Cocktail scene in India is getting bolder (think ingredients like Maggi masala, wasabi)

MSG, sweetened fish sauce, ramen soup, wasabi, and kimchi - mixologists in India are shaking up the cocktail scene with these unconventional ingredients. But what's behind this rising trend of experimental cocktails ?cocktail

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Chyawanprash - the Ayurvedic herbal jam your mom used to force-feed you every winter - isn’t something you'd expect to see in a cocktail on a Saturday night outing. Yet, some of the trendiest spots in the country are incorporating it into their drink menus. Take, for instance, PCO in Delhi's Vasant Kunj and Ekaa in Mumbai, where chyawanprash features as an intriguing ingredient in creative cocktails. While the former serves Ignorance Is Bliss—a cocktail made using bourbon, sweet vermouth, coffee, aromatic bitters, and, of course, chyawanprash—the latter offers an elaborate special menu featuring cocktails crafted with Ayurveda-inspired ingredients. Apart from chyawanprash,head mixologist Jishnu uses unexpected elements like camphor, brahmi, and triphala to create a unique drinking experience.

Wasabi, Maggi masala, kimchi, ghee, walnuts, ramen soup—would you ever imagine these ingredients making their way into your cocktail glasses?