Should Feni be India’s heritage spirit?
China has its baijiu, Mexico its tequila, Japan its sake, Greece its ouzo…but what is India’s famous heritage spirit? It’s strange that in a country as large as ours we haven’t promoted any native spirits yet. Of course, it’s a…
The Cashew Trail @ Park Hyatt, Goa
It’s always nice to receive an invite for an event that’s in Goa. So, last month when I was called to attend The Cashew Trail, at the Park Hyatt Resort & Spa, Goa there was no hesitation at all. The Cashew Trail…
What are you doing this Negroni Week?
If you asked me for a list of my top 5 cocktails, the Negroni would be on it. There are many reasons why I love this classic Italian cocktail but perhaps the most relevant is that it is by far the…
First Look: Perch Wine & Coffee Bar, Khan Market
It seems like everyone’s always hankering for either their coffee or wine fix. Luckily Perch in Khan Market takes care of both those yearnings. Conceptualised and executed by Vaibhav Singh, this new wine and coffee bar is slated to open in the…
The Bluffer’s Guide to Gin
G for Juniper: At the base of it all, gin is a spirit distilled from grain – usually wheat, rye or barley. But what really makes a difference is the juniper berries. The base spirit is redistilled with these berries…
Fun whisky stuff for #WorldWhiskyDay
It’s World Whisky Day today and it’s made me wonder if we really need a special day to pour ourselves a dram of our favourite malt? Well, I guess we could always use another excuse. To mark the occasion I’ve…
5 truths about professional wine tasting
Earlier this month, I completed my third run at the international wine competition Concours Mondial de Bruxelles (CMB 2015). If you’ve been with me on this Gigglewater journey for a while you’ve probably read about the nerves on my first…
Delhi, this is what you need for your next house party
Imagine fresh beer straight out the tap and into your glass in the comfort of your home. No need for bartender tabs, just pour yourself some chilled frothy goodness. Yep, that’s the dream, and if you live in Delhi that…
Dear Ladies, Thanks for all the juice
Alcohol has, for some reason, always been considered a man’s prerogative. In the spirit of Women’s Day let’s give credit to some women without whom our bars wouldn’t be half as interesting as they are today. The Champagne Widows: Women were…
Microbrew Mania in India
The funny thing about life is that nobody is happy with what they are. Street food wants to be upmarket, gastronomy desires demystification, wine craves friendliness, and beer, oh lovely beer, yearns complexity and nuance. For those of us partaking…
Why bother with the 4 Ss of wine tasting?
It’s been a while since I did a wine post for beginners and so here we are, back tracking a bit to see what the art or science, if you want to call it that, of wine tasting is all…
3 ways the new B-bar outdoes the old
There is only one thing more difficult than launching a new eatery and that is revamping an existing one, especially one which has already made itself a solid name for itself as the drink and party place in town. Well,…
Champagne 101
It’s great to love all things bubbly and when it is wine, it’s that much better. But if you ask for ‘Sula Champagne’ or ‘Jacob’s Creek Rose Champagne’ at the store, it is time for an intervention. Champagne is ONLY…
DOURO – the old and the new
Which is better – tradition or modernity, old or new? An experience through Niepoort and Quinta do Pôpa wineries in the Douro Valley. In the world of wine there’s always a jostle between tradition and modernity, old and new. But I…
A toast to Port Wine Day
Long before Bordeaux was a demarcated entity, or before the first vine had even been planned in Australia or California, the region of Douro in Portugal was already a clearly defined appellation! The year was 1756 and Marquis de Pombal,…