Unlike popular belief, vodka is not made from potatoes and whiskey can also be had as a shot. It is best to identify a liquor before having it, says Deep Malhotra
India is a land of celebrations. Every now and then, there is a reason to celebrate life whether in the form of festivals or weddings. Along with the lights of glamour, fragrance, food, colors and happiness; there is another important thing to develop a theme or an etiquette constitution of.
This important thing is the liquor. Wedding parties in India are the biggest moment to cheer and to drink in happiness. But of course, learning the proper liquor etiquette is must to enjoy the glass with some class.
In our weddings, the most sought after liquors are whiskey, vodka, beer and sometimes, rum and gin are also preferred depending on one’s taste.
Next we’ll tackle liquor. There are five clears — vodka, gin, rum, tequila and triple sec. There are prominently three main colored liquors - whiskey, scotch and bourbon. And then there is brandy and cognac. Brandy and cognac are outliers because they are actually produced from grapes like wine, but are then distilled. Rums are something that thrills out the creative inside you.
Rum is prepared from sugar cane and its byproducts. Fermented cane juice or molasses or combinations of each are then distilled. The process sometimes repeats multiple times. Now, vodka is the clear liquor. If we talk about the myth related to it, then vodka isn’t exclusively made from potatoes. In fact, it’s even rarer that it is made from potatoes as they are more expensive as a component for the whole distilling cycle.
You’ll find that most vodka is distilled from grain, similar to whiskey, but more and more thoroughly so that there is negligible or no tang left in the concentrate. It’s also not aged or barreled and therefore remains crystal clear. last but not the least scotch or scotch whiskey is actually a type of whiskey that is processed in Scotland and hence the nomenclature is set like that.
Indians have always been trying and tasting every sort of liquor for ages. Here, people are pretty good for changes. The elite class has its own brand and genre for drinking alcohol but then there exists those who like to keep it hard and prefer neat.
Whatever the genre is, etiquettes are different with every kind of liquor. let us talk about whiskey first. While drinking whiskey, you should prefer it as neat first to fix on its true essence, and then may put in ice cubes if needed. It is really a good way to start the wedding cocktail with wit. The term ‘on the rocks’ is quite popular among everybody of any generation.
It means, with ice. It has the pleasant effect of cooling the whiskey, and making the sip last a slight longer. Also, that beautiful clinking jingle sound turns the mood on into celebration. The appropriate method is to have a container of ice close so that people can add rocks as and when needed.
Not very prominently, but whiskey is also favored as a shot — immediately pour, slanted flipside. It has to be drunk instantly, without sipping it. This is generally done in celebration, to get the evening more enjoyable and creatively spent.
The beginners should take in mind that if someone asks or forces you to sip whiskey in the form of shot, sip and appreciate, don’t take it all at once as there are some whiskeys which are recommended as sipping whiskeys. Whiskey can build a good brew; you just have to take the good stuff which makes for a light summer slurp.
The one platinum rule of whiskey is not to drink out of limit. You should treat it as your muse, relish it, love it, but not get shoddy. It gives best enjoyment in some good company.
One should safely go for what is called the whiskey glass. This glass is with a wide aperture and with a thick bottom is usually used to carry out the pouring of whisky on a cradle of ice and doing so, kills the entire aroma which is the soul of single malt whisky. This glass is designed in its due form to let out all the fragrance. Some of the other steps are — observe the color and the legs on the glass.
The tasting notes always express a personal feeling, which can vary from day to day depending on the state of affairs. As far as gin culture is concerned, if you want to water down the gin you have to keep in mind that if it is a double gin you need tonic otherwise the balance is off or if you get a single, you can use half the bottle. Gins are more to be explored and enjoyed at home rather in pubs and elsewhere.
Vodka is a kind of liquor which is heavily demanded as a favorable drink in wedding parties. The idea of drinking vodka is simple but there is something which makes it mandatory to know about the etiquettes before drinking. The foremost rule is that you should drink what is served to you in one gulp. Nobody measures the amount of alcohol poured, this is left to the prudence of the pourer. Also, it is recommended that one should never sip or blend vodka.
Mixing is apparent as a western way of doing things since orange juice is often more exclusive than the vodka itself. Keep some customary anti-hangover fluids like pickle juice. We, more often than not, drink soda or juice with something to eat, but not vodka. Vodka is something which is good for wedding parties. We usually drink it as shots or mixed in drinks. Rum is never to be taken neat. It has a warm effect inside like wine does and it also develops its effects on one’s mind, gradually.
There are some strict guidelines for favoring food with these liquors. The food is to be kept lighter. Some snacks without oil shall work awesome. Also, at the wedding function, one should keep it in mind that they should not eat much in main course before starting your cocktail. It is wrong and should be avoided.
To conclude, liquor is enjoyed best when it is teamed up with proper etiquettes. It can make you high in happiness or may take you to another world, too.
The author is chairman and managing director, Oasis group