HYDERABAD: Taste buds merrily tango as a citrusy tang tantalises the palate before an avalanche of nutty sweetness snatches the reins, only to be overpowered by a delightful warmth that besieges the throat.
Ah, we feel regal and classy yet somehow powerful enough to fend off a bear in the woods—and that was just the first sip of the Jewel of Tansen, the newly curated cocktail by master mixologist Yangdup Lama at Tansen, an exquisite fine dining restaurant in Nanakramguda.
The soothing warmth of the Jewel comes from Royal Salute 21, a single-malt whisky, well, as old as the legal drinking age in this country. Infused with handpicked ajwa dates from Al-Medina in Saudi Arabia and pine nuts from Italy, the spirit weds a boozy blend of truffle-infused vermouth. A whiskey glass with a single gold ice cube welcomes some of this divine gold concoction.
“Now we add some orange liquor and two dashes of orange bitters. It’s going to be savoury, with nutty aromas. Mix it for 30 seconds, and there we have it, ladies and gentlemen, the Jewel of Tansen,” says Hamish Lindsay, chief guest and Whisky Ambassador for Chivas Brothers, after masterfully concocting the royal cocktail.
Served with a gold-encrusted dry fruit and sesame sweet, the drink screamed opulence and royalty, the feelings of which only intensified as we revelled in the gold-themed restaurant and inhaled through our ears the sweet notes of live Qawwali music.
Hamish passionately speaks about the Jewel, saying, “With every sip, you get a wonderful new layer of complex flavours. It’s truly fit for royalty; Royal Salute 21 was created for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 on her Coronation Day. It is named after the famous 21-gun salute in royal celebrations, where three canons fire seven shots each in the Tower of London.” Tasting this figment of history invokes in us a sense of bewilderment.
We eat like Nawabs and Begums too, before being served another brand new curation, Rasam Heritage. Initial perplexities are lost to our shared adulation for this spunky tequila dancing courtesan, with hints of cumin, agave nectar and chilli tincture.