Humphrey Bogart may have been lamenting while sipping his gin at his favourite gin joint in Casablanca but you can definitely find some happy and awesome bars to hang and sip on these flawless gin cocktails.
Here are our go-to bars when we’re fancying a glass {or 6} of gin blended with other good things.
Ek Bar in Defence Colony surely does their gin right. They anyway have some really creative cocktails you probably never dreamed of tasting before but their gin ones are awesome. We suggest you go for the City Of Nizams {turmeric infused gin with tonic} or Aviation {gin with some homemade cherry liquor and lemon}. Our favourite though is the Negroni which is a combination of gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Warning: This can get super potent.
Price: Starting at INR 500 plus taxes
If you feel sophisticated {and rich} enough to indulge in some classic martinis, why don’t you head to 1911, an ode to vintage living, drinking and dining by the Imperial. Their Gin Martini is a classic over the years and they still shake and stir it to perfection! One sip and you’ll feel like someone’s serenading your taste buds.
Price: INR 900
This place is a haven for gin lovers. All their cocktails are almost gin based and they always feature a hint of ancient history. The recipes are chosen from 1930s and are so indulgent; you’ll definitely have more than one or even two! We loved most of them we tried but our favourite is Gin And Sin. It’s a spicy mix of aromatic bitters which is sweetened with some orange liqueur and is shaken to perfection. For those who like an ensemble of sour, sweet and a tint of bitterness with their gin, this is it.
Price: INR 420 plus taxes
PDA and PCO make some of the best cocktails in town. If it’s gin you seek, go for the Flirty Collins, a mix of gin, lemon juice, sugar with a dash of red wine syrup. They have a whole booklet of cocktails so just flip through and find your match. They’re all potent as hell- made with {we suspect} more than 60 ml of the base alcohol. The best part? Each drink comes with complimentary nibbles.
Price: Starting at INR 500 plus taxes {approx.}
Perch is coffee and cocktail central. We feel you can’t go wrong with anything you order off the menu here. Among their potent strong coffee cocktails, extensive wine list and sangrias is a gem of a cocktail for gin lovers: Robbie Collins. It’s a delish mix of sweet lime and gin. Want something with an extra fizz? Choose the subtly floral Lavender Fizz.
In addition to their excellent ceviches, Tres Leche cake and pulled pork tacos, they have a gin-based cocktail called Gin + Chai which brings together No 3 Clive Road gin with tea. This is going to be our summer go-to drink.
This relatively new bar in Gurgaon is dedicated to gin. Choose from flavours such as Mango and Chocolate but it’s the Orange Vanilla and Timir Gin which is enticing us. Have these on the rocks or with some tonic. They’ve also got a wide range of cocktails if you’re looking for something a little less intense.
{with inputs from Navni Kumar}