ALL ABOARD THE ORIENT EXPRESS

Our cocktails have undergone an Asian makeover, one that goes beyond the togarashi salt rim. Be it Japanese sake and umeshu or the Korean soju, mixologists across India are finally waking up to liquors from the East

- Malini Banerjee

In Netflix's Drink Masters when mixologists Kate Gerwin and Loyd Von Rose pair up to make The Matchmaker, their soju and scotch tipple, the cocktail competition series is in its seventh episode. By then, of course, neither USA where the series was shot nor the contestants were new to Japanese liquors. In fact, semi-finalist bartender, Suzu aka Christian Suzuki-Orellana and Loyd Von Rose, had already used spirits like sake and soju on several occasions. And Suzu, especially, as a homage to his half-Japanese heritage. But when Kate and Loyd talk about using a turmeric and curry leaf horchata with soju, show host and comic, Tone Bell says, "I've never tasted soju, but am excited to try it." Bell's excitement would perhaps be mirrored in bars and restaurants across India, where liquors from Japan are steadily garnering an audience.

The newly opened pan-Asian restaurant Soba Sassy in Kolkata's Ho Chi Minh Sarani, for instance, is going beyond the garden-variety Sake Bomb, and serving other sake-based cocktails, including a house liqueur that is made with the Korean soju. Head bartender, Swastik Chattopadhyay, loves his sake and admits to "finding it challenging to use in a cocktail because of its delicate flavour." He has chosen to combine it with their housemade amaretto and rose syrups, with the restaurant gearing up to bring umeshu to the city.

Sake, once only the preserve of star hotels in the city - like The Park or later entrants like, The Westin and Taj City Centre - is going to be available this month in other establishments, too, including experiential liquor store, Hedonne and rooftop gastro bar, LMNO_Q.