Cheers to 'new-age' whiskey, spiked with coffee, tea, and more!
The overtly masculine image of amber liquid sloshing gently on rocks of ice as gentlemen hold their glasses and clouds of cigar smoke swirl around is changing rapidly with whiskey brands experimenting with flavors as diverse as coffee and tea. Whiskey is getting a fun makeover using ingredients to enhance velvety smooth flavor of whiskey, to woo those who stayed with sweeter fruity cocktails.
Dewar's India aims at making millennials aware of scotch's 'versatility'
Leading brands are hoping to break the old school imagery of whiskey in their bid to attract non-conventional whiskey drinkers. Dewar's India, a blended scotch whiskey brand owned by Bacardi, is aiming at making millennials aware of scotch's "versatility". Ernest Reid, Brand Ambassador for Dewar's India, said the company is expanding on the flavors present in the base spirit.
Traditional flavors prove to be safe for beginners
Going for traditional flavors like ginger, scotch, and lemon is another trick that proves to be a safe bet for beginners. "New whiskey drinkers usually tend to start with something light and comfortable on their palate. The idea is to introduce people slowly and step by step by first acquainting them with basics," said Emily Thompson, also a brand ambassador for Dewar's India.
Cocktails Reimagined, an initiative that experiments with unique ingredients
Glenfiddich's recent initiative, Cocktails Reimagined, experiments with unique ingredients such as Silver Tips Full-Moon tea, Castleton Muscatel second flush, premium Kashmiri walnuts, the bay leaf from Assam, and the Gung Giri estate's premium coffee. "These rare findings handpicked from diverse parts of India enhance the flavor of the single malt," said Angad Singh Gandhi, Glenfiddich India Brand Ambassador.
Jameson Caskmates, the whiskey that has butterscotch, cocoa, and coffee
Jameson Irish Whiskey by Pernod Ricard introduced a new variant, Jameson Caskmates, in India earlier this year. The varietal has hints of butterscotch, cocoa, and coffee due to the whiskey being finished for six months in whiskey barrels used to age stout beer. The move came after they noticed a rise in demand for coffee in the country.
Whiskey-sampling audience has traditionally been 'dominantly male': Jameson spokesperson
Jameson spokesperson said, the whiskey-sampling audience has traditionally been "dominantly male", but admits that a shift is evident. "With more bars offering diverse cocktail menus to cater to their audiences, we are seeing a steady increase in adoption by women as well," he said.
Whiskey Sour, the new favorite
Shreshta Saha, who kept away from whiskey for almost 5yrs, now says Whiskey Sour is her drink of choice. "Whip up a cocktail or dilute it enough with water to make the taste of hard liquor go away," 26-year-old Shreshta said. A classic Whiskey Sour mellows the flavor of hard liquor with the addition of a sweetener, dash of lemon, and sometimes egg white.
Fine blend of Irish whiskey, creme liqueur, topped with ice-cream
Whiskey happened to 25-year-old Shreya Nanda after she repeatedly found herself socializing with a bunch of whiskey drinkers. But the smell continued to feel overwhelming until she finally found her calling, Pure Sin. "It's my favorite probably because I simply don't realize it contains whiskey," she said. The cocktail uses a fine blend of Irish whiskey, creme liqueur, topped with dollops of vanilla ice-cream.
