There’s a new Glen in town
Being in the business, I first heard of Glen Grant whisky when their 10 Year Old won the title of ‘Best Single Malt Scotch: 10 Years and Under’ in Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible 2015. Then again in the 2016 and…
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…
Inside the Chandon India Winery
There’s a new spot to hit up on your next trip to India’s wine country. Say hello to the Chandon India winery. You’re probably wondering what all the fuss is about considering we’ve all been drinking India-made Chandon for a few…
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…
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,…
Nebbiolo Prima Musings
2014 was a big year for me, especially when it came to exploring wine regions. And my trip to the lovely city of Alba (famous for the truffles) in Northern Italy involved a tasting exercise like never before. I don’t…
The Gin Diaries
I love gin. I think it is one of the most under rated spirits out there, and especially so in India. Local variants didn’t ever help matters; vile potent stuff where, any resemblance to the original was purely coincidental. Perhaps…
Chandon Estate – Now in India!
This has been a long time coming and it’s finally here. The world’s ‘go-to’ Champagne, Moët & Chandon, is listed right on top of the most prestigious wine lists around the world as also in India. So when you have…
Blind tasting the Wines of India
Recently The Westin Pune Koregaon Park organised a wine event called Wines of India. The purpose was to bring together, on a common platform, all the Indian wineries and to blind taste their wines. 11 wineries – Sula, Grover Zampa,…
Oz Beer Master Class
Good beer should not be hard to find. In India, however, good beer is a luxury. So when there’s a beer event with craft brews, no effort is too great to make sure I’m there, even if it means flying…
Looking back at CMB 2013
It’s been a while since I got back from jurying at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2013 in Bratislava, Slovakia. Reading my last post about CMB (read here) I’m reminded once again about all the jitters I felt before the competition. …
Argentinean Malbecs with Wine Park
It is always a pleasure to be invited to a Wine Park tasting. It is often an opportunity to learn from and interact with wine makers and owners. On other occasions it breeds discussions on wine trends in the Indian…
Welcoming the SETTE 2010
A few days ago I was at a wine tasting different from the usual. I’ve come to hate any event that claims to be a ‘wine and food pairing’. In the many I’ve attended in Mumbai over the last few…
Scotch Malt Whisky Society launch in India
Last week the well-known association for malt lovers, the Scotch Malt Whisky Society was launched in Mumbai. The SMWS was set up in 1983 and now operates in 19 countries with over 26,000 malt-loving members. Ashwin Deo (founder of Turning…
Mumbai by night
One from the TAJ CITY GUIDE Mumbai. A guide to the watering holes in Mumbai. (Click on the image to read)