastly, MJ partnered the hoppy Engkanto Pale Ale with the Jabugo, a Jamón Ibérico de Bellota with a very intense profile. The tropical, citrusy notes along with the malt sweetness of the Pale Ale perfectly contrasted the Jabugo’s richness and distinct nutty flavors coming from the acorns. 

Indulge in the out-of-the-ordinary pairing of premium jamones from Spain and award-winning, locally-crafted beers. Order the Primera or Especial artisanal bundles here.