ANNIV SPL: Planning home parties? Let the expert mixologists guide you with your drinks!

If you want to ignite your New Year house parties with interesting surprises, then exotic cocktails are a surefire way to do the same. As Indulge turns five, here are five popular mixologists sharing recipes for their favourite concoctions for you to raise a toast to our success.

First, Fandango

Mixologist Pankaj Singh Gusain of AMPM, Kolkata, offers the flavours of saffron in a drink. Pair this sweet-and-sour cocktail with kebabs to win hearts.
Ingredients
Saffron infused gin 60 ml | Tamarind & Orgeat syrup 30 ml | Lime juice 30 ml | Tonic water for top-up | Garnish with saffron
Method

• Add saffron-infused gin, tamarind and orgeat syrup, and lime juice.
• Mix well.
• Top up with tonic water.
• Add two to three strands of saffron for garnish.

Santa’s Plumrise

Canteen Pub & Grub‘s mixologist and beverage manager Sujit Thakur has curated a special fancy cocktail for the upcoming Christmas and winter season. Indulge in this festive medley that celebrates the magic of
plum in every sip and pair the same with some rum-infused fruit cakes and plum cakes.
Ingredients
Bourbon whiskey 2 oz | Fresh lime juice 1 oz | Plum cake infused syrup 1 oz | A drizzle of honey
Method

• Shake well with ice.
• Strain into a festive glass.
• Garnish with a slice of plum.

Shadow of manhattan

Head mixologist of Sorano Kolkata, Manoj Singh Rawat, has stirred up a drink with notes of cheese and wine, and hints of nutty and earthy flavours. This unusual cocktail can be a great companion to eclectic cheese platters and Italian spreads.
Ingredients
Dry nuts and parmesan fat-wash scotch 60 ml | In-house wild syrup 15 ml | Italian wine 15ml | Citric acid 3 drops | Homemade tropical bitter 2 dashes | Greek yoghurt for clarification | Parmesan layer, burnt walnut and parmesan essence to garnish
Method

• Begin by toasting the walnuts and almonds and grate the cheese.
• Measure the quantity, put it into a sous-vide bag, and vacuum seal it to remove any air. Sous-vide (a cooking method by vacuum-sealing and immersing ingredients in warm water) for two hours at 50° C.
• Follow up with a cold bath for 20 minutes.
• Deep freeze the cheese for 12 hours, after removing the nuts. Strain it.
• Then add in-house wild syrup, Italian wine, and Citric acid. Clarify with Greek yoghurt.
• Add 120 ml of the pre-batch and two dashes of tropical bitter into a mixing glass and stir.
• Serve the drink in a chilled old-fashioned glass and garnish with a layer of parmesan, burnt walnut, and in-house parmesan essence.

Barrackpore Old Fashioned

A tangy, pickled lime old-fashioned heady drink by LMNO_Q‘s consultant mixologist Shatbhi Basu, is a crowd favourite. This blend goes well with all kinds of Indian food right from your kebabs to mains.
Ingredients
Whiskey 60 ml | Lime pickle 1 bar spoon | Bitters 1 drop | Kaffir lime leaf for garnish
Method

• Add whiskey, lime pickle and ice in a shaker.
• Shake it well, strain and pour in an old fashioned glass, add bitters and garnish with kaffir lime leaf.

Caribbean Bikini
Mixologist Bubai Haldar from Double Down Brewpub & Café shares the simple yet heart-warming recipe for Caribbean Bikini that can be paired with any of your Thai starters.
Ingredients
Vodka 45 ml | Rum 45 ml | Lemon Juice 1 tsp | Pineapple juice 100 ml | Coconut syrup 1 tsp | Grenadine syrup 1 tsp | Sliced lemon for garnish
Method

• Add vodka, rum, lemon juice, pineapple juice, coconut syrup, and grenadine syrup.
• Mix well and shake.
• Pour in glass and garnish with sliced lemon.