Watermelon juice from an Indian store, Smoke Lab vodka, lime juice, and a splash of simple syrup.

I was researching cocktails made with sugarcane juice when I came across something called the “Yo Yo Honey Singh Cocktail.” I vaguely knew Honey Singh as an Indian rapper, but had absolutely no idea what he had to do with a drink.

A little more research revealed that this was apparently a favorite of the rapper himself, and one he has often recommended publicly.

The recipe is simple: sugarcane juice, or “ganne ka juice” as it is called in India, with vodka. A squeeze of lime or a pinch of salt helps cut through the sweetness. I went with Himalayan pink salt, which also helped tone down the acidity.

I further learned that Honey Singh’s vodka of choice for this drink is Skyy. But to keep things authentically Indian, I used Smoke Labs vodka. The irony is that it is made in the very state Honey Singh originally hails from!

The drink is wonderfully smooth, thanks to the sugarcane juice’s sweetness. Perfect for a hot summer afternoon like today.

Pineapple juice from India, Jodhpur Gin and Bitters stirred and then topped with Fever Tree Indian tonic water.

This is a spin off from the famous Cuba Libre. Instead of Rum, it has a spicy jeera (cumin) soda from India and Old Monk rum.

This is the next one in the India themed cocktails. This has mango juice, Old Monk Rum and grenadine.

Indian themed cocktail. Mango juice from India with Ginger Ale and Old Monk Rum.
Garnished with slices of mango.

This has fruit juices mixed from 15 (yes, 15!) fruits and then spiced up with Indian masala. To that I used the base of Mango vodka.

I went with the name since it seems like they took all the fruits from the Bazaar (market)!

Built on a base of Smirnoff Spicy Tamarind Vodka and topped with refreshing Aam Panna, this cocktail is a bold celebration of classic Indian summer flavors. Not the best fit for this rainy Atlanta Memorial Day weekend but, that is what caught my fancy today.

Aam Panna is a beloved North Indian drink made from raw green mangoes, known for its sweet, tangy, and lightly spiced flavor profile. Traditionally prepared using boiled or roasted raw mango pulp, it’s blended with sugar or jaggery, cooling mint, roasted cumin, and black salt to create an intensely refreshing summer cooler.

For garnish, I added tangy tamarind concentrate cubes to amplify the sweet-sour depth of the drink.

The result is a flavorful cocktail — the sharpness of raw mango, the rich tang of tamarind, and the warm burst of Indian spices in the palate.

Wanted a post-dinner drink to relax and listen to some Bengali songs. Went with an India-Japan combo of Lychee Juice (Mazaa brand) and Japanese Gin (Etsu from the Kyoto Distillery). Nice, sweet and soothing.

Continuing with the India-themed cocktails.

This is Badam milk (a rich, fragrant Indian drink made from ground almonds, milk, and flavorings like saffron and cardamom) with Smokelabs Vodka (a unique vodka made from basmati rice!) and a dash of Tia Maria coffee liqueur.

Smokelabs is headquartered in Delhi, although the distilleries are in Punjab (and Goa).