Mayfair-based Michelin-star Indian restaurant Gymkhana has unveiled an innovative new cocktail menu called ‘The Attar of India’, to mark the arrival of spring.
Gymkhana partnered with luxury British perfume house Penhaligon’s to create the new offering, which is inspired by the flavours and scents associated with specific moments in time in India.
‘The Attar of India’ collection sets out to transport guests to “another world”, encouraging them to use their sense of smell to trigger different memories and associations, in order to pick their cocktail of choice.
Four unique tipples each reference iconic moments with distinct flavour and olfactory characteristics.
Champagne Blossom, for instance, embodies a walk through the Maharaja’s flower garden in the palace of Jodhpur, combining Champagne Blossom Tanqueray No Ten, Belsazar Rose, lychee, verjus, raspberry and sparkling almond blossom.
Other cocktails on the menu include Rum & Rain, a blend of Ron Zacapa 23, pomegranate, dry vermouth and “rain”, based on the lingering scent after monsoon rain has fallen, and A Passage to India (pictured above), signifying the perilous journey at sea from England to India, combining Johnnie Walker Gold, Cocchi Americano, pineapple, Citra hops and oyster leaf.
Completing the line-up is City of Joy. Inspired by the peppery scent of buying Indian chai on the streets of Kolkata, the cocktail is made using Amrut Single Malt Whisky, Buffalo Trace, apple, masala chai and clarified milk.
Gymkhana’s sister venue Trishna also recently revealed a cocktail collection co-created with the Rare Tea Company, using ethically and sustainably-sourced teas from tea and botanical gardens of the Indian subcontinent.
Examples include the Muscatel Manhattan, a combination of Hine Cognac, vermouth, and Second Flush Muscatel cordial, and Gujarat Cosmo, with Ketel One Citron, Belsazar Rose, raspberry, fig leaf and Gujarat Rose Petal.
Group bar manager James Stevenson said: “We are extremely excited to have worked with two prestigious houses in order to create these two spring cocktail collections for our restaurants, Gymkhana and Trishna.
“We hope that guests will be transported to India through the collections’ scents, tastes and associated characteristics in the same way that our cuisine does.”
