LuxeBook May 2022

After travelling and having a few Gin and Tonics abroad, Soni realised that the quality and flavour of cocktails mixes available in India were not as great as compared to the ones available abroad. He wished to bring these mixes into India but did not have the resources for it. So instead of bringing a product, he created his own. Experts in London have helped Soni into creating Sepoy & Co. mixers that resonate with the Indian palette. It was launched with three tonic waters in Delhi, where he would personally delivered the products. Sepoy & Co. later expanded to whiskey- and rum-based mixers and now have a line of lemonades. Sepoy & Co. thermally process their products. This means that the product is taken and heated at a really high temperature in order to eliminate any bacteria that could be present in it. They offer a variety of tonic waters, lemonades, ginger ales, soda water and a tasting box. Soni recommends the Tropical Lemonade which can be paired with a whiskey or a rum. The Rose Lemonade with a Gin or a Vodka. Their bestseller is the ginger ale which is a mix of two different gingers, an African ginger which has sweeter tones and an Indian Ginger which has spicy tones. MAY & CO. Mayank Mahindra, the Founder and CEO of MAY & CO. had an itch to find a new experience. This is what led him to a local speakeasy bar. With a perfectly made slow-paced Old Fashioned he ended up striking a conversation with the mixologist who very passionately started to explain the science behind creating the perfect cocktail. How the ingredients need to marry into a harmonious symphony that finds you going back for the next sip, transporting you to a different world. To further this knowledge and to learn the art, he took up an apprenticeship with the European Bartending School in Barcelona. Having learnt the tricks of the trade, it was still the experience that he kept going after every time he would be crafting a cocktail or going to a bar for one. It was also then when he realised that except for a few handpicked bars in India, most places & products fail to provide that cocktail experience. So he went about researching, creating his own concoctions at home and testing out the recipes at home to create the magic he experienced at that bar. A few tries and a few taste tests later, he arrived at something that delivers on MAY & CO.’s promise to elevate ones cocktail experience; at home or at a bar. MAY & CO. has 9 products ranging from bar staples like Almond Orgeat, Grenadine, Demerara Gum syrup to flavour combinations like Pineapple Rosemary Shrub, Peach Shrub, Hibiscus Rose Syrup, etc. We have recently launched a Spiced Tonic Syrup which is also India’s first Tonic Syrup. Mahindra recommends Spiced Tonic Syrup, Pineapple Rosemary Shrub & Almond Orgeat Syrup are an absolute crowd pleaser. All MAY & CO. products come with a QR code that gives an access to their curated cocktail recipes. Bartisans Jovita Mascarenhas says that Bartisans began during the pandemic. During the first lockdown all the expensive bottles stored in her bar came out and her son Jordan who was interning at Le Meridien, Dubai came back in time and tested out his mixology skills on his family. Realising that they were at home and enjoying these amazing cocktails, Bartisans came to be. During their initial stages, they sold mixes on order from their kitchen, however it was shut down three months later. Then in June 2021 the revamped Bartisans was launched with unique and flavourful premium cocktail mixes. At Bartisans the products are 100 percent natural but have a few bio preservatives for a longer shelf life. You can also use the mixers at Bartisans to make a few ice lollies to make things more fun. Jovita recommends the classic mixers for the perfect margarita or mojito. She also recommends her favourite Smoked Pineapple and Basil. Vieux Carré The Vieux Carré is a popular New Orleans cocktail from the 1930s. This is a unique and intriguing cocktail that is as popular these days as it was when it was originally developed. This drink is a short, slow aperitif made of rye whiskey, cognac, and sweet vermouth in equal amounts. There are two bitters employed, and there is a touch of a traditional herbal liqueur to provide character. The Vieux Carré is a slightly sweet, spicy, warming beverage with herbal, citrus, and smoky undertones. It’s comparable to a Manhattan, but with extra complexity from the cognac. Recipe: 3/4 ounce rye whiskey 3/4 ounce cognac 3/4 ounce sweet vermouth 1 to 2 dashes Angostura bitters 1 to 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters 1/2 ounce Bénédictine liqueur Cherry or lemon twist, garnish John Collins The John Collins is a delicious bourbon sour cocktail suitable for any occasion. It is a great everyday sipper that can be poured in a matter of minutes. It is also a simple, refreshing way to highlight your favourite whisky. This is just a taller version of the Whiskey Sour. Except for the soda and ice, the Collins and Whiskey sour are almost identical drinks. Recipe: 1 1/2 ounces bourbon whiskey 1 ounce lemon juice 1/2 ounce simple syrup 2 ounces club soda Maraschino cherry, for garnish Orange slice, for garnish Jovita and Jordan Mascarenhas Founder, Bartisans Mayank Mahindra, Founder & CEO, May & Co. 40| L U X E B O O K | M AY 2 0 2 2 M AY 2 0 2 2 | L U X E B O O K |41