Forget Sex on the Beach, Cosmopolitan or whisky on the rocks. Cocktails infused with spicy flavours and fruity wines are the new favourites, says Iknoor Kaur
Did you ever think of chocolate as a vodka shot or Frooty as a wineIJ Walk through Delhi’s happening pubs and chances are you won’t find old Screwdriver or Bloody Maries in their menus. Instead, you would be welcomed with vodka-based masala chai or beer topped with Maggi sauce. In the last few years, the drink culture in the city has evolved. It is not just about “whisky on the rocks” rather it’s about “pleasure of the palate”. Take for example, Fork You, a bar cum restaurant at Hauz Khas Village that offers a unique drink, which is a mix of pineapple juice with a twist of lime, cardamom, whiskey and beer. The place also offers desi cocktails with Indian masalas like clove, black salt and cardamom.
Another bar He Said She Said has shots with over 40 flavours like paan, aam panna, cinnamon and clove. The trend has picked up in most of the pubs and experts accredit it to the evolving needs of consumers. “Wines are perceived as serious drinks but people now want to have fun with their drinks. There is a wine called M square (M2) which is basically like Frooty with alcohol. Friesta is a sparkling wine with strawberries in it. A brand called Tailors and Shroffs has apricot, cherry and ginger flavoured wines. Sangrias are also becoming popular, so are mango and lychee flavours. Alcopos is the latest fad. It is lollypops with alcohol. People now want something they relate to, rather than a French and Italian wine, about which they might know nothing,” said Gagan Sharma, a wine sommelier with Hyatt Regency.
Harshvardhan, co-owner at He Said She Said explained his idea of drinks. “I think people in India are not open to the idea of drinking shots because they don’t like the taste. So, concentration is laid on flavours. Today taste is more important than the buzz of alcohol. We tried over 200 shots of different kinds and then finalised on 40 flavours. We didn’t want to sell the regular B52 or kamakazi. We use icing and chocolates which people usually don’t. The first two months were slow but now people love the different flavours and the uniqueness of the place,” he said.
Bringing science to the shaker to create new flavours, textures and surprising presentations, the molecular mixology too has enhanced the drinking experience. The use of gels, powders, foams and atomised sprays is the USP of Café ludus at MGF Mall, Saket. Anthony Wilson, the molecular specialist said, “People now like to eat their cocktails too. This concept was popular mainly in Singapore, but ever since it has come to India, people are going gaga over it. The types of molecular cocktails are several, like spheres, marshmallows, papers (thin, crispy sheet of quince sour made with whiskey, quince and lemon), gums, ice pops, hollowed fruits, cotton candies and bubbles.”
With all these options available, the party animals are spoilt with choices. Reema Khanna, a regular at Urban Pind, said, “I think it adds to the pleasure of late night parties when you have so many varied choices. The best part is that these drinks have less alcohol which keeps the night alive as no one gets too drunk.” You need not worry about the price. Most of these drinks do not end up burning a deep hole in your pockets. “Price depends on the quality of the base drink you are choosing. Of course, if you would want some drink prepared with exotic wines, it would definitely come at a big price,” said Gagan.
May be, this is the reason that new concepts in drinking are fast catching up among students as well. “They are thrilled by the idea of trying new flavours. Usually a shot price begins at Rs 350 but prices of our drinks range between Rs 100 to Rs 300,” said Harshvardhan.