Indian gin, blackberry & cassis — Indian Accent NYC
Indian craft gin has exploded in the last decade — distilleries like Jaisalmer, Strangers & Sons, Samsara, Greater Than, and Paul John now produce gins that use Indian botanicals (vetiver root, cardamom, black pepper, tulsi, Malabar pepper) as their defining character alongside juniper. Indian Accent uses an Indian gin to underscore the drink's provenance: After Sunset is explicitly a cocktail that could only have been made in India, using ingredients from the subcontinent's botanical tradition. The blackberry and cassis (black currant liqueur) add European summer-fruit depth, making the drink a meeting of the two worlds Indian Accent has always sat between.
Strangers & Sons from Goa and Greater Than from Mumbai are the most widely available Indian gins internationally (available on Drizly and at Total Wine in the US). Both have strong cardamom and pepper character that works beautifully with blackberry. If using a standard London Dry gin, add a pinch of ground cardamom to the shaker.
Substitute St-Germain elderflower liqueur for the cassis for a more floral, less fruity version.
Manish Mehrotra's Indian Accent is one of the most important Indian restaurants in the world — a place where classical Indian cooking traditions are reinterpreted through modern technique, international ingredients, and impeccable plating. The NYC location brings the same philosophy to Manhattan, with a cocktail programme that matches the kitchen's ambition: Indian botanicals in conversation with global spirits, presented with precision.
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