There is new buzz in the market “Vodka is out, Whiskey is in”. Considered as men’s drink, women are leading the renaissance of Whiskey and its popularity is growing at breathtaking speed. Young consumer segment are filling their glasses with this distilled alcoholic beverage that is made from fermented grain mash.
Japan to South Africa, everywhere, whiskies from various regions are finding takers.I read a very interesting article that talks about “understanding Whiskey” by John Hansell, Publisher & Editor, Whiskey AdvocateMagazine“Whiskey is made from grain. Oak aging balances the whiskey’s flavors, and distilling increases the alcohol level, which preserves the whiskey.The distillers use either continuously-operating column stills (as with most bourbons) or copper pot stills (as with single malt scotch), one batch at a time. This spirit is then aged in oak barrels, where it matures and becomes whiskey. The types of grain used, the distillation method, and the casks chosen for aging are what make each whiskey taste different. Scotland has more distilleries than any country, with close to 100 of them peppered throughout the land. The most distinctive Scotch whiskies are the single malts. In addition to being distilled and matured in Scotland for a minimum of three years in oak barrels (a requirement for all Scotch Whiskey ), single malt scotch is produced at one distillery (“single”), using only malted barley as the grain (“malt”), and distilled in copper pot stills. It is an expensive process but produces a richly flavored Whiskey and, because it’s not blended with whiskies from other distilleries, very individualistic. This is why single malt scotch is generally more expensive than blended scotch and coveted by aficionados. Single malts are diverse in flavor, ranging from the gentle and subtly complex whiskies of the Scottish Lowlands, to the firmer, sometimes spicy whiskies in the Highlands , to the briny and often smoky whiskies from the Scottish coastlines and islands. The heart of Scottish distilling is an area known as Speyside, where nearly half of Scotland’s distilleries are situated on—or near—the Spey River. Single malt enthusiasm is a relatively recent phenomenon, gaining popularity over the past two decades”.
You can read more here - http://whiskeybusinesscle.com/whiskey/The smooth flavor of the spirit is something which attracts many towards Single Malts. This is what inspired Sunil Aggarwal, the founder and owner of Dramz Whiskey Bar & Lounge, to start a place for whiskey aficionados where one can enjoy the best of the world. Being an F&B entrepreneur, Sunil travels to various countries and one evening at a Whiskey Bar in Singapore, he came up with an idea to open whiskey bar in India.The basic premise of a Whiskey Bar is to atleast have a selection of 50 types of whiskies but in today’s regulatory environment (it is mandatory for all foods and alcoholic beverages to list all ingredients used on their label, in Devnagri or English) in the country, it’s a commendable to come up with such a place.
Dramz which is derived from the Scottish term ‘a dram’ meaning a small peg, is nestled near the Mehrauli ruins overlooking the historic Qutub Minar. The old haveli has been given a Scottish palatial look and is sprawled over three levels with a wine cellar at the basement. The warm and cozy interior invites you to relax and enjoy the breathtaking view of the Qutub Minar (especially during evenings when it is lit up in its full glory). It offers exclusive collection of single malts form around the world including the rare and limited edition whiskies. The menu is divided by regions and offers vital information about the flavor and taste of the whiskey. Even the wine section has similar information.
Generally food is not the priority at the bars but Chef Pankaj Sharma, who was with The Lodi prior to Dramz has come up with some interesting dishes with wide variety of bar snacks. The best thing about the food menu is that most of the dishes have the option of appetizer or regular portions. We thoroughly enjoyed the bar snacks and Stuffed Mushroom with Parmesan Cheese & Porcini Dust was the best. The mains were very average and the Green Pea Risotto with Dehydrated Olives was a disappointment. It neither had the flavor of peas nor the olives. In the desserts, Wine Poached Pears with Wine Glaze had an interesting spiced flavor, the experiment with Deconstructed Chocolate Ice cream was another disappointment.
The Dramz Whiskey Bar & Lounge is an ideal place to enjoy your drink at leisurely pace listening to your kind of music as every section plays different music. So you go to Dramz humming The Doors song:Well, show me the way To the next whiskey bar Oh, don't ask why Oh, don't ask why
Show me the way To the next whiskey bar
More Information on dramz - http://www.dramz.in/
With inputs from Maneesh Srivastva
Disclaimer - This review was done on an invitation from the establishment. Views expressed in the review is entirely ours and without any bias. Pictures of the dishes are not the standard portions, they are sample portions.
