Once upon a time, in the 17th century, the Governor of Malabar wrote a botanical treatise. The Hortus Malabaricus (Garden of Malabar) is a series of 12 tombs that highlight the flora of the Malabar Coast and its medicinal properties; It is considered an important book on the botanical wealth of India. Today, this treatise finds place in research, studies and other books and more recently in cocktails.
At Kochi’s Hortus – Malabar Gardens, the cocktail program is a tribute to the botanicals mentioned in the book. “It was interesting to learn about our rich heritage and how the Malabar region is responsible for many of the flora we use today,” says owner Issac Alexander. “There’s no bigger story that needs telling, and what better way to tell it than through craft cocktails?”
CG_BREW_SLINK_BARDOT (3) | Photo Credit: Asad Dadan
Nowadays, cocktails come with garnishes of history. Cocktail development in India is witnessing rapid progress. Once a neglected part of the menu, today it is often the shining star of restaurants. Cocktails are winning awards and propelling their bars to stardom, they’re showcasing modern techniques and skills and highlighting lesser known ingredients.
Often, they tell a story. “In 2024, if you’re just making random drinks, you’re not going to keep people interested,” says mixologist Arijit Bose. “It’s always good to incorporate stories with the drinks, so it gives the team some direction and inspiration,” he says. He added, “There has to be a little bit of romance too.”
Sidecar Beat | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
a trip down memory lane
Hopefully the past is ripe for romance. Mixologists and bartenders today are taking inspiration from different aspects of history – the legacy of a city, the legacy of a place, ingredients that have stood the test of time, and even classic drinks.
PCO Ganja | Photo courtesy: Qutubuddin
The Takht-e-Dilli menu at Delhi’s Fort City Brewing highlights the city’s eight historic forts, while The Leela Palace’s Library Bar features a cocktail program that honors old classic novels and books. In Kolkata, brewpub Oltera’s In Search of Bengal takes a look at unique urban flavors like Bandel Cheese. Bandra, Mumbai-born chef Gresham Fernandes takes inspiration from the stories of the suburb to create cocktails named after characters or legends. For example, the Patricia Pussycats is a vodka-orgeat-Aperol cocktail inspired by the story of a foreign woman named Patricia, living in Bandra, who used to take her two tiger cubs as pets for walks on Carter Road.
Saint Nicolas_Slink_Bardot | Photo Credit: Asad Dadan
And in Goa, Slow Tide’s drinks menu is inspired by the Anjuna of the 80s and 90s when it was the hub of hippies. The team spent six months researching, meeting locals and community members to learn about the stories and mythological characters – 11 of whom were honored in the first menu.
The star acid is eric. Eric was a popular character of the time, considered ‘Santa Claus’ because he looked so much like the beloved Christmas figure, and because he would give out free gifts – acid – to people at full moon parties. He’s immortalized in a smooth spicy cocktail of tequila, watermelon yuzu and milk punch. Sujan Shetty, Slow Tide’s beverage manager, says the clear drink is decorated with a square of edible rice paper bearing a portrait of chemist Albert Hoffman.
Sujan Shetty, Beverage Manager at Slow Tide | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
There’s also the Berlin Peter – based on the Garibaldi with kokum-infused tequila and orange juice, named after Peter, who was a fan of Ganga Jamuna (sweetened lemons and oranges); and Sailor Fred, a banana (tiki-style) infused rum, named after a (still living) sailor who traveled from Anjuna to South Africa in a fishing boat. “People who know the history of the place understand the menu, others always want to hear the stories behind the names,” says Sujan.
Elsewhere, another nostalgic trip is PCO Mumbai’s menu, called An Ode to Textiles. “It takes inspiration from its location, NRK House, and the rich history of India’s finest textiles,” says Vishal Tawde, Head Mixologist. “The concept was aimed to pay homage to the dedicated individuals who once worked here, as well as celebrate the diverse range of textiles that play an important role in the heritage of the region.”
Vishal Tawde, Head Mixologist, PCO Mumbai | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The team studied in depth the clothes, their origins and the stories of their evolution. “We sourced ingredients from areas associated with each garment and created the cocktails with careful attention to the textures and colors of the garments,” says Vishal.
Drinks include Banarasi (uses Banarasi paan with gin), Bhang (jasmine tea and lemongrass from the mountains), Pashmina (inspired by Himalayan origins, they use goji berries and peaches with vodka), Muslin (sometimes called cheesecloth, this cocktail is made with Parmesan for rounding of flavors), and Kanchipuram silk (traditionally from pure mulberry silk are woven in temples). In temples, halwa is served with ghee, cardamom, cashew nuts and bourbon topped with a little gold).
CG_BREW_SLINK_BARDOT (1) | Photo Credit: Asad Dadan
Even in Mumbai,The team at Slink and Bardot have explored a different history of the cocktail. The menu, Evolutions of Cocktails, highlights popular drinks from different eras, from the 16th century to the present day.
“We chose to focus on history because there are so many interesting facts about cocktails that very few people know about. For example, the famous drink, Punch, originated in India. While some may think that cocktails come from the Western world, here we have a cocktail made in India,” says Santosh Kukreti, Head Mixologist.
plum sour Photo Credit: Asad Dadan
Their team has taken classical cocktails and modernized them with new ingredients and techniques. In addition to the Punch (turmeric-infused gin), the menu features the Slink Smash (a clear milk and beer take on the Whiskey Smash), the Bombay Buck (an almond milk and coconut seltzer take on the buckeye cocktail), and the Jackfruit (a frothy drink with kaffir lime, lemongrass, and coconut milk that smells and tastes like jackfruit).
Slink’s new limited edition cocktail (and food) menu is a tribute to their Koli neighborhood and Koliwada community and includes plum and Parmesan cheese liqueurs, along with pisco, the Notte Alphonso (mango ginger and whiskey) and the Coast Guard’s Brew (vodka, coffee and ghee).
the right ingredients
Bartender makes cocktails in Rahi. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Among the many trends in cocktail terminology, the phrase ingredient-forward is becoming increasingly prevalent. This is when one ingredient, often a spice or fruit or vegetable, is given prominence. Indian ingredients, especially those that have long graced our kitchens, are a sure-fire way to bridge past and present while still being familiar. As a bonus, it also draws attention to some lesser known ingredients.
Take herbs like vetiver, spikenard, and Himalayan fir, for example. Commonly used in Ayurvedic treatments, they are rarely part of the kitchen. That’s why Bengaluru’s Rahi Neo Kitchen & Bar and Mumbai’s Eka decided to collaborate on a limited edition menu. “These ingredients are not typically consumed in food, but exposing them to cocktails helped people understand their flavor profile. It worked great,” says Avinash Kapoli, head of beverage at Rahi.
In Delhi, Sidecar’s Cocktail Menu 4.0 is all about evoking nostalgia through aromas using ingredients like Ark, Gondhoraj, Kokum and Cilantro. On an afternoon in Mumbai, Vanika Chaudhary uses mahua liberally in her food and drinks – a Mahua Negroni with gin washed mahua seed oil and mahua leaf and flower; and Mahua Champagne with distilled Mahua flower.
Sidecar Kari Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
There is the old-fashioned Nolen Jaggery in AMPM, Kolkata; Betel leaves find place in Delhi Figs and maples don’t paint the town red; Coorgi Kachampuli vinegar in flower at Kopitas in Bengaluru; Champa over drinks at For the Record-Vinyl Bar in Goa; And ragi (especially ragi malt) is at a premium at Panjio in Bengaluru.
It’s Hortus’ innovative cocktail program (curated by Countertop) that blends history, local ingredients, modern techniques and storytelling. Ingredients mentioned in the books, such as green chillies, lemon, peanuts, blackberries, bay leaves and tamarind, find their way into drinks such as Merchant of Muziris and Nelsinda Sour.
“The book has become part of the culture of the region, so the program was primarily built around Kochi and the ingredients available here,” says mixologist Carl Fernandes, who helped prepare the menu. Karl also worked at craft bar RÜIn Hyderabad. It is inspired by the history of Deccan. The menu features drinks like the Zafrani Highball, which has aromatic notes with rice water and ginger to evoke the essence of the Zafrani Biryani.
Sunset on the Slink Photo Credit: Asad Dadan
The scene is ripe for the intersection of history and cocktails, where the knowledge of the past is being used with modern techniques to attract new-age drinkers. These cocktails are taking customers on a journey of time, culture and taste. Vishal says, “In the cocktail world, it’s really important to have a good story. It gives people something interesting to talk about and connect with.”
