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The discerning urban Indian is spoilt with choices; and that is a good thing. With the number of homegrown and imported wine and spirits entering in India is providing the opportunity to explore newer tastes and experiences. Thanks to this surge, India is also drinking better; and often lesser.
The better drinks experiences have opened India to a bevy of cocktail pop-ups, bar takeovers and spirit-based events. Latest is the The Vault Home Bar Festival. Spearheaded by Keshav Prakash, Founder, Vault Fine Spirits, the festival’s in previous avatar was known as The Vault Biennale Fine Spirits Festival, the home bar festival is targeting spirits and cocktail enthusiasts in Mumbai to help them curate an exciting home bar collection.
The Vault Home Bar Festival has four verticals, each of them has designed allowing you to engage and interact with brands and spirits masters—Taste, Discover, Listen and Indulge. Taste at the home bar festival will have more than 75 handcrafted spirits from across the world showcasing their spirits. You can speak to distillers and ambassadors to learn more about the provenances of these spirits.
At Discover, there are multi-sensory rum and whisky experiences in association with Ether Atelier, Sucres Des Terres and Subko. There is also a launch of a limited-edition single malt at the festival. If you want to learn more, then you must attend the panel discussions spread over two days, under Listen. Some of India’s best minds in food and beverage will tickle your grey cells with conversations about new trends and country’s drinking habits.
Lastly, Indulge at The Vault Home Bar Festival will see world’s best bartenders and bars showcase their skills and serve up delicious drinks. The tickets for Indulge are available separately.
But if you’re still looking for curated recommendation of what to do, here are five reasons why you need to check out The Vault Home Bar Festival:
1. Witness world’s best cocktail bar, Paradiso, in action
Barcelona-based Paradiso, which was adjudged world’s No.1 cocktail bar in 2022 by The World’s 50 Best Bars, will be at The Vault Home Bar Festival. They will be mixing cocktails on day one of the festival. Also, present are award-winning bars Lost & Found Drinkery from Nicosia, Cyprus, and Le Club in Matsuyama, Japan.
2. Exotic and exciting spirits to try
If you’re a novice, enthusiast or a connoisseur, the fact that you can try put more than 75 different brands and styles of spirits from more than 20 countries in the world, is an exciting one. This includes homegrown Indian craft spirits such as gin, rum, whisky, even a coffee liqueur, along with super premium cognacs, tequilas, shochu and more.
3. Mind-bending science behind bar snacks or ‘chakna’
Have you ever felt the need to be munching on something, every time you have a tipple in your hand? You’d be surprised to know it is not an Indian idiosyncracy but a behaviour rooted in science. Delving into the habit of snacking while drinking will be Krish Ashok, author of Masala Lab and Matt Daniels, partner of Verandah, Goa and Keshav Prakash.
4. ‘Rum’inations on rum
While gin has had its time under the sun for some time now, Indian craft rum is now peeking from behind the curtain. Attend the panel discussion featuring up and coming Indian rum brands—Rum Around The Curtain? There is also a showcase of interesting variety of rums from across the worlds as well as a salon with a focus on rum.
5. Coffee mixology
You can love it or hate it, but espresso martini is not going away. Taking the cue from this contemporary favourite, both coffee brands as well as bartenders are now pushing the boundary to create extraordinary drinks. Check out Subko and Godawansingle malt collaborate to celebrate the power of coffee.
Purchase your tickets to The Valut Home Bar Festival here.
Photo: Shutterstock