I picked this recipe up from the website of Jaan (maker of Paan liqueur). I changed it up to make a completely Indian ingredients drink. This has Gin (I used Jaisalmer Gin), Coconut Water (from India), Paan liqueur and lime juice.

The aroma of Paan is unforgettable.

As much as I liked it, I think this will go well with some anis based liqueur – like sambuca or licor beirao. Will try that next time.

Have you ever seen anything like this? It is a paan liqueur!! Made by a company called Jaan. It smells just like a freshly made paan from paan-patta (betel leaf) and all those other ingredients!!

This cocktail was invented in the early 1900s by the most famous female mixologist of those times – Ada Coleman (“Coley”). She eventually became the head bartender at the famed American Bar in The Savoy Hotel. This drink though was made while she was in the Claridge Hotel.

The story goes that Coley created the cocktail for Sir Charles Hawtrey, a celebrated Georgian actor who visited the bar. According to folklore, he asked for a drink with a punch. Coely served him this drink, leading him to exclaim “By Jove! That is the real hanky-panky!”

And that is how the drink got its name.

Given all the activities around the passing away of the Queen, I was looking into whether there was a drink named after her. Found one called Queen Elizabeth.

When I looked at the ingredients, I was a little puzzled. I was expecting some usual British ingredients like gin in it. Speaking of which, the Queen’s favorite cocktail, I am told was Dubonnet and gin.

Coming back to the Queen Elizabeth, it in fact, does not have any base spirit (like gin, vodka, tequila etc). It is simply Dry Vermouth, Benedictine and lime juice.

Turned out to be surprisingly tasty.

The creator of the drink – a bartender called Herbert Quack from Philadelphia in the early ’30s – had named it after his wife.

Gin, Triple Sec, Lemon Juice and Grenadine

On the Campari spree still. This has Campari and Gin like the Negroni but instead of vermouth, it has Tawny Port.

This is yet another variation of the Negroni. It has the additional element of Green Chartreuse and the Campari effect is much more muted. Equal parts gin, sweet vermouth and the chartreuse with a dash of the Campari.

There is some confusion about the exact source of this drink. Some say it originates from Erskine Gwynne – an American writer who lived in Paris and authored a paper by the name Boulevardier (in French that would mean a rich socialite). Others say it was indeed his most favorite drink. However it was introduced by New Yorker Harry McElhone who had to leave for Europe during Prohibition period and opened a bar in Paris called Harry’s New York Bar. It was here that the Prohibition-era cocktails were being given a do-over in Europe with local ingredients. (America got introduced to Campari much later).

In either case, it is a close cousin of Negroni with Campari, Sweet Vermouth and Bourbon. It is one of those few cocktails, I can enjoy on a warm as well as a cold day.

Vodka, Orange Curacao and Green Chartreuse

Not totally sure of the origin of the name. But got to use my Aloe Liqueur after a long time. Aloe liqueur, Tequila and Aperol. That is an interesting mix of California, Mexico and Italy!!