When India meets Scotland, on the rocks

  • | Thursday | 23rd January, 2020

He has been travelling across India for a year now and has interesting insights to share about the whiskey palate in the country. “In many parts of India, the older generation will stay with their 60-90ml peg topped up to the rim with water. In Scotland, we would have dinner first – with maybe one drink – then go out to the pub or nightclub. As a young whiskey drinker, Ironside emphasises how whiskey consumption has changed over the years. The latter will be the inspiration for the Indian side of things and Ironside will bring in the Scottish vibe.

Sudeshna Dutta By Express News Service BENGALURU: For Alan Ironside, growing up in the beautiful Speyside region of Scotland -- with over 50 distilleries for a population of only 70,000 -- meant knowing many people who work with the production of whiskey. Ahead of his visit to the city on January 24, the brand ambassador of Ballantine’s says his inclination towards the whiskey business started when he turned 18. “I was looking for summer jobs at a time when the whisky industry and Scottish tourism started experiencing a real boom.” Ironside eventually found a job as a distillery guide. What started off as a way to make money to drink during the weekend soon made him realise how much he enjoyed the people in the industry and the opportunities it could give him. He has been travelling across India for a year now and has interesting insights to share about the whiskey palate in the country. Since people here are “always inspired” by the local ingredients around them, one is never short of a few twists here. “In many parts of India, the older generation will stay with their 60-90ml peg topped up to the rim with water. The main difference is India’s culture of eating while drinking. In Scotland, we would have dinner first – with maybe one drink – then go out to the pub or nightclub. You certainly wouldn’t order food in a club. Here, the palate for the drink is greatly influenced by the food,” says the 25-year-old, insisting that this isn’t necessarily bad but just different. “The ginger element in whiskey goes well with the Indian palate,” he adds. As a young whiskey drinker, Ironside emphasises how whiskey consumption has changed over the years. “While gin has had a resurgence over the past five years, whiskey has also has seen similar initiative, with people being encouraged to drink whisky cocktails, refreshing high balls, on the rocks, however you like,” he says, adding that this is quite important in India, which comprises 50 per cent of the world’s whisky consumption. “As the younger generation is connected to the outside world now more than ever before, the creativity of bartenders across India is energised by these current whisky trends. India’s ability to take concepts and make it their own is renowned, and whisky is no different,” he says. A lover of Masoor Dal Tadka and Bengal food that isn’t spicy, Ironside will be creating an “evening of conviviality and high-energy cocktails” on January 24 with Nilotpal Bhattacharya, bar manager at R Bar, Renaissance Bengaluru Race Course Hotel. The latter will be the inspiration for the Indian side of things and Ironside will bring in the Scottish vibe.

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