Inspired in India, Born in Britain, vodka brand Desi Daru has collaborated with drinks consultant Greg Almeida to create a new range of cocktail builds.
Husband-and-wife team Mohit Singh and Aneet Kaur launched Desi Daru in 2023. Their Mango expression won the Vodka Taste Master in 2023 and the Spirits Business Awards 2024 Vodka Brand of the Year.
Almeida comments: “Blending cultures is one of my favorite things to do when it comes to food and beverage, and with Mohit keen on highlighting Indian flavors, we decided on a path early on”.
The catch was to create Desi Daru-based serves that would highlight the versatility and premium quality of the brand, while making sure the general public would be able to replicate most of the serves at home. Of course, cocktails had to be unique, delicious, modern, and aesthetically stunning, with each liquid deserving its own distinctive serves.
Desi Daru (“country liquor”) is the best-known, India-inspired ultra-premium vodka brand. Made at Oxfordshire’s Wood Brothers Distillery from English winter wheat and Alphonso mangoes from Ratnagiri.
Almeida was born in Clermont-Ferrand in France, the birthplace of Michelin. He worked at London’s Scarfe Bar and for Tayer+Elementary and is the bar operations manager of the Flute Bar, Broadwick Soho.
His new perfect serves include a Desi Daru twist on a Dry Martini, featuring cardamom bitters and a discarded orange zest finish. And a Mango Gimlet, which blends the vodka with a coriander seed cordial and Cocchi Americano..
Simple serves include Desi & Tonic and a Paloma with Achari Masala salt, while more advanced recipes include the Thandai Desi Lassi, made with Indian cream, Bénédictine, cardamom bitters, and a house-made Indian aromatics powder.
Desi Daru Alphonso Mango Vodka
- 45ml Desi Daru Alphonso Mango vodka
- 15ml Cocchi Americano
- 15ml Coriander seed cordial*
Garnish: Orange zest discard
Glassware: Coupe
In a mixing glass, add all ingredients. Stir for 15- 20 seconds, or until your
mixing glass is cold. Strain in a cold coupe. Express the orange zest oil on the
surface of the drink. Discard the zest.
Mango Colada Milk Punch
- 40ml Desi Daru Alphonso Mango vodka
- 10ml Aluna coconut rum
- 10ml Fair passionfruit liqueur
- 10ml Martini Bianco
- 25ml Pineapple acid cordial*
- 5ml Lime juice
- 20ml Tonka syrup*
- 30ml Green and jasmine tea*
- 37.5ml Whole milk
Garnish: Grated tonka bean, orange zest discard, and edible flower
Glassware: Rocks glass
In a container, mix all the ingredients except whole milk. Add the milk slowly to the cocktail. Without stirring or shaking it, place the container in the fridge until the milk curdles. When the acids turn the milk into solids, you will see the top part of the cocktail become clear. Using a coffee filter, slowly strain the cocktail, including the milk solids. Let the cocktail strain itself until only milk solids are left in the filter. Bottle and keep refrigerated for up to three months.
To serve, pour the Milk Punch into a rocks glass on ice. Garnish.
*Homemade ingredients
Green and Jasmine Tea
- 200ml Water at 80ºC
- 3g Green and jasmine tea (1 tsp)
In a bowl, add the loose leaves to the hot water. Let the tea brew for three minutes. Fine strain, bottle, and keep in the fridge until needed for the Punch.
Pineapple Lime Acid Cordial
- 500ml Fresh pineapple juice
- 16g Citric acid
- 10g Malic acid
In a container, mix ingredients until powder is dissolved.
Tonka Bean Syrup
- 7g Tonka beans
- 500g Sugar
- 250ml Water
With a mortar, lightly grind the tonka beans. In a vacuum-sealed bag, add all the ingredients and cook sous-vide for one hour at 80ºC. Fine strain, bottle, and keep refrigerated.
