New in town: Khortytsa vodka
I’m not a vodka person. Truthfully, there’s half a dozen other spirits I’d reach for before vodka. And no matter how spiffy his suit, every time Bond orders a vodka martini I tut-tut. But I’m always open to tasting anything…
The Hunt for India’s Best Sommelier
When sommelier Magandeep Singh started working with wine in India, he was sometimes mistaken for being Somalian. Cut to 12 years later and now when he introduces himself as a professional wine taster, the response often is ‘Oh! You’re a Sommelier.’…
Fast 5: Ewan Gunn, Diageo Whisky Master
Recently Ewan Gunn, Diageo Global Whisky Master toured India to introduce a few of the company’s Scotch whiskies. Over a tasting, Gunn and I discussed the changing trends in the world of whisky: the delicate art of blending vs. the notion of drinking…
Video: The Best Indian Red Wines
I’m often asked to suggest quality Indian red wines and so here’s a list that covers the best of the lot. I hope this guide helps with all your future wine buying escapades and party capers. A little caveat: the…
Coming soon: Tipples to watch for
There’s a lot happening in the booze space over the next few months. Here’s a roster of the launches that have me excited. Single malt, bitters, blue wine and loads of beer – keep an eye out because you won’t want…
Blue Wine in India?
So the latest wine trend to do the rounds on social media is blue wine. Other than that it clearly belongs to a party sequence of a Star Trek production, what else is there to know about it? The brand everyone’s…
The Best Trimmings from Beerosphere
The Beer Cafe has become the most reliable place in any city to get a whole range of brews. Now, Rahul Singh has extended the brand to Beerosphere – a range of quirky beer and bar merchandise. There’s a whole…
Whisky Tasting in 3D
Truth be told I’m slightly bored of typical wine and whisky tastings. I’ve sat through more than my fair share. It’s usually the same information being thrown at you every time. So when I saw that famous Scotch brand Glenfiddich…
First Sip: Historic Munich beer now in India
If you’re ever in Munich slot in a few hours at Hofbräuhaus am Platzl, one of the oldest beer halls in the city (hic!). A historic brewery that’s an official part of the Oktoberfest, Hofbräu was founded by the Duke of Bavaria in 1589…
Good news for Gurgaon
So the city has just been rechristened Gurugram. That’s not the good news. That’s terrible news and I sympathise. But if Gurugramites… Gurugramians… citizens of Gurugram (?) are looking for a silver lining to this dark cloud, this is it….
Beer Review: Bohemian King
The latest beer to hit the shelves here in Delhi is being touted as ‘the first Czech beer in India’. Bohemian King is conceptualised and branded for India, using the knowhow of the folks at Brevnov brewery in Prague, which…
VIDEO: How to Saber a bottle of Champagne
Sabering’ or ‘Sabrage’ is the technique of removing the neck of a Champagne bottle with a knife or sword, in one swift movement . It’s a definite head-turner but also quite dangerous. The pressure created by the carbon dioxide in…
Video: How to make the perfect Bond Martini
Bond is synonymous with Martinis. And with Spectre, he’s back to his ‘dirty’ old ways. In this video I explore the latest and exclusive ‘Spectre 007 Martini’ courtesy Rohan Jelkie, Brand Ambassador Moet Hennessy India. If, like me, you like…
Scout for this whisky on your next trip abroad
If you like your single malt then you’ve probably heard of Amrut by now. The Indian whisky brand shot into the limelight a few years ago when Jim Murray, author of The Whisky Bible rated it the ‘third finest whisky…
New in the market: The Glenlivet Founder’s Reserve
The Glenlivet hardly needs an introduction. Dating back to 1824 (officially at least), it was the first distillery in Scotland’s Speyside region to be granted a distilling license. Today, it’s among the best selling single malt brands in the world….