Would you order a drink that comes with a pickled baby carrot as a garnish? Or a cocktail with burrata cheese, or one with wasabi or even bitter gourd? If you thought that these things don’t belong in a cocktail then you are probably right. But the new wave that is taking the alcohol industry in India by storm is savoury cocktails.
Gone are the days when a drink tasted sweet as honey or had a bitter taste. Bars in India are hopping onto this trend and we love it! India is anyway known for its spices and masalas and about time we get a hint of that in our cocktails as well.
Think of a picante but also go beyond the spice kick that you get from this tequila-based drink. Savoury cocktails have ingredients you wouldn’t imagine to be in a drink, and a slightly umami flavour profile on the palate as well.
If you are as intrigued as we were when we first discovered the concept of savoury cocktails and tried them, this article is for you. We did the heavy lifting of scanning the menus from top restaurants and bars to recommend the perfect savoury cocktails to try!
Flavours of Nippon at Seefah is a spicy and umami cocktail. With vodka as its base spirit, it also has soju, yuzu kosho, and yukari dust. Yuzu kosho is a type of Japanese seasoning in the form of a paste which is made from chilli peppers, yuzu peel and salt, which is then allowed to ferment. Whereas yukari is a Japanese-style seasoning to sprinkle over rice, pasta, and salad. It is a tangy blend base don red shiso leaves.
Guntur Gang at Rü can be considered a tad bit similar to a picante but this one has its own desi twist. This bold and zesty cocktail is a tequila-based drink with tamarind, chilli, coriander, and citrus. This drink is reminiscent of Hyderabad’s culturally spiced food and people.
The bar menu at Pass Code Only (PCO) in Mumbai is inspired by textiles. The Paithani is a spirit-forward cocktail with bittersweet and vegetal notes. Made with Pistola Reposado, homemade bitter gourd liqueur, and martini bianco, this drink is garnished with a brined bitter gourd wheel. To represent this 2,500 year-old fabric, PCO has chosen to make a home-made liqueur with one of India’s most ancient and traditional vegetable – the bitter gourd.
I love a good picante because they are essentially a savoury cocktail, thanks to the spicy kick you get while sipping on it. However, Hideaway in Goa has their own little twist to the classic picante. This tequila-based drink has jalapenos, sesame oil, coriander, and agave nectar for a hint of mild sweetness. It is also garnished with micro mustard greens.
Most of us love cheese on top of our food, but what about a cocktail? Paparazzi at The Bombay Canteen has vodka, rhubarb cordial, Burrata cheese whey and grated Belper Knolle. Belper Knolle is is an aged cheese ball infused with crushed garlic, Himalayan pink salt and is rolled in freshly ground, aromatic Kerala black pepper. As much as it may sound bizarre, we are intrigued enough to try and this might just be our next favourite drink!
A slightly different take on the classic mojito, this Coriander and Lemongrass Mojito at Comorin combines known flavours with a hint of surprise on the palate. With a lemongrass-infused rum as the base, distilled lemon juice, and a lemon-coriander oleo shrub, this cocktail sounds refreshing!
The latest talk of the town, Otra has a good variety of cocktails. Our pick from their menu for savoury cocktails is Nomad. A mezcal-based cocktail, Nomad has cucumber, celery, toasted sesame, green grape soju, genmaicha, and citrus. Genmaicha is a Japanese brown rice green tea consisting of green tea mixed with roasted popped brown rice.
Known to be the second on the list of 30 Best Bars in India 2023, Cobbler & Crew is known for its extensive cocktail programme. Drink Your Veggies is an olive oil-washed vodka, arugula, aromatised wine, and balsamic reduction. This drink comes with a pickled carrot as a garnish and one sip equals drinking a vegetable salad, but tastier and we love it!
Bengaluru’s Lupa has a wide range of cocktails. From their G&T section of the menu is The Khasi. Besides gin, this drink has home-made Meghalaya mountain spices called Jaiur, mizo wild grapefruit shrub, and tonic water.
Once Upon A Time In Parma at Hosa has bitter, aromatic, and toasty flavour profiles. This cocktail has bourbon infused with popcorn, bitter liqueur, house fortified wine, and house parmesan perfume.
