The evolving art of tasting cocktails


Your new favourite cocktail may not arrive with a sugar rim, fruit garnish or cloud of foam. It might arrive carrying the scent of curry leaves, the warmth of chilli, the savouriness of tomato, or the earthiness of herbs. Across India’s more ambitious bars and restaurants, the boundaries between kitchen and bar are becoming increasingly porous, with bartenders treating spirits as canvases for experimentation. The result is a new kind of drinking culture, one that is deeply interested in pushing the palate to somewhere unexpected. 

At its most intriguing, this movement is not simply about inventing unusual cocktails. It is about pairing, contrast, and discovery: finding accompanying flavours in a dish, uncovering new dimensions in a familiar spirit, and encouraging drinkers to approach their glass with the same curiosity they might bring to a plate.

Cocktails are getting savoury

There was a time when ordering a cocktail meant knowing your preferred category: sweet, sour, bitter, perhaps spirit-forward. Today, that vocabulary is expanding. Smoke and spice are finding their way into the glass, and increasingly, the most interesting cocktails are borrowing their cues from the kitchen.

In India, the shift feels particularly natural. This is, after all, a country where flavour has never existed in neat categories. A single meal moves easily between heat, tartness, sweetness, and bitterness, all within a few bites. Why, then, should the drink accompanying it behave any differently? 

For Dhaval Udeshi, Founder of DU Hospitality, whose portfolio includes restaurants such as Gigi and Soraia, savoury cocktails represent one of the most exciting developments in the drinking culture precisely because they challenge the traditional boundaries of the bar. 

“I think savoury cocktails are one of the more exciting directions in drinks right now because they blur the line between the bar and the kitchen. You’re no longer just thinking about sweet, sour or bitter — you’re playing with umami, spice, salinity, herbs and even ingredients you’d normally associate with food.” 

That last thought is rather revealing. The future of cocktails isn't necessarily about adding more ingredients; it is about thinking differently about familiar ones. Curry leaves, for example, don't have to remain confined to a tempering pan. Tomato can move beyond a Bloody Mary. Herbs can become aromatic architecture, and spice can be used not simply to create heat, but to add depth. 

There is, however, an important distinction between a cocktail inspired by food and a cocktail that simply happens to contain food ingredients. As he continues, “For me, though, the key is restraint. A savoury cocktail should still feel like a cocktail, not a dish in a glass. The best ones are layered and unexpected, but still incredibly easy to drink.” 

That sense of restraint is likely to become increasingly important as experimentation accelerates. Novelty can get attention, but balance is what brings a drinker back for another sip. 

Pairing becomes the new playground 

If cocktails are becoming more gastronomic, it follows that the relationship between the bar and the dining table is changing too. Rather than choosing a drink independently of the food, diners are increasingly encouraged to consider the two together. 

Indian cuisine presents an especially rich opportunity. Its regional diversity means that there is no single formula for pairing a cocktail with Indian food. A smoky whisky may complement one dish, while a bright, botanical drink may work better with another.

Mukesh Patwal, Corporate Mixologist at Oju, sees savoury cocktails as particularly effective when they are created with the food in mind. “I’m a big fan of savoury cocktails, especially when they’re designed to complement food rather than compete with it. With Indian cuisine, I like using ingredients such as spices, herbs, chillies, tomato, curry leaves, or even umami elements to create cocktails that feel familiar but still surprising.”

The idea of familiarity is key. The most successful experiments don't necessarily ask the drinker to abandon what they know. Instead, they take recognisable flavours and place them in an unfamiliar context for a bit of fun. “For strong Indian flavours, I find cocktails with bright acidity, subtle sweetness, refreshing botanicals, and a touch of savouriness work particularly well. Gin and tequila are great bases because they can handle spices and herbs, while whisky and rum can work beautifully with richer, smoky or grilled dishes.” 

The principle is less about matching like with like and more about understanding what each element contributes to the experience. “The key is balance,” he says. “A cocktail should either cut through richness, cool down spice, or echo the flavours in the food. For me, the best pairing is when the drink enhances a dish and makes you want to take another bite and another sip.”

That final sensation may be the real measure of a successful pairing: not whether the cocktail mirrors the food, but whether it makes the entire meal feel more complete.

Whisky enters its experimental era 

This spirit of curiosity is not limited to gin and tequila. Whisky, too, is finding a renewed relationship with cocktail culture, and with flavours far outside the conventional whisky lexicon.

Stephanie Macleod, DEWAR’S Master Blender and the world's most awarded Master Blender, approaches the conversation from the perspective of someone who has spent years understanding how individual flavour profiles can work together.

Her relationship with whisky itself began through discovery. What initially seemed like an unlikely pursuit in her twenties became a fascination once she began studying Scotch whisky and encountered the sheer range of flavours within it. “Whisky didn’t seem relevant in my early 20s, but when I studied Scotch whisky, a myriad of flavour profiles, I was hooked and became passionate about learning.”

That diversity is also what she finds particularly compelling about India: “This is my 4th visit; what has struck me is the diversity of Indian cuisine. Each region has its own flavour profile. Each distillery does too. A lot of people say they don’t like Scotch, but given so much diversity, my job is to open people’s minds.” 

It is an interesting parallel: if every region of India has its own culinary vocabulary, whisky itself has an equally nuanced language. Pairing the two then becomes an adventure in opening up possibilities. The contemporary whisky cocktail is a particularly interesting space. The spirit does not have to be treated as something precious that exists separately from contemporary drinking culture. It can be explored and paired.

The environment matters, too. A cocktail is not experienced in isolation. The setting, food, company, and occasion can all change how a drink tastes and feels, particularly for today’s generation. She notes, “Gen Z drinks well and thinks of their choices. Whisky is embracing the cocktail culture to see how the flavours work for you. For instance, you can try a local drink on holiday and find it amazing, but a lot depends on the environment, too.”

The bartender becomes your guide 

For anyone intimidated by whisky – or simply curious about exploring it differently – the modern bar offers another advantage: conversation. Rather than approaching a menu as a test of existing knowledge, drinkers can use the bartender as a guide.

Macleod suggests a simple way to learn: ask for a second glass and experiment. “When building whisky knowledge, ask the bartender for a second glass. For instance, I have tried a pairing of mango syrup with a curry leaf infusion and vanilla foam. The complementing nature allows all ingredients to elevate each other.”

It is almost a miniature laboratory at the bar: one spirit, several ingredients and the opportunity to taste what changes when they meet. That spirit of experimentation is also transforming the role of the bar itself. The most compelling spaces today are designed to make drinking feel like an experience. 

That sense of craft is likely to become increasingly central to India's cocktail culture. As diners become more adventurous and hospitality becomes more experiential, the distinction between eating and drinking will continue to soften. The future may not belong to cocktails that are simply sweeter, stronger or more elaborate. It may belong to drinks that make us taste differently, that take something we recognise and reveal an unexpected side.

For cognac and whisky, that could mean tart fruit or sweet foam. For gin and tequila, it could mean spice and salt. For the Indian diner, it could mean discovering that a familiar flavour can break a few rules along the way.

Lead image: Getty Images 

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