Gin’s moment in the sun continues as Mumbai bars find creative ways to go beyond G&T and classic gin-based cocktails like martinis & gimlets. Worli’s elegant French restaurant and lounge, Slink & Bardot has curated a one-off menu of gin cocktails inspired by the fragrances from Bombay Perfumery. This two-year-old contemporary fragrance house is best known for its distinctly Indian perfumes, many of which feature earthy and spicy notes. The cocktails use the incredibly complex German-made Monkey 47 gin with an unmatched array of 47 botanicals.
On the nose
We begin by smelling a perfume card sprayed with Calicut. “This is a very masculine fragrance, our homage to Indian spices like black pepper, cardamom, and nutmeg,” says Bombay Perfumery’s Founder, Manan Gandhi. Taking a cue from the spicy hit, Slink & Bardot’s crimson coloured Calicut cocktail is a medley of Monkey 47, smoked honey, juniper, mulberry, and black pepper. In contrast to the heady Chai Musk perfume, the cocktail inspired by it is rather refreshing, playing up the top notes of lemongrass. A pinch of asafoetida overwhelms the Sulawesi cocktail but the ginger and woody notes of 1020 perfume are beautifully captured in its namesake Thai-inspired cocktail.
Bite size
Each cocktail is paired with a canapé created by Chef Alexis Gielbaum. “I wanted to keep the canapés simple with one or two flavours that complement the cocktail,” says Gielbaum. The minimalistic canapés have just a couple of ingredients put together, including a fruit element like the mango bits sitting atop juniper-glazed parsnip that’s paired with Calicut. Chai Musk is paired with a simple combination of fig and Tomme-style cheese from The Spotted Cow Fromagerie. The Sulawesi is served with bacon wrapped prunes alongside a dropper of peated whisky to add to the smoky flavours of the canapé. Our favourite is the glazed balsamic pineapple with hints of kaffir lime that comes with 1020, where the sweetness of the fruit balances the tart gooseberry and tamarind notes in the cocktail. The dessert canapé is an inventive gin-spiked banana ice cream served with crisp orange rind crackers – we’d take a second helping of that but probably skip the cloyingly sweet Seven Islands cocktail of Monkey 47, sparkling wine, and chocolate liqueur.
Slink & Bardot, Worli Village; cocktail and canapé pairing at₹600 plus taxes, available until March 27; time: 7 p.m. to 1 a.m.; 7045904728
