Little joys of life

How about scotch as a gift?

United Spirits hosted a wonderful evening at the Taj Westend, Bangalore to unveil their Scotch Whisky Collection, that they describe as an exceptional gift. 

The collection was unveiled with much fanfare by three Bollywood celebrities Lisa Haydon, Chitrangda Singh, Shibani Dandekar. 

Here's a photo tour...

The Scotch Whisky Collection launch was dedicated to ‘solving the dilemma of gifting for men’ and was hosted by the witty Anuradha Menon. Celebrities Lisa Haydon, Chitrangda Singh and Shibani Dandekar shared anecdotes of personal gifts they had received and shared...

The Scotch Whisky Collection entails a premium range of Scotch whiskies such as Black Dog, Vat 69 and Black & White as an ideal gift for whisky connoisseurs who will cherish the specially created collectible gift packs...

Chitrangada Singh...

Meanwhile, Hemant Mundkur, United Spirits Brand Ambassador was shaking up some awesome cocktails...

SourTail - Bringing the classic whisky sour home, Indian style with fresh sweet lime juice, a homemade jaggery syrup, with Black & White whisky and bitters. Egg white gives the froth at the top..

 Galouti Kabab...

Lisa Haydon...

Ginger Daze - A modern classic invented by world famous bartender Sam Ross which contains a house made ginger-honey syrup, fresh citrus, now with a VAT 69 twist...

Shibani Dandekar...

Red Carpet - Served on a red carpet of red rose petals, this one contains Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve whisky, apricot jam, fresh roses, apple juice and a spritz of soda...

And my favorite, VAT 69 on the rocks...

The collection of premium scotch whiskies seem like a great gifting option and I am sure it will be a delight for all whisky connoisseurs. Leaving you with a 'beauty and the beast' photo of Lisa Haydon and moi...

Scotch Whisky and the art of blending

I was at Gadang, the Sports Bar at Park Plaza, Bangalore for an Art of Blending session where Diageo demystified the elusive blending secrets of five of their finest whisky. 

Hemant Mundkur, United Spirits Brand Ambassador, unraveled the rich legacy and science of the art that makes a ‘Scotch Whisky savoring experience’ absolutely unforgettable. 

Here's a photo tour of the wonderful evening...

As the guests for the evening were slowly trickling in and there was still time for the event to commence, I decided to raid the bar and try some scotch based cocktails...

I liked the Red Label Mule - Johnnie Walker Red Label married with sweetness and spice to create this signature serve with ginger ale and fresh citrus...

A game of pool before we start...

Hemant Mundkur took guests through the world of Scotch, transporting them to where it all started – Scotland, the land that perfected the art of making a ‘wee bit of dram’ over centuries. A fun, interactive session, where the enthusiasts indulged in trivia that revealed facts of blending and what makes a quintessential Scottish blend so coveted...

Here are the five stars of the evening - Vat69, Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve, Black&White, Johnnie Walker Red Label, and Johnnie Walker Black Label...

Each whisky was explored for its color, aroma, taste and finish...

The raw ingredients like chocolate, cinnamon, orange peel, plum cake etc. were handy inclusions that helped in comparing the taste and aroma in the blends...

As the session progressed, we became quite skillful in identifying the unique characteristics of each of these finest Scotch Whiskies...

A blind tasting session was conducted to see who can correctly identify the drink...

 And the joy upon guessing the right whisky...


Prapti shared some short and sweet thoughts...

We also tasted a special menu curated by Chef Narender Singh, Park Plaza, which paired very well with the scotch whiskies at the ‘Art of Blending’ session...

My favorite whisky of the day was Vat 69...

 With its fruity, soft finish and a spicy aftertaste, VAT 69 delighted me...

 Overall it was a very informative and enjoyable evening. Leaving you with some trivia about the five featured whiskies...

VAT69: The ‘One in a Hundred’ scotch blend that stood out, VAT69 was the outcome of Sir William Sanderson’s relentless pursuit to create the best blend in 1882. The preferred choice of the avant-garde, it has a fruity, soft finish and a spicy aftertaste.

Black&White: Best enjoyed when shared and savoured amongst friends, James Buchanan created Black & White in 1902. Named after two affable and lovable Scottish terriers, 3 malts whiskies together form the heart of this blend:  Dalwhinnie, Clynelish and Glendullan. Black&White a light a predominant grainy note and smooth, long-lasting flavor.

Black Dog Triple Gold Reserve: Created by Sir Walter Millard’s ingenious craft, this Scotch Whisky is triple matured for enriched quality. Millard named this blend, ‘Black Dog’ after his favorite fishing fly. For over 130 years, this luxury blend continues to enchant whisky lovers with elegant woody flavors with silky smooth finish.

Johnnie Walker Red Label: A timeless classic, the Walker family used their vast knowledge of Scotland’s malts and grains to create a rich, full-bodied blend with universal appeal. With its combination of light whiskies from Scotland’s east coast and dark, peaty whiskies from west coast, Johnnie Walker Red Label has exceptional rich, deep flavors.

Johnnie Walker Black Label: With its origins in 1870s, Johnnie Walker Black Label is an acclaimed masterpiece of blending craftsmanship. Its depth drawn from over 40 selected grains and malt whiskies, each aged for a minimum of 12 years. It is smooth and warming, with a medium sweet finish and hints of peat

Baja Beach Break at Habanero

I was back at Habanero, the tex-mex restaurant in Bangalore for a Baja Beach Break. 

Mexico's Baja Peninsula is a popular beach destination for tourists, and is known to be one of the best beaches in the world. Sun worshippers, surfers and paddlers flock to this beach for the water, sun and sand, and the beach resorts are also famous for serving sumptuous coastal Mexican dishes dominated by seafood items and lime flavors. 

This year, Habanero gives us a tour of Mexico by showcasing a special menu every month from various Mexican regions. 

Here's a photo tour of the "Baja Beach Break" special menu, containing delicious Mexican fish, shrimp and chicken dishes and tropical cocktails...

Lime Lacquered chicken skewers. Chicken was tender and the slightly sweet glaze was good with it...

Paneer skewers for the vegetarians...

Seer fish Ceviche made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, and spiced with chili peppers was my favorite of the day. It was easy to eat and felt really fresh...

I think Ema, one of my co-diners liked it too...

Habanero Pina Colada with Rum...

And the non-alcoholic Pina Colada comes in a really huge glass...

Main course had Garlic Shrimp Soft Tacos...

The tacos came with a portion of rice and beans. It was tasty and quite filling...

Big salad with grilled pineapple and seer fish...

Coconut flan with homemade chocolate truffle was an interesting dessert...

Overall it was another good meal at Habanero. Leaving you with a group photo of the diners with chef Dan...