Kick off this festive season with the spirit that's giving Mumbaikars a new high. Here are the six we recommend
The English breakfast
Taste of London
What's the best way to represent London in Mumbai? Via its most popular meal - the English breakfast, says mixologist Ami Shroff, the woman behind the English breakfast-inspired gin cocktail being served at London Taxi.
Ami Shroff
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Made using marmalade, raspberries and orange, the gin is infused with the English breakfast tea. "We replicate the egg with mango and vanilla jelly. Orange juice is frozen into ice cubes to keep the drink cool without diluting it," Shroff says.
AT: Kamala Mills, Lower Parel.
CALL: 30151251
COST: Rs 695
Get the right mix
* Gin is a herbal and botanical spirit. It has a lot of aroma of different botanicals, spices and flowers, which is why it differs from other spirits.
* Gin and tonic is an old, popular combination. Tonic is a sweet and bitter soda, which isn't very aerated. It goes well with a sour or refreshing element. So, adding citrus fruits or fresh ingredients like basil, mint, lemongrass, rosemary or a fresh herb, adds to the botanicals already in the gin. Add 40-60 ml of gin with tonic and a few cubes of ice.
* If you like strong drinks, opt for martinis. There are three variants - dry, sweet and dirty. If you want to taste the gin and sip on it without any ice for dilution, go for the dry variant. The dirty martini is when a spoon of olive brine is added to it to give a vinegary sour touch and tang.
-Ami Shroff
Sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun by Nick Harrison
Tribute to the Beatles
The cocktail, sitting in an English garden waiting for the sun, which gets its name from a Beatles' song, promises a dose of nostalgia. It contains English cucumber juice, in-house elderflower syrup and lavender bitters. "It was inspired by the English countryside. The song 'I am the Walrus' encapsulates the feel of the drink," says Nick Harrison, co-founder of Slink & Bardot.
Nick Harrison
AT: Thadani House, 329/A, Worli Village.
CALL: 7045904728
COST: Rs 590
Mistle Toe
Kiss of intoxication
With peppermint liqueur, orange, lime and ginger ale, the Mistle Toe at The Daily Bar & Kitchen is mixologist Rohit Hegde's citrus ode to the spirit. "The increase in takers in Mumbai encouraged me to experiment with gin cocktails. The infusion of gin with orange and lime add to the flavour in a simplistic yet impactful manner."
Rohit Hegde
AT: SV Road, Bandra West.
CALL: 9920446633
COST: Rs 475
L'etranger
Sip of mystery
The opaque drink called L'etranger - which translates to mysterious or stranger in French - at Colaba's Miss T comprises gin, sea salt, in-house keï¬u00c2u0081r lime tincture and coconut water. "The salt balances the light flavours. The kefir tincture float gives you the impression there's citrus in it. The gin has botanicals, which adds to the flavour," says Jeremy Buck, the beverage director.
Jeremy Buck
AT: 4, Mandlik Road, Colaba.
CALL: 22801144
COST: Rs 850
Smoky Affair
G&T with a twist
Called the smoky affair, this gin and tonic inspiration by Santosh Kukreti, the bar manager at Thirsty City 127, earns its name from the smoked grain and herbs that go with the spirit. "It is garnished with our in-house chocolate liqueur, dill syrup, and contains fresh lime juice and tonic water. It's smoky and refreshing at the same time," explains Kukreti.
Santosh Kukreti
AT: Todi Mills, Lower Parel.
CALL: 9136942030
COST: Rs 800
Meetha paan martini
Desi martini
If you want to try a drink that adds a desi tadka to the age-old classic martini, then BKC DIVE's meetha paan martini is for you. "This drink has been made by fusing local flavours with a western concept. This drink is a heady combination of gin and pineapple with a twang of paan and nutmeg," says their mixologist Sean Silveria.
Sean Silveria
AT: Pinnacle Corporate Park, BKC.
CALL: 8655077330
COST: Rs 340
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