So, it seems we like switching to rum in the rains. Four bartenders on the season's chart-topping spirits
Rum in the rain
We don't have a special monsoon bar menu but I've found that rum sells faster than any other drink in this season, especially Old Monk with Coke. The rest of the year, you find people ordering more vodka-based drinks. We also have this vodka-based cocktail called Lemon Pudina, which is more popular than, say, a vodkatini or a mojito. People might prefer it because it's not as chilled as the other two.
— Meldan D'Cunha, owner, Soul Fry and The Local
Bhang at room temperature
During this season, we rely on ingredients that can be preserved, such as spices. We also use chocolate a lot — it stays for a longer duration without any change in flavour. Our thandai cocktail, the Bollywood Bhang, does well. It can be served cold or at room temperature, which is something guests are adamant about in the season. Plus, it's not overly creamy, and has good consistency. Guests also prefer classics like the Martini and the Old Fashioned.
— Zac Abbott, head mixologist, MasalaBar
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Negroni with a twist
We created a monsoon menu based on how the weather affects people, and the seasonal ingredients available in the market. The bestselling of the lot is the Negroni Twist, consisting of gin, sweet vermouth and Aperol (in place of Campari, which goes into a traditional Negroni). It is served with a globe of ice in a wine glass. Another drink combines kale and gin, topped with sparkling wine. The third cocktail is the Three T's Tango, infused with tequila, green tea and thyme.
— Sean Pereira, restaurant manager, Woodside Inn
Asian flavours in my cocktail
We don't have a monsoon drink menu, but if we were to create one, it would focus on ingredients that reflect Asian flavours, like kaffir lime, Mandarin orange, lemongrass and passionfruit. We would avoid drinks that use crushed ice, and opt for martinis. Though people prefer rum in this season, it's not versatile in terms of mixology, so we'd rather opt for vodka, gin or whiskey.
— Dhiren Pawar, brand head, Shiro
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