Tag: Spirits

Indian whiskies to the fore

Post author By Gagan Sharma
Post date July 11, 2023
No Comments on Indian whiskies to the fore

If there is a drink to mark India’s progress since independence, it would have to be Indian whiskies. As our country has progressed so has our favourite brown spirit. Think about it. The first Indian single malts, Peter Scot and Red Knight, were ahead of their time, and understandably vanished into oblivion without receiving due regard. As we entered the new millennium, our whiskies began to capture the most coveted global awards, turning the heads of
international experts and leaving them astonished by our potential. However, since we always had the knowhow, it came as no surprise to us. We were waiting for our time to come and it has…

INDIA ON THE WORLD MAP

Before listing the whiskies that should feature in your drinks cabinet, some considerations must be kept in mind. Along with other countries that produce whisky our grains are superlative, but our ageing conditions differ. We enjoy what’s called ‘tropical ageing’ with faster maturation and more evaporation which results in higher alcohol. One year of tropical ageing in India is equal to four years of ageing in Scotland or in Japan. We don’t release age-statement whiskies, therefore, nor do we have the palate for them. Besides, however desirable these whiskies may be, they are expensive and not everyone can afford them. Our excise taxes, duties and licences along with the workings of the bureaucracy are so convoluted that they have smothered the aspirations of many producers. To try to make sense of the price differential between Goa, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi and neighbouring Gurugram for the same label is futile. What’s more, brand loyalty and price-sensitivity is so strong among Indian consumers that the scope for new or different styles is miniscule. It makes more sense, therefore, for distillers to first export their single malts and
launch them in the local market later. Still, despite the numerous challenges, they are punching harder than ever pushing the envelope to produce excellent labels.

What follows are eight of our favourite whiskies that stand out and are worth stocking in your drinks cabinet.

AMRUT FUSION SINGLE MALT

The first whisky that put India in the elite group of the best in the world is Amrut Fusion. By winning a collection of awards, accolades and high ratings, it has inspired other producers to aim high. Amrut Fusion came out around the same time that Instagram was introduced and it was possibly the first proper whisky to feature on their feed. It was for many their first introduction to the goodness of Indian single malts and is still the indisputable benchmark for quality. Amrut takes pride in their meticulous process, extensive ageing, and minimalist branding and design. At the distillery I happened to taste their fresh distillate straight from the copper pots and could have easily sipped it all
day! Just a splash of water livens it up, exposing its full potential and layers of flavour. From medals and trophies to palates and hearts, Amrut Fusion has ruled since its introduction.

PAUL JOHN OLOROSO SELECT CASK SINGLE MALT

From humble beginnings to creating one of the most popular brands in the country, Original Choice, and moving into premium single malts, Paul John is now adding oomph to Indian drinks with unique offerings, and has created a cult following among global connoisseurs on its own terms. In a country where Oloroso means very little and most people are clueless about its taste and nuances, Paul John offers Oloroso Select Cask Single Malt unapologetically. For me, this whisky makes a strong statement about how Indian whiskies have developed confidently to be on par with global champions. Even more impressive is the fact that the whisky is seen as a gastronomic drink. The sommelier in me can’t believe how intellectually stimulating it is, matured in the finest sherry oaks. Given the mastery of distiller Michael D’Souza and the finesse of additional ageing, Paul John Oloroso commands unstinted respect in theory and in its execution.

GODAWAN SINGLE MALT SERIES 2

Coming from the powerhouse of Diageo, this whisky is a clear statement that the world is now not only looking at India as a consumers’ market, but also as a producers’ market. As mentioned earlier, we had the gyaan or knowledge and were just waiting for the time to be right. Godawan’s entry has reset the clock. Godawan is the name of the now almost extinct Great Indian Bustard found in small numbers in Rajasthan. With barely 150 surviving, Diageo is hoping to boost their numbers. Unlike the 2-row barley used in Scotland, Indian 6-row barley, which grows in the harsh Rajasthan environment, is richer in protein and flavour. Local water is added throughout the process with the aim to reprocess and put it back into the community. And finally, the product is aged in the yin and yang of Rajasthan’s cool and sultry weather in rarely seen cherry casks, which add a different dimension of flavours. The title, Single Malt Series 2 indicates the possibility of more in the pipe-line. It will be exciting to see what Diageo brings out next.

INDRI TRINI INDIAN SINGLE MALT

The world is moving away from age-statement whiskies to cask-finished ones, and an Indian single malt is leading the way. Indri is a small town near Karnal on the Delhi Chandigarh highway and also means ‘senses’ in Vedic Sanskrit. Trini indicates it is a triad of barrel regimes of different lengths that culminate into what is not only a fine whisky, but possibly the most admirable and hands down most complex whisky. Indian 6-row barley is distilled in copper pots, some peated, some unpeated, and then aged in ex-Bourbon, ex-Bordeaux and ex-Sherry casks from three to six years, finally maturing into something that’s a celebration of the senses. What is really commendable is the manner in which the various elements — smoke, malt, casks, ageing and blending come together. It is a testimony to India’s prowess at crafting fine spirits.

DEVANS GIANCHAND INDIAN SINGLE MALT

GianChand is among those rare whiskies that doesn’t try to impress you. While global whiskies hustle about which one is more in-your-face, bigger, more complex and imposing, GianChand refuses to play by that rule. Produced in Jammu and nurtured by its pristine air, water, winds, and sounds, GianChand has a unique advantage of negating to some extent the effect of tropical ageing that affects nearly all Indian whiskies. It is subtle, smooth, complex with delicate layers, bound with elegant oak. To fall for GianChand is easy even if you’re not a whisky lover, let alone a connoisseur. Not only does it make for a delectable sipping whisky, it withstands the pull of stronger whiskies with their volume or personality. In that crowd, GianChand is a standout, or let’s say outstanding!

KAMET SINGLE MALT

Hailing from the same place as Indri Trini, Kamet is a pleaser for those who like their single malts to be complex, yet an easy daily quaff. Himachali 6-row barley meets the trio of ex-Sherry, ex-French wine, ex-American whisky casks that combine to prodce an intriguing drink which makes you pause and take in its dual personality of accessiblity and complexity. What I really like about Kamet is its distinct character. The sweetness of American casks, the spice and tannin of red wine and the savoury, reductive, nutty, oxidative tones from sherry casks combine, adding more character, bite, and charm on the palate.

WOODBURNS CONTEMPORARY INDIAN WHISKY

Moving on from the debate of blended versus single malts, there’s a new term in fashion — contemporary whiskies. From the the makers of Pumori Gin and Segredo Aldeia rums comes Woodburns combining peated and unpeated whiskies, aged in Bourbon casks under tropical conditions, before finishing into the fine liquor it is in Goa. Woodburns hits the sweet spot between the body of a blended whisky and the finesse of a single malt with a touch of peat to make it stand on its own, or even better, in an Old Fashioned cocktail. What Woodburns has done well is to make it better value for money at Rs 1500 to Rs 1800. At this price, they can experiment by putting brand loyalty aside for once. It will be interesting to see how Woodburns is elevated in its next avatar.

COTOMBI RESERVE

Solomon Diniz is thelone ranger who doesn’t follow the rules of the game. I mean look at Cabo rum, who doesn’t have a few bottles? Solomon created that. Then came Alenjandro rum, featuring toasted Goan red rice and Afghani raisins, who does that? So when Solomon decided to venture into whiskies, it had to be different too. What makes this whisky different and likeable is its smokey character and how Solomon got it. He decided to ditch peat, and burn the coconut husk wastes from Cabo and Tinto Feni production to mimic peaty smokiness while adding another dimension to the quintessential character of Islay and Highland Scotch. The whisky is aged in barrels with no addition of colour or sweetness. Its smoothness by virtue of passing over that coconut husk charcoal is delightful. It will definitely start a conversation that’s been brewing (pun not intended) below the surface about pushing the envelope. All that’s needed are a few sips to get started.

Tags Spirits, Whisky

Uncategorized Articles Spirits

Rum-maging

Ever since the term ‘shidhu’ was mentioned in our Vedas, the world has known of rums. Yes, you read it right, we documented it first. The Philippines brought sugarcane to the world, and India took it everywhere. In fact, India grows more varieties of this perennial grass than grape. What’s more, if you thought wines were complicated, well then, put your familiar Old Monk down, there’s a universe to be undone. Rums are all set to become the new whiskies, agave drinks, and brandies of the world. The Scots have their highland, lowlands, and Islay regions; rums have entire islands and some countries as well. Agave producers have pina varieties; rums have jaggery, molasses and cane juice. If brandies boast of their barrels regime, and age statements, rums have continental and tropical ageing, with blending, angel’s share, and the absolutely mad, cult-like following for ‘funk’ to add. India has finally marched into its own ‘Rum Revolution’. It hasn’t been as glorious as the gin wave yet, but that’s only because anyone who was even partially invested, that it meant a long haul. International labels too are filling up shelves, most of them being superlative produce that will clean you out, with costs upwards of `5,000 a bottle. Here is how we will classify
them: Quintessentials, age-worthy, and the darers.

QUINTESSENTIALS

Quintessentials. Short Story spirits have consistently aimed at creating benchmarks in their categories, with vodka,
gin, and rum. As a hospitality professional, I would describe them as by the book: Open a spirit guide, read the definition of a spirit, crack open a bottle of Short Story, and you’ll find the definition distilled in a bottle. But their white rum is a style-driven subtle mix of Indian molasses spirit and,much like its Caribbean counterpart, boasts of varietal character, charm, and personality. What it does is allows it to be a sipper, while allowing enough space
for you to draw your own impressions to the spirit with different mixers, garnishes, and in classic summer cocktails, if you so choose. Personally, I would simply serve it in a highball with soda, basil, and sweet lime.

GOING FOR GOLD

If India was to learn how to make brilliant gold rum, a category that’s yet to create an army in itself, it should learn it from the makers of Amrut Whiskies. Two Indies was the first jaggery-based rum made in India, introduced in
2014. It combines one and a half years aged Caribbean island molasses based rum with a 3-years-aged Indian
jaggery based rum to create a fusion of the West and the East Indies style, hence the name. It is complex, deep, layered, bound with commendable oak quality, and the intensity brought in by ageing is near philosophical. There’s everything to like about it, sparing one, its pricing. At an approximate cost of `700, it sits with the cheap and cheerful; one in the hierarchy of good rums, but tends to get lost in the crowd. This could easily sell upwards of `3,000 and
it’ll still be an underdog. Have it neat, or with a splash of ginger ale; wherever you spot it, pick up a few bottles.
Among the international whites, Plantation 3 Star has been a global favourite. A blend of different islands–rums done differently–this molasses rum is created to play Sudoku with your mind. While every 3X3 grid is designed artistically, the overall scheme makes it further beautiful. Its composition is filled with spirits from Barbados, Jamaica,
and Trinidad, all three distilled differently, one kept unaged, other aged for one-third of a decade, and other surpassing the decade, then fitted together to display balance, structure, and finesse in the finale. With a touch of sweetness on the palate, it offers an easy gateway to those uninitiated towards sipping quality rums on their own. And the Daiquiris that it dishes out are just incredible.

AGE STATEMENTS

You may not have global synonyms for whiskies, vodkas, or gins, but for rum, we have Bacardi. In the mid 2010s they realised the potential of the dark spirit market in India, subsequently releasing their 4, 8, and 10 years old. Since then, they’ve been everywhere, making all the right moves especially with their 8-year-old, aka Ocho. Made for over 160 years, it has seen wars, politics, pandemics, and economic meltdown. Ocho was made only for the Bacardi family
members, however, finally in 2016, it was released to the public, and now we know why it was kept secret for so long. It’s a brilliant mix of a sipping rum that can be served neat, with a dash of water, in a highball or as I prefer it, in an Old Fashioned. For a newbie starting out on aged rums, I’d confidently serve this effortless charmer.

Nicaragua has a family that not only crafts yummy rum, it holds the environment close too. Flor de Cana doesn’t only put admirable liquid in their bottles, they are also carbon neutral, gluten-free, have planted over a million trees, and command regard for having survived for over 130 years. Set up in the shadow of an active volcano, its terroir has a unique water, soils, and air that nurtures the fruit and caresses it all the way till it makes it to the bottle. So when you open their Centenario 12-year-old, you’ll be indulging in unparalleled nectar. And it shows its tad oxidative, maderised, liqueur-like mouthfeel that’s elegant, suave, and lingers. The sommelier in me urges me to decant it for a while before it breaks from its slumber, to start a conversation. For the gentleman, it’s dressed in a tuxedo, which I would happily serve in an Old Fashioned, Old Cuban, or with a splash of ginger ale.

UNIQUE

Change is all about being daring and courting challenges and this is the confidence that comes from the rums in our own backyard. These daring concoctions are also a clear message from theconsumer to the producers, and through them to the world, about our knowledge and craft. And now that they’ve turned a few pages, a village is to follow.

Segredo Aldeia Cafe is my outright favourite digestif, with a bottle perpetually resting in the freezer. From the house that’s given us Pumori and Ascent gin, Woodburn and A Tale of Oak whiskies, the good guys behind this rum know what they’re doing. A combination of sugarcane and jaggery rum, distilled differently, one aged in ex-Bourbon casks, another unaged, are combined. To this, single origin South Indian coffee beans that are freshly dark roasted in Goa are introduced and coaxed to marry in the tanks, which is later sweetened. I can only imagine the aroma in the distillery…yum!! We Indians either drink our elixirs before or with the meals, seldom after. That’s why the sweet wine,Cognac, Grappa, and digestifs have failed to make a mark in India. But what Segrado Aldeia Cafe has done, it has made us rethink our drinks all over again. It makes for not only a fantastic after-dinner drink; it’s an equally fitting afternoon sipper, and a quintessential ingredient for a rummy Espresso Martini. I’d drink it straight up or with a touch of sea salt and a slice of orange.

Alejandro Dark rum will make you rethink all that you know about rums. From the reputed house of Cabo, Ti Connie liqueurs, Tickle gin, and Tinto feni, comes Alejandro a daring spirit that’s pushing the definition of rums. Dark rums in India are quintessentially coloured, flavoured, and sweetened. While Alejandro might seem like it, it’s none of those. Solomon, the mad genius behind the rum explains: Local Goan rice is toasted to dark, which is added to a pot still with
a neutral spirit and redistilled, to coax a toasty, nutty character. This is then rested in a tank on a bed of Afghani raisins that delivers it a sweet aroma, tannins, and colour. Since the raisins aren’t crushed, there’s no sweetness to the spirit, which instead is further emboldened through barrel ageing afterwards. Have you heard of a rum like that before? And that’s what makes it all that crazy. It’s like one of those Masterchef challenge rounds where you take a street snack and elevate it to a Michelin Starred dish. I quaffed through the better half of the bottle neat in a single sitting, with no dehydration or hangover the next morning. And I’d like to serve it exactly that way, if only I have enough of it left.

Camikara 12 Year Old has sparked many conversations and inspired fans both in India and abroad for its gutsy introduction in a market that’s extremely price sensitive, and admittedly rum illiterate. It is made purely from fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, pot still distilled, and aged in white oak barrels for 12 years in Indian tropical conditions. Of course, it might not have even made it to your cabinet since only 1200 bottles were ever made and put out. It has everything, fruit, floral, tertiary, oaky notes, with a lingering aftertaste from chocolate, leather, and meat. The texture, complexity, and depth is spellbinding. And the only way of indulging the drink is to respect it for what it is, even at 50% abv, and drink it straight up. I’d say it is definitely time to raise a toast; wouldn’t you?

Tags Rum, Spirits

Articles Spirits Wines

Toasting India

The Indian spirits industry is currently going through an ‘Aha’ moment; rather late, considering it is one of thelargest consumers of spirits globally. Despite that overwhelming factoid, India’s own produce has been remarkably underwhelming, until recently. This newfound-glory is rather neoteric, and goes back a dozen years ago when Indian single malts stunned global palates. Even though, India is a predominantly whisky market, our gins are in
their adolescence, rums yet to shine, and wines only slowly warming up to the chase. Through this still-nascent evolution though, our drams are altering, becoming increasingly eclectic and versatile, and we are now crafting elixirs that are unprecedented and equally exciting. These drinks of the future demand your attention and will command space on your shelves in the times to come. So here’s your chance to dive in. Bottoms up!

PATIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE

If ‘what goes around comes around’ was a rum, it’d be Camikara. India took sugarcane to the world centuries ago, and we may have created rum’s early renditions as well, found in our Sanskrit text under a loosely-clubbed word ‘Shidhu’. After missing the rum boat ages ago, we’re finally waving its flag in the country with a handful of labels to pick from. Camikara, from the creators of Indri Whisky, is a 12-year-old rum, made purely from cane juice, aged in ex-Bourbon casks, of which only 1200 bottles could be retained for Indians. Bottled at 50% ABV, 94 per cent of all the liquid that was put to cask back in 2009, was swallowed by the unforgiving sultry summers of India’s tropical ageing. So while it’s a dozen years old, in true sense, it might actually be half a century wise! This is because India’s proximity to the equator ages our spirits four times faster than that in Scotland. Inspired from the Sanskrit text ‘Chamikara’, meaning ‘liquid gold’, it has a Cognac VS colour, dense and opulent. The rum is layered with fruity, floral, citrus, tertiary, and oxidative notes. The mellow, velvety palate is finely integrated, and with its high proof allowing sip-ability it compels you to hold it on the palate endlessly. I’d relish it neat, against ceremonially tempering it with water, which puts Camikara among a rare breed. But is it just a rare, one-hit, wonder? Nope. There’s a younger, 8-year-old sibling that releases early February that will remain a constant offering for the Indian palate, which too will be an unprecedented feat. Available in Gurgaon at ₹6,200

COFFEE FEVER

Coffee has become something of a cultural phenomenon now. Craft roasters deliver fresh beans to your doorstep, and the narrative is punctuated with a new verbiage that includes grinds, roasts, equipment, terroir, nuances, storage etc. What they have accomplished in the non-alcoholic beverage segment is unprecedented. However, their full-of-beans enthusiasm seems to have percolated into drams as well. Commendable lieutenants of the brigade, Bira’s Malabar Stout, Greater Than’s No Sleep Gin, Segredo Aldeia’s Cafe Rum, have all highlighted the need for more such elixirs. Enter Quaffine, an Indian coffee liqueur, and our answer to the Kahluas and Tia Marias of the world. “Indian produce is on the up, and how. However, we are yet to receive equivalent glory for our liqueurs, which have been mostly neglected. We are the 7th largest coffee-growers in the world, but there isn’t that much to show for,” says co-founder and distiller Nikhil Varma. What makes Quaffine unprecedented is its departure from its predecessors that use coffee extracts or flavourings and caramel. True to source, Chikmagalur coffee is roasted to a medium dark consistency, ground in Goa, and delicately cold brewed for a day, and then introduced to sugar and spirit, and matured further for two weeks before bottling. It makes for a brilliant drink by itself, sans the boozy jolt or
cloying mouthfeel of a syrupy sticky concoction. Quaffine has elegant ethereal tones of cocoa, warm spices, earthiness, and a play of caramel touches. Think Melody meets Kismi Toffee Bar; throw it in a coffee highball, or in the world’s most relished cocktail, Espresso Martini. We preferred ours with a pinch of sea salt and orange rind. “Quaffine is just water, coffee, sugar, and spirit, that’s all; yet, there’s so much to do. We’ll be toying with single estate batches, different roast levels, several coffee types, and what not, so they will soon become a collectible”, adds Varma. Available in Goa at ₹1,650

TASTE OF JAMMU

India’s proximity to the equator renders our spirits to age four times faster than that in Scotland. Therefore, we don’t produce age-statement usuals of 12-18-25 year olds. But that fast-forward ageing regime is somewhat negated by
the pristine air, weather, and waters of Jammu. Much like the essence of their softly-spoken dialect and delicately nuanced fare, GianChand is a recent admission to the Indian single malt whisky lineup; it is an expression of its
terroir. Where most single malts try and arrest you at initiation with their complexity, GianChand wraps you with its
charm, discernment, and grace–arguably the most subtle and intricate of the lot. Dewan Gian Chand, the founder of DeVans, that produces the whisky, was a journalist, who also owned the first liquor store in Jammu and a printing press, and operated a newspaper in the region. In 1961 he turned to distillation, creating malt whiskies that his son, Prem Dewan took over in 1982 and quickly accumulated 8,000 barrels. GianChand is a son’s ode to the aspirations of his father, and the land of big hearts. It ages for up to five years in first-fill Bourbon casks, gaining a candied tone, a
light ripe fruits-meets-savoury perfume that’s further accentuated by the earthy, sherried, smokey touches on the finish. Soon to be a trio, GianChand will see a peated and a completely unpeated variant as well. Available in Delhi at ₹4,490

SWEET DELICACIES

If you’ve ever eaten a raisin, you’re no stranger to the Moscato grape. The pride of Piedmont, beyond its age-worthy Barolo and Barbaresco wines, finest black truffles, Nutella and Ferrero Rocher dolces, and Fiat cars, Moscato di Asti
and Asti Spumante are among the most delectable sweet drops of the wine world. And after a glorious run with Sangiovese and Nero di Avola on the Indian turf at various vineyards, Sula Vineyards introduced another Italian varietal to their backyards and created the first Asti-style sweet bubbly under its premium label. They’re flirting with candied bubblies in the country. First they had a tryst with their Aussie-styled semi-sweet Sparkling Shiraz, and now The Source Moscato is an extension of the same line-up, though a complete opposite of the former. Sparkling Shiraz is red, a tad tannic, and bodacious, while The Source Moscato offers softness, delicate perfumes of white peaches and florals, and Fox’s lemon candy’s sweet citrus with a creamy mousse from the bubbles. Sula has added many firsts to Indian wine, among them, The Source Moscato is the most exciting for me. It works dynamically as a picnic wine, a brunching proposition, an aperitif, a light dessert wine, and an all-round summer sipper. It also breaks the monotony of the Chenin Blanc-based sweet wines and opens up the gates for experimenting and adding something new and unprecedented to the Indian bouquet. Cheers! Available in Maharashtra, The Source Moscato at ₹1,495, Sparkling Shiraz at ₹1,450

RETURNING TO ROOTS

Down history’s glorious passage, wines have always rested and travelled in claypots: ‘Amphoras’. These were giant earthern jugs that were used before the use of oak, steel, or glass; think ‘matkas’ at homes in summers. India has also romanced these as some remains of these Roman amphoras are on display in the museums in Kochi. Grover Zampa, the oldest still-operating Indian winery, is returning to this vessel for crafting wines. The price tag may be tall but their offer of great taste is even taller. Signet is Grover Zampa’s single vineyard series, based solely around Shiraz, that’s been aged for over a year in amphoras, 1000 and 2000 litre foudres, concrete tanks, and the finest of oaks to
create not just a fresh perspective on the varietal and its agreeability with ageing, but also bringing the focus back on its carrier. Clay has naturally been used for refrigeration, enabling a slow fermentation, gentle formation of flavours, and thanks to its porosity, allowing microoxygenation to create more graceful nuances. This makes the 2019 Signet Shiraz Amphora hauntingly aromatic with a highly perfumed floral, purple and sweet dark fruits, jamun syrup, berry compote, and jammy notes. It’s tricky to decode as the wine is a baby in the cot right now, and uncorking it this early
would be criminal. However, the palate is refreshing, uber-smooth, with juicy acidity, and pleasing round tannins. The
fruit is yet to open up, segregate, and spread itself in to layers, and it holds intense promise to please even more, later in its life cycle. Available in Karnataka & Maharashtra at ₹4,000

GINEOUS MASTERSTROKE

The team behind India’s first craft gin, Greater Than, likes to experiment and offer out-of-the-box beverages. While everyone was producing gins with Macedonian Juniper, they went off-track to craft one with Himalayan Juniper: Hapusa. Their No Sleep coffee gin had just gone on shelves when they surprised us with another masterstroke, ‘Broken Bat’. Founder, Anand Virmani, and his crew, had us believe that they were crowd-sourcing old, used bats
to create a fence around their distillery. Instead, they turned them into chips, roasted them in their distiller’s home-oven, and rested their OG gin on them to create what the world had never seen before. Mad-hatters right? “Broken Bat, with its cricket connection, is globally relevant. We too thought of barrel ageing initially but then it wouldn’t have been unique. After tinkering with a ton of local woods, our cricket inspiration kicked in and we were bowled over. You remember the ad from a few World Cups ago? It said ‘Eat Cricket, Sleep Cricket’, now we’ve added ‘Drink Cricket’ to that as well”, says the proud creator. This gin-meets-whisky sort of elixir has an alluring nose that fills you with nostalgia, simultaneously transporting you to Deodar-filled forests of Uttarakhand. It is smokey, leathery, tad savoury and spicy, while retaining its botanical spine. Guess what? Of the 24 crowd-sourced bats, five English Willow bats arrived from the UK and there might even be a limited release. The British brought us cricket, introduced us to gin, and now we’ll make it greater; ‘Lagaan’ encore eh? Nonetheless, Broken Bat will remain the unprecedented ode to India’s love for cricket in a bottle. Virmani says consume it the way you enjoy your whisky–on ice, with soda, or water, even coke. I enjoyed it in a citrus-kissed, crisp Martini. Available in Goa at ₹1,650

Published first in India Today Spice, January 2023

Tags Indian Beverage, Spirits, Wine

Articles Conversations Spirits Uncategorized Wines

Wine-ing Move

Wooden winemaking barrel 3d illustration

Would it be fair to say that wine is the most remarkable elixir of the Alco-bev world? It may provoke comment, but one fact will go uncontested; that it has inspired, pushed and nudged other spirits to be better, added oomph and character to them. In a time where every drink is trying to reimagine, think out-of-the-box, reinvent, and offer the unprecedented to awe and delight patrons, ageing in wine barrels is the most relevant move. Surprisingly, this is spilling over from whiskies to agave spirits, brandies, to even coffee now. Why wines? Well, nature designed it as such; it is the only all-natural elixir. Also, it grows on its own, even in the most unforgiving terrains. And once the fruit ripens, it ferments to create alcohol by itself, soliciting no human intervention. Pairing food with wine wasn’t a luxury; it was the only way to survive—eat and quaff it down with wine. No wonder the ancients submitted to the higher wisdom of In vino veritas—in wine, there is truth and also insiration, apparetly.

THE REST BEFORE RELEASE

As far as whiskies are concerned, cask finishing has always been around, and now it’s the flag bearer of the rapidly changing whisky scene. Remember whenever you read labels like Sherry, PX, Maderia casks, Port Pipes, and the like, you’re picking up a wine cask finish. Cask-finishing is essentially moving a fully matured whisky in a used cask (that once held another alcoholic beverage) for a few months before its release. It allows the spirit to pick up nuances that it couldn’t have developed on its own. It also gives distillers the opportunity to play with their output whilst retaining the distillery’s signature style. Paul John, India’s most awarded single malt distillers do a fabulous job at this with their famed PX and Oloroso variants. They age their whiskies for over three years, and finish it for a period longer than usual for more robust results. Michael Dsouza – Master Distiller believes that the additional character that wine casks add is a ready solution to the depleting interest in age-statement whiskies of 18-21-25 years. “Consumers demand whiskies that can be relished sooner, yet have a different twang. Whisky distillers’ goals are also shifting towards creating something different. Since a lot of whisky giants also own wineries, this cross exposure comes naturally”. And with that comes premiumisation. Drinkers across the globe are paying more for these cask-finished whiskies, even deeming them collectibles. Should it be inspiration?

PUSHING THE ENVELOPE

Adding a sweet affectation to a whisky, long considered a man’s drink, is also helping make it gender neutral. Glenmorangie’s Nectar d’Or is aged in Sauternes casks, the coveted, delectable, dessert wine from France. Glenfiddich, often known to push the envelope, produced a limited release Winter Storm that was aged in the legendary winery, Pellar Estate’s iconic ice wine casks. Set to disrupt the scene, their precious 21-year-old single malt met with the elegant, suave, and delish Canadian icewine. “The aim wasn’t to make a sweet whisky, but to excite the scene, do the unthinkable”, adds Angad Gandhi, Glenfiddich’s Brand Ambassador in India. “Currently more than half the whisky makers are toying with wine casks in one form or the other. Characteristics delivered by a wine cask are unparalleled. It won’t be incorrect to assume that wine casks are the way forward. For instance, Winter Storm was sold out not in days or months, but a matter of hours. It’s a very clear indication of the consumers’ readiness”, he adds.

METAXA - A SPIRIT BEYOND DEFINITIONS

Alcohol has always provoked socio-cultural change. Traditionally, après dinner drinks never really took off in India since we usually drink before our meals, seldom with, and definitely none afterwards. That probably accounts for why brandies and dessert wines have enjoyed limited success in the country. However, an iconic 130+ year old Greek label is altering that one drink at a time. Metaxa puts together an aged Greek brandy with a local sticky Muscat dessert wine, along with some herbs and rose petals to create a proposition that fits into no set boxes. What was once a medicinal endeavour is now changing the way generations drink and when. Although this has been popular abroad over a dozen decades or so, India has been slow to the party, and is only befriending the trend now. “The sweetness and balanced acidity of the Muscat wine gives Metaxa a smooth and fruity taste without making it overly sweet, and when combined with fine wine distillates and herb extracts, it creates a unique organoleptic experience”, explains Constantinos Raptis, Metaxa Master.

WHERE INDIAN AGAVE MET INDIAN VINO

India’s romance with Tequilas has been a longstanding one. Now Rakshay Dhariwal is single-handedly putting India on the world map by making converts of agave drinkers. Pistola Agavepura too couldn’t stay away from the trend. KRSMA Wines, sole winemakers in the UNESCO World Heritage Site tagged Hampi Hills, produce commendable, cult-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. Dhariwal scored a few barrels from their cellars and aged his nectar in it for two months to create the pink-hued Rosa and Rosa Select, the latter being an exquisite single-barrel rendition. Borrowing a page or two from the playbooks of rum and other spirits, agave-crafters have been looking to wine for inspiration. Calirosa has been a leader, ageing their distillates in Californian barrels; El Mayor ages their Reposado in ex-Chardonnay French casks; Cava de Oro tops at it with their Extra Anejo aged in French red wine casks for seven years! “We put our distillate in their French oak, 225 litre, ex- Cabernet casks and the product was a stunner. We might try the same with ex-Sherry casks now,” confesses Dhariwal. “Wine is vast, well-accepted, and a premium beverage, and agave naturally does really well with them. It gets little tannic, fruity, attains depth, broadens the spectrum, and the hue is amazing. Most importantly, it adds a level of spice, vegetal, and red fruit notes which not only work well with agave, but it’s something no other barrel can deliver.”

BEYOND CASK FINISHING

Red wine barrels have also reserved their space at distilleries. The burgeoning market for Indian single malts are now going past cask finishing. For instance, Indri Single Malt rests their distillates in ex-Bordeaux casks for the better part of a decade. “Through this, Indri offers something different. The dark and red fruit tones, hints of pepper, and honeyed sweetness lends a unique profile and texture to the liquid”, explains Prabhkaran Hundal, GM Sales & Marketing at the brand. Whiskies are a quirky proposition in India where consumers are annoyingly brand loyal and seldom venture beyond familiar labels. However, there’s been an interesting change over the past years: “Consumers now do understand and appreciate the use of different barrels and what uniqueness it lends to the liquid, to a certain extent. But this patronage is limited to the few who are well travelled and have learned to experiment”, adds Hundal. For instance, as sommelier, I can imagine the value that a Tempranillo’s Crianza can add to a rather astute whisky, bringing in a nerve of refreshing citrus, breaking the monotony of overt concentration from years of ageing, a burst of ripe red fruits, and a cola playfulness. All this from simply letting the two marry for a couple of months. This exchange hasn’t been one way, wines are being also being aged in whisky barrels now. Jacob’s Creek’s Double Barrel Shiraz, Agitator’s Bourbon Barrel Cabernet Sauvignon are just a few examples.

TO SOBER PURSUITS

Sula Vineyards have enjoyed an interesting tryst with Paul & Mike chocolate and then with Blue Tokai coffee roasters to create some sober pursuits as well. The barrels in which they rest their best produce— Rasa Shiraz, Rasa Zinfandel and Dindori Shiraz—were put to good use. Once the wine was racked out, they were filled with 100 kilos of beans and xinterim. These were then roasted and shipped out as a limited release batch. The legendary winemaker Robert Mondavi reportedly believed morning coffee needed cream, sugar, and a generous splash of red wine. Sula and Blue Tokai have made it happen for their domestic audience. “The tannic grip, spicy lift, and an undeniable burst of red fruits made the coffee simply un- putdownable”, says Gregoire Verdin, Brand Ambassador, Sula Vineyards. And now we hear more roasters are being added to the lineup. For the most civilised drink that’s helped forge our civilisation, there’s a lot more that wines can still contribute. Like the Avengers, it’s only adding more to its brigade, empowering them further, and keeping patrons enticed, and excited for the next one. Much like other drinks need wines to up their offerings, wine needs them to break their monotony as well. And in this happy marriage, we the drinkers are the biggest gainers.

First published on India Today Spice, December 2022

Tags Indian Spirit, Sommelier, Spirits, Wine

Articles Agave Cocktails Spirits

The surge of Agave in India – A beyond the shots story

Post author By Gagan Sharma
Post date November 30, 2022
No Comments on The surge of Agave in India – A beyond the shots story

TEQUILA & AGAVE THEN

A decade ago, no party wrapped before a round of Tequila shots, followed by morning vows of never touching the spirit again. Those shots were simply about ‘give me something cheap, that I could gulp without tasting’. Neither was there any knowledge about the drink, nor any motivation to look beyond those cheap labels. And why would there be any? Who spent on shots anyway, right? The definition of your mid-20s wouldn’t even be the same if you were told those salt rimmed, lemon wedge-backed fiery liquids weren’t even pure Tequilas, definitely not the culturally-driven Mexican heritage drink. Whose heritage is built on shooting drinks anyway? All that is now changing, finally.

TEQUILA & AGAVE NOW

The pandemic moved us from straight drinks to cocktails and trying new spirits at it. What drove it was leisure drinking and their mixability. Those heavily aged, have-encyclopaedic-knowledge-before-approaching-me brown spirits were pushed away by easier, amicable white ones. While in India it was gin, pure premium Tequilas took the global pie. Since 2010, the market has doubled, it’s further growing ferociously, with the premium Tequilas peaking at an 83% fold! It’s probably amongst those rare categories that didn’t dip during Covid, instead it soared. There was all the time, and intent, to let go of those horrible past experiences, unlearn, and relearn about the drink that was never really befriended. And this newly discovered love for agave spirits and Tequilas is going to keep bars and imbibers spirited for a pretty long time.

AGAVE BEYOND TEQUILA

Once you go pure, you don’t return to that edgy firewater. Though ‘Tequila’ has been much bastardised into a common nomenclature for all things shots and made from agave, there’s an unexplored colony of drinks beyond it. Agave too, much like grains and grapes, isn’t the sole base, there’re many more. However, Tequila hails from a GI-tagged region of Mexico with certain quality and prestige attached, think Champagne in France, Scotch in whiskies, or Cognac in brandies. Within Tequila there’s a study of Puro and Mixtos, latter being a mix of base ingredients against a single origin 100% agave based spirit, generally considered much inferior but to mad scientist and a playful genius its allows the proposition to breakfree from the straightjacket of norms and definitions and experimenting unabashedly. Then there’s also the much cult, crafty, rural, and revered Mezcal which by all means is a connoisseurs’ and aficionados’ delight. There’s also Sotol, considered the lesser loved child of the family, that has its own status of sorts locally. And then there’re spots like Califonia, Japan, Australia, Peru, Venezuela, and of course India, that produce the spirit and keep it simply under the title ‘agave spirits’. If anything, even if we mistakenly call all drinks ‘Tequila’, it’s as expansive a proposition as most respected drams.

AGAVE IN INDIA

Patron, Don Julio, Corralejo, El Jimador, Herradura Tequilas and Creyente, Del Maguey, Clase Azul Mezcals have globally been drivers for the premium category, and now India has added to the list with its homegrown label, Pistola Agavepura. I’d happily sip on either and I do occasionally pick them over well-aged malts and rums. Rakshay Dhariwal, the suave hospitality superhero who heads SAZ, Ping’s Oriental, Jamun, and Asia’s 50 Best Bars ranker PCO in the capital, wanted to be creative during the lockdown and birthed Pistola. “Before the pandemic, we saw clients drifting towards premium Tequilas and asked us to source special bottles. These were proper 100% Puro de Agave labels, so they knew what they were drinking. I wanted to follow this shift. During lockdown I wondered how else can I get to people’s homes besides food, which we had been doing anyway. I thought of creating everything from bottled cocktails to tonic water, to our own gin, but settled for an agave based drink that’d put India on the map”

Much like wines, ciders, rums, and cognacs, anything that’s made with fruits or plants is heavily influenced by provenance and terroir. Agave drinks are no different. India’s tryst with the plant goes back a couple of centuries! India has a ton growing wildly in the weirdest of places from Shimla to the Deccan Plateau. “When Queen Victoria visited India, she ordered planting agave bordering railway tracks to protect animals from hitting them”, Rakshay shares. Deccan Plateau’s red soil and rather barren lands graciously welcome the plant in its laps. It’s enough not only to cater to Indian palates, even to be exported. Who knew? And who knows what potential the Indian terroir holds? It may take the world by a storm, right? However, what’s foremost is purity.

PROVENANCE MATTERS

‘100% Puro de Agave’ is a spirit made purely from agave plants. If you’ve been drinking spirits under the (say) INR1800-2000 mark, chances are they aren’t Puro, instead they’re what’s called Mixtos, created from a variety of base ingredients. Though a dominant and essential part of the game, it’s not what’s driving the change. These Puro de Agave spirits offer an experience, a glimpse into the heritage of its producer, and will always be expensive. It takes seven kilos of agave to make a litre of Puro spirit, and agave isn’t cheap. Befriending the spirit is as geeky an affair as that of Cognacs, single malt whiskies, and age-statement rums. It solicits patience, trials, and indulgence. Social media plays an important role in driving these changes. And who influences better than celebrities?

CELEBRTIES STEP IN

Celebs have been biting into the agave craze since George Clooney got in and sold his label, Casamigos, for a whooping USD1 billion. Teremana (The Rock), Lobos 1707 (LeBron James), Cincoro (Michael Jordan), Villa One (Nick Jonas), Don Ramon (Pierce Brosnan) and 818 (Kendall Jenner) have all followed suit. “They definitely help the category grow and can open gateways to open craft spirits too”, says Bacardi India’s Jonas Ax who’s heading Patron. Rakshay too concurs, “they not only make people drink better, also add a certain oomph to drinks & rituals”. If Tequila has been the drink of the Hispanics, celebs’ endorsements definitely open the market to other communities. Though, there’re visible ups, there are some sour notes too. Kendall Jenner has been heavily criticised for everything, from sipping her tequila on ice to flagrantly stepping into an industry she knows nothing about just to make her even richer. Some believe the sheen of celebrity can divert attention from the nuances of Tequila, its provenance, and heritage, which actually make it a great drink. The fine line between homage and appropriation is blurring. However, for the Indian denizens, that’s a worry for a far distant future.

BARTENDERS’ POISON

Be it neat, on ice, with a dash of sparkling water, or through cocktails, the agave spirits’ bug will catch you for sure. Considered the most mixable spirit, bartenders are halleluah-ing every passing moment. At the end of US’s prohibition era (circa1930-40s), cocktail revolution brought Margaritas to the fore and they’ve not really left, albeit TGIF and Ruby’s Tuesday’s awful syrupy concoctions. Picantes, Palomas, Margaritas, not only accentuate the provenance, prowess, finesse of the base spirit and are loved equally on either side of the bar. “Earlier it was gin, now there’s a rapid shift towards agave spirits. In our new menu, there are 8 agave based cocktails, a drastic increase from just 3. Agave spirits and spices go well, they do justice to Indian palates, and we’re trying to bring classics back with a new touch. Even our guest ask us, what else can we do with the spirit” shares Navjot Singh, head bartender of Lair, New Delhi, that’s single handedly responsible for bringing Picante in the limelight and making Paloma sexy again.

WHAT DO WE DO?

Rakshay is already adding more shades to Pistola’s spectrum with a Joven, Anejo, Phoenix Anejo, and an interesting Rosa, a cabernet Sauvignon barrel aged Reposado with a pink hue. Patron has already made a honey and coffee flavoured rendition. Especially in India where there’s no right path to the spirit and a lack of definition for local produce, the opportunities are endless. And with the advent of Indian gin, conversations about flavours have only expanded. “There’s definitely a market for flavoured variants, we’re a population of 1.4billion, there’s space for everything, just not now”, Rakshay shares. Jonas too agrees “we’d like people to decode the spirit first and then move to flavoured ones, they definitely take the inhibition away and are imperative”.

India is already upping the revelries. Jai Solanki, the crafty chef and owner of Lair, New Delhi, is gearing up to open the floodgates for local palates and hosting the first-even Agave Fest in Goa in January. In the carnival spirit to Goa, it’ll bring together gastronomic meccas, revered bars and their mixologists, and connoisseurs alike over thumping music lineups, games and more over 6-7th January at W Goa. Who would’ve though we’d see that in India? If that’s not a sign, then what is?

Whichever way you look at it, this is not a fad. With this instant influx there’ll be a bubble that’ll burst, acting as an imperative balancer. Nonetheless, once you’ll befriend a pure agave spirit, you’ll not return to those edgy, rough, firewater of spirits that filled your shot glasses. And to that itself we can raise a toast. Salud !!

First published on India Today Spice, November 2022

Tags Cocktails, Indian Beverage, Personalities, Spirits, Tequila

Articles Spirits Trade

A Taste of Feni

Much like there’s very little sense in reading versions of Indian history written by European historians, it’s imperative Indians talk about their own heritage drinks. If Mexico has Mezcal, and Japan has Sake, India has Feni, the undisputed unofficial ambassador of the land and its people. Despite Feni having gone global, yet is still coaxing Indians, young and old, to drink and own it. Dawning the ‘Heritage Spirit’ tag like an albatross around its neck, it’s accessible to the world but not to Indians outside of Goa because of our convoluted laws. Things are changing though, and with that the image and acceptability of this fiery country liquor is steadily gaining favour.

On the onset I must confess, after being a trade professional for over a decade, I knew as little about Feni as you do today. At all my visits I looked for its two avatars – coconut and cashew – and brought them back sealed packed. Much like the King’s beer effect, which only tastes good at Goan shacks but not otherwise, Feni made for an unpopular choice at home soirees in Delhi. The resort, hence, was to make a punch with the locally produced coconut flavoured Cabo, pineapple juice, fruit slices, topped up with a limey soda, serve extra chilled. Feni made me feel like an outsider, an outcast, and the feeling was mutual. It was only this year when I returned to Goa and visited this charming Distillery in South Goa- Fazenda Cazulo, that I befriended the drink. All it needed was to be looked at from a different window, and Hansel Vaz, founder of Cazulo Premium Feni, provided just that. It also came at a time when Goa is deemed the epicentre for craft spirits production. And if at all there should be a quintessential first stop, it should be for Feni!

Coconut, Cashew and more

Though coconut and cashew are the most known expressions, astoundingly I found that a Feni could come in about 26 expressions, pure distillations, botanical expressions and even liqueurs- clearly carving out a niche for itself, not just as a drink, but a drink category by itself! While cashew Feni boasts a GI Tag, the cashew fruit itself was only introduced to India by the Portuguese in the 16th CE. What’s cool about this fruit from the Amazon rainforest, is that thrives on the red infertile hard rocky hills of Goa, and when Hansel says ‘Drink Feni and Save Goa’ he has a point! To distill more Feni Goa will need to plant millions of more cashew trees which in turn could save Goa’s pristine hills and keep Goa green forever for the future! Its interesting that the first mention of the distillation in Goa was in 1545, by a Dutch spy who described the process of Coconut Feni. Going back nearly 500 years now, no Indian drink has helped shape a civilization as much as Feni has.

Feni – Matrimony

Feni culture stands unique in many ways. Firstly, it’s amongst the only six drinks in the world that are still fermented through a process called ‘underground natural fermentation’ in huge claypots called ‘Matheichi bhann’. The skill and craftmanship for making these claypots was so specialized that it even decided who and how the Potter married back then. Hansel shares that potters needed to be tall and slim, tall- for longer arms to make bigger and deeper pots- for batch consistency, and slim so that when they bend their paunch would’t leave a flat spot! To ensure the distilleries stayed loyal to the potter and his similar sized vessels, tall slim potters would look for equally shaped mates!! The shape of a pot decided your life partner, so much for a drink, eh!

Man over Machine

Secondly, while everyone gained from the Industrial revolution, Feni seem to have skipped it entirey. We barely heard any technical jargons on our visit, let alone spotting a scientific tool or equipment. Feni production relies on the best human gifts, their senses, intuition, and wisdom of age- all fine tuned over generations. At every stage from cashew juice to Feni, the distiller only looks and listens to gauge how far in the process are they. A quick fermentation of the cashew juice to 8% Cashew wine, followed by a rapid first distillation up 30%, and ended with a slow, low heat distillation upto 37-45% thrid distillate- without any discernable cuts for head, heart, tails of the cashew spirit. Feni is unique because, where most spirits are distilled to a higher strength and then brought down with distilled water, Feni is the only spirit that is distilled directly to ‘drinking strength’. Without a refractometer and hydrometer, how does one know at what strength? The answer lies in the etymology of the spirit’s name. Interestingly, “Feni” is derived from the Konkani word for bubbles- ‘fenn’. The distiller pours the spirit in a small glass and watches the size and shape of the bubbles which is indicative of its strength. Nope they don’t event taste it, so much so at Cazulo the distiller has a vow of refraining from drinking on the job. Interestingly this ‘bubble test’ is practiced in Mexico by Mezcal distillers as well!

The laws around Feni

Even the way to govern the production of Feni is unique. Feni laws date back to around 1735, which are curiously still followed even today. One unique law is the Annual auction; Goa’s cashew orchards divided into ‘Zones’ are each auctioned twice, one for collecting fruits and then again for distillation. In Goa uniquely cashews can’t be plucked, to ensure perfect ripeness in fruit and flavour and thus can only be picked from the floor. While the first Auction allows the winning bidder only to use the cashew nuts, the second auction ensures the right to distill- only if he can buy the fruits from the first distiller! This practice lead to the entire community coming together and cooperating for a very sustainable economy, and self employing while value adding in creating the Feni economy- from the cashew fruit which ordinarily is considered an agricultural waste product. How wonderful!

Goa’s Feni laws are unique in its way of collecting ‘Duty’ for Feni production. Here, Excise Duty is paid on the number of Cashew or Coconut trees on the farm, and not on the volume of Feni they produce. Sounds confusing, but when I enquired Hansel about the rather unusual practice he said, “some smart bureaucrat figured that it is easier to hide or fudge production figures, than it is to hide a tree!”

Logical, I say! The first distillate of cashew fruit is called ‘Urraca’. It’s a tasty heady drink generally drunk with salt, lime, and a slit green chilli, topped with Limca. Interestingly the summer favorite and much loved Urraca is also deliberately not defined in Goa Excise laws, curiously because it thus cannot be branded or retailed, and only sold unlabelled. That came to me as a surprise, and yet again I turned to Hansel seeking a logical explanation. He smiled and said, “if it is defined you can sell it, and if you sold it, what will you have left to distill a Feni?”. The first distillate called Urraca is re-distilled into a Cashew Feni. Now I know he smiled at my foolishness, not my innocence.

At Fazenda Cazulo- a centuries old feni distillery, guests are invited to understand the Feni-making process before sampling them. Much like any other spirit, Feni distillation puts a ton of sense in decoding the drink. Hansel is an amazing storytelling and translates traditional knowledge to modern audiences with ease. While cashew is produced only over three months and so limited in production; one may think because coconut Feni is produced all year round it would be affordable. The reality is far from it. Coconut Feni isn’t made from coconut water but from its flower’s bud nectar and only skilled toddy tappers collect it. This craft of Toddy tapping unfortunately is dwindling. Unless modernization can solve the problem of unavailability of coconut toddy, coconut feni will remain a pricier proposition, however, only in comparison.

The ‘Floating Feni’ Experience

Fazenda Cazulo’s signature Feni tasting expereince is the ‘Floating Feni’, where Feni’s are served and paired with a platter of colourful and interesting fruits, sweets, savouries items. Now being a sommelier I understand food and wine pairing and sort of knew what to expect. But bringing that view from the same window to this table was simply foolish. Feni doesn’t follow the European food pairings that say wines do. For that matter, the universal favourites like nuts, cheese, or citruses just do not agree with Cashew Feni on the palate. Who would’ve thought! Hansel again had our attention. They instead work with green chillies, bell pepper, green apple, guava, local delicacies like bimli, perad, tilia doce (sesame sweet), doce de grao (channa sweet), chorice pao, olives and more. Every time I thought I got a grip of the drink, it toppled me over. I needed an understanding of the drink the way I understand it best – in cocktails.

From ‘Bhann’ to the ‘Shaker Tin’

India’s best and Asia’s #4 bar is barely a few minutes drive from Cazulo’s distillery. Pankaj Balachandran and Arijit Bose, along Hansel’s younger brother Donovan Vaz, and Cazulo’s brand ambassador Karl Fernandes run Bar Tesouro. One easily notices that the first page of their menu is entirely dedicated to Feni cocktails- a bold step for any bar. Even a unique Feni called Dukshiri features on the menu, made from the roots of a rare plant- Indian Sarsaparilla . Now on tasting Feni the first time one may not agree with it, however Karl puts it in a simple way. He says “while eating a green chillies whole and by itself may not enjoyable, mixed in a curry and it adds personality and lifts it up. Similarly, you have to learn to use feni and a classic like a Negroni or a Margarita makes it more acceptable and enjoyable”. I was glad I received this gyaan on Day 1 of my week-long stay in Goa and all I did thereafter was to drink just that. So much so I craved from them once back in Delhi. I found a way to exploit all those bottles I had been stacking over the years.

What next?

As the demand and understanding of Feni grows, producers are also pushing for new paths. First on charts is making it available for sales outside of Goa. For that they need more supplies, that’re already available. Feni is already priced five times more in Canada than in India! Maharashtra government recently allowed using their cashew fruits for a Feni-styed spirit production, which may seem progressive, however doesn’t serve the Goan Feni distillers’ purpose. The vocal for local wave also couldn’t serve much for Feni given its limitation to the state because of its G.I. However, in this era when India is going through a cocktail revolution, Feni has gained much limelight. Places like Bar Tesouro, Joseph Bar, For The Record, Mahe, Jamming Goat, Bomras, all boast of Feni drinks which are reaching desperate travellers and they’re increasingly bringing the drink back home and flashing them under the craze of ‘homegrown’ spirits alongside crafty gins, rums, and whiskies from the state. The battle for Feni to become as cherished as say Indian gins is more political than anything else. Changing excise policies could be as daunting as changing the Constitution of India, which may need timely referendums, but there’s inherent reluctance towards them. A bit of hesitation also comes from the people of the land questioning if overproduction will lead to fiddling with their heritage. However a drink that has held its destiny in its own hands for 500 years barely has anything to worry about.

First published in Sommelier India Wine Magazine in November, 2022

Tags Conversations, Indian Beverage, Indian Spirit, Spirits

Articles

Yo Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Rum

Post author By Gagan Sharma
Post date April 20, 2022
No Comments on Yo Ho Ho And A Bottle Of Rum

Sugarcane has been growing in India for centuries. We are said to have gifted sugar to the world, and some early renditions of rums too. Our historic texts talk of Shidhu, a drink produced by fermentation and distillation of sugarcane nectar. Marco Polo’s journals from his travels to India in the 14th CE too suggest him enjoying ‘a very good wine of sugar’. Even with such early tryst with rums, India has failed to befriend the spirit. While the other ‘Indians’ in the Carribean have carved a roaring success with them, we’re still wrapped in the nostalgic imbibing of its cheaply made, industrial, fiery avatar. All that is now changing. New homegrown rum brands have charged up the scenes, igniting what could easily be christened India’s homegrown rum revolution.

Rum – A Complex Drink

Anything made from fruits or plants is complex, look at wines, brandies, and agave spirits. Rums are no different, and making them in India can yield further intricate liquids. To begin with, there are 116 varieties of sugarcane in India. Then comes their provenance, seasonality, and the time of harvest that can completely alter the results. India’s dearness to the equator creates a phenomenon called ‘tropical ageing’ which roughly equals one year of barrel ageing here to three years in Scotland! That also implies higher rate of evaporation, aka ‘angel’s share’. And then there’re taxes, duties, levies, excise, etc. All this by no means can result in an inexpensive spirit. Yet, if your ‘desi’ rums carried an excessively affordable price-tag, you’ve been duped.

Indian Rums On The Block

The recently launched Goa-born rums Makazai and Segredo Aldeia and the Indian-international Two Indies are breathing a new life into the Indian rum sector. From careful selection of their raw materials, to minimal intervention in spirit production, captivating storytelling, and sincere branding are all aiming to rebuild our understanding of the spirit. They boast a multi-dimensional personality, rendering them drinkable on their own, and as a worthy base for chic mixes, beyond our favourite rum & cola concoction. And with India being in the middle of its own cocktail renaissance, the latter has become imperative for a brand’s success. Cheaply made booze doesn’t cut it anymore, neither for mixologists, nor consumers.

Aman Thadani, the force behind Fullarton Distilleries, had already introduced a craft gin (Pumori) and whisky (Woodburns) before launching Segredo Aldeia rums. “We looked at the Indian rum category and found only mass-produced brands. Gins were pretty much in the same shape five years ago, but see how well the segment has matured. What gins have done to India, now rums will”, Aman says confidently. Kasturi Banerjee turned to distilling & blending after 16 glorious years in the banking sector, and created Makazai Rum. She realised the paucity of premium Indian rums during a mixology program. Kasturi says “the rum category was already established, we didn’t have to reintroduce it to the drinkers, only add to it. I wanted a rum that I could taste and say ‘I want it’, it didn’t exist, so I created it”. Makazai in Konkani stands for ‘I want’. Nikhil Varma, senior manager for distilling and brands at Amrut Distilleries, says “premium rum is a very niche segment in India, yet quite distorted. Rums sell, there has always been a conversation around them, and now talks are shifting to their quality”.

Indian Rum Market

India has been a huge rum market, mostly driven by price points. The play of the spirit’s historic importance amongst defence professionals in Britain, the Caribbean, Americas, and Australia, has played in India too, pushing a major chunk of sales through defence canteens. Old Monk, created by ex-armyman Colonel VN Mohan, has been the quintessential go-to brand with the likes of McDowells, XXX, Contessa, and Hercules following closely. There have been no rums beyond these mass-produced, dark, sticky, candied ones, taking away the slightest of motivations to look beyond, understand, and upgrade. So this job of providing better liquids was left to international brands. This made India the second biggest market for Bacardi rum, after the US. While they, and Diageo’s Captain Morgan, have been successful at creating semi-premium products, Indian brands have failed at it, which opens a completely uncharted window of opportunity for these new homegrown brands. The desire for lifestyle-oriented, well-seasoned products moved Bacardi to introduce their age-statement rums like the Ocho (eight years) and Diez (ten years) in India. A similar proposition from Indian producers is desired. And the works have already begun.

Makazai currently produces two molasses-based rums, sourcing its distillates from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Their gold rum is au naturel with no tweaks in colour and flavours after being barrel aged in Punjab, while the white is completely unaged. Segredo Aldeia uses a mix of unaged cane and aged jaggery spirits. Even their white rum features portions of the aged spirit, which takes a higher proportion in their unique, and the country’s first, coffee-infused ‘Cafe’ rum. Two Indies puts together a two-year old molasses-based Caribbean rum and a jaggery-made three year old Indian rum. They are allowing the provenance, the quality of the spirit, and the play of nature make a statement on their own, without tweaking the final products with additives. Even though aged rums have charms of their own, Aman believes whites are the real underdogs that often go unappreciated. I concur.

Breaking Myths And Misconceptions

These new rums are undoubtedly polished propositions, yet, brands have their work cut out. Kasturi believes “rums have been linked to quantity drinking, we’ll have to create quality consciousness”. Aman opines “educating the consumer is a must and rum ticks a lot of boxes that way, from the the story on the label to what’s inside the bottle, its sensorial appreciation, and the theoretical aspects of the spirit”. A real push would be required to unlearn and learn afresh. Nitin Tewari, bar & beverage consultant at BarTrender, who has worked with Bacardi, also suggests investing in busting the myths like its positioning as a winter drink alone. Further, taking learning from gin brands in positioning the spirit as a lifestyle proposition. Nikhil stays conscious though while decoding rums as it can “easily turn complicated, which intimidates the consumer. We need more brands, and more conversations”. Having said that, as Aman noticed, “Indian consumers are willing to experiment and are shifting between spirits, becoming more comfortable with toying with different ways of appreciating their spirits, different proportions, mixers, garnishes, cocktails, etc”.

India has had a long history with rums. It’s time we crafted their better renditions. With world becoming a smaller place, India carving out beautiful, experimental, experiential craft spirits, and consumers dwelling in deeper understanding and appreciation for their tipples, it’s only fair we get our share of glory for our rums too. Makazai, Segredo Aldeia, and Two Indies have birthed the rum revolution, with a handful more eagerly waiting to join the tally. 2022 be an exciting year to see them spread their wings and create the magic that Indian palates have long deserved.

Goa Prices

Makazai ‘Bartender’s Edition’ White Rum – INR1000, Makazai ‘Tribute Edition’ Gold Rum – INR1300

Segredo Aldeia White Rum – INR1500, Segredo Aldeia Cafe Rum – INR1650

Two Indies Gold Rum – INR675

Tags Cocktails, Indian Beverage, Spirits

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Scotch Love

When Scota, the Egyptian wife of the Spanish Celtic King Milesius, invaded the island in 1699BC from Ireland, who’d have even in passing thought of the power this meagre colony would possess in the modern era. They used their advanced knowledge of chemistry to concoct beverages using native ingredients primarily to restore health and what started as a medicinal endeavour developed into producing a spirit called aqua vitae or aptly ‘the water of life’. Local farmers of these fertile lands took up distillation as a secondary occupation, converting their excess grain into whisky, seeking some extra income. The fortunes it yielded for these poor farmers were rather handsome and attractive, as also providing an alternative to their commoner local tipples and therein emerged an industry, and a drink, that have never looked back since then.

Surviving endless wars, dodging the bane of the Prohibition period and the heavy taxations that ensued, managing to usurp Cognac’s dominance in Europe and more recently, that of vodka in the US, Scottish whiskies have had a journey like no other spirit. They belong rightfully to a world of royalty, grandeur, and celebration even if they are somewhere a matter of snobbery for us Indians.

Swirling in a small-cupped stemware, a bright golden liquid with a regal sheen, gently settles in the bowl leaving lazily trails of descending tears, a burst of aromas kindle a silent excitement, providing a soul-stirring emotion – that’s the enigma of a Scotch. Some say that a minute sniff of a dram can evoke a vivid image of the environs where the whisky originated. Whisky expert, Dave Broom, describes the landscape as a place where you can read the rocky poetry of the Earth’s birth. With an abundance of clean springwater making its way to the distilleries, healthy grains glistening in the gentle sunlight, and a familial passion seeped down generations of distillers – the stage is indeed set for this unctuous drink to be born.

In the early years (circa 15th century) , every house had a miniature pot-still distillation apparatus that produced the house’s supply of aqua vitae. While the men worked in the farms to produce the grains, it were the ladies of the house that produced the spirit and used it intelligently when someone took ill. As the knowledge of this art grew, farmers turned towards the profession of distillation indefinitely. The agricultural scene in the Highlands was much more developed than in the Lowlands and so was the overall quality of produce and lifestyle. With distillation being introduced, Highland focused on smaller batch production, and lavishly double-distilled their spirits, taking them to a higher alcoholic strength, as they yielded lesser but richer (read: pricier) returns. Lowland distillers took the easy route of rushing through the process, producing a foul and weak spirit in contrast. By the end of the 18th century, these two styles were well-established, and Highland was the preferred one. Lowland fell so far behind that today it only features three operational distilleries. Towards the western frontier was the jungle of distilleries that mushroomed so close to each other that they not only shared the dividing walls but the neighbours could actually smell each other’s spirits from their own cellars. This was the land on either sides of the River Spey, unimaginatively called, Speyside! Just falling short of the mainland on the eastern edge was the Island of Islay. It was banned from using coal to roast the grain for malting and the wood was mostly too moist to burn easily with a reassuring crackle. Thus, they were left with only one option: to utilise the natural resource of ‘peat’, which was compressed vegetation that had died over millions of years ago to become a semi-carbonised fuel. It burns freely releasing mammoth fumes, imparting to the grains, and consequently to the whiskies, their key character of smokiness and pungency.

To simplify the matters for the untraveled, particular regions make a particular style of whisky. Or so goes the common adage. And it is true to some extent, for a label can often help a buyer decipher just what kind of a whisky he is in for. Various stories can be narrated attempting to explain as to why the landscape is divided in to Highland, Lowland, Speyside, and the Island of Islay and further be used to generalise their respective whisky styles, and while there does exist a sort of a taste template for each region, exceptions do exist, and that’s what makes it exciting. Approaching them from a distance, Highland scotch are marked for their sweet, fruity, and citric appeal, Lowlands are light and gentle, Speysides may be appreciated for their floral and fragrant character, and Islay malts are identified by their smoky masculinity. However, the key to how a scotch may taste rests upon four pillars – water it uses (after all a whisky is more water than alcohol), raw material (generally malted barley, its grade, and blend), distillation finesse (speed, quality, and size), and finally, the art of blending.

That last one, blending, is the key to every whisky, or rather every spirit we leisurely swig. It is also the one thing mired in much controversy in the Scotch world for it launches a debate about which is better – blended or single malts – and has kept the two schools’ tempers raging. In geekspeak, a single malt whisky is made from a single grain, in this case malted barley, while blended whisky uses a blend of grains and cereals as its base. While single malts are the crown jewel of the distiller’s art, a master blender takes pride in meticulously crafting the blended whisky every year and making it taste just the same as its first batch even after decade. In the passing of the tradition from one generation to the next, the art has remained unaltered, but some have graduated to become the epitome of their regions. In the Highland, sweetness of Dalwhinnie, tight fruity and slightly tart charm of Glenmorangie and Ardmore, and the heaviness of Dalmore have established themselves as style icons of their respective profiles . Speyside has a web of distilleries producing a range of styles to satisfy every whisky type of connoisseur. While Glenfiddich and Glenlivet bear the flag of the fragrant, floral, light-bodied, easy-sipping whiskies, Glenfarclas, Balvenie, Macallan, and Cragganmore fill the richer, fruitier style cabinet in the collection. One travels to Islay looking for what all other whiskies fail to deliver, the love-it-or-leave-it ‘liquid cigar’ alikeness. While Ardberg, Caol Ila, Lagavulin, and Laphroaig are the bad boys of the region, producing the mouth-coating fumé style, Jura, Bruichladdich, and Bunnahabhain are the alter-ego, unpeated styles of whiskies. Bowmore and Talisker aim to please both the sides and do a fair job of it. Returning to the mainland to the least populated whisky area, Lowland is the home of Glenkinchie and Auchentoshan, which are generally considered light and gentle.

It’s often said in connoisseur circles, “A drink makes you travel without requiring you to leave your armchair.” Scotch, after wine of course, does a handsome job of keeping that spirit alive. It is a produce of nature, crafted with the art of the distiller, nurtured in the hands of a wise blender, all combined and softened with the patience of the breathing barrels, till finally it is bottled and makes it journey to you, reaching your discerning palate only so to take you back to where it all began. It’s an experience worth the pause it evokes. No matter where it comes from, you’ll be happy to go there.

First published in Times of India Luxpresso in Feb, 2014

Tags Cocktails, Indian Beverage, Indian Cocktails, Indian Restaurant, Restaurant, Sctoch, Spirits, Whiskt