Betel leaf-infused vodka & paan mix — Colonel Saab London
Paan (betel leaf preparation) has been offered and consumed in India for over 4,000 years — the betel leaf (Piper betle, naagavalli in Sanskrit) wrapped around a filling of areca nut, slaked lime, catechu, and flavourings (rose preserve, fennel seeds, coconut, cardamom, and sometimes tobacco or pan masala) and folded into a triangle. Varanasi (Banaras, the city that is the subject of this cocktail's name) is particularly celebrated for its paan — Banarasi paan, with its unique local variety of betel leaf, is sought by connoisseurs across India. Colonel Saab infuses vodka with betel leaf — a 48-hour cold infusion that transfers the leaf's extraordinary fresh, cooling, slightly anise-clove flavour into the spirit — then adds a paan mix of fennel seeds, rose preserve, sweet coconut, and cardamom. The result is unlike anything else in London cocktail culture.
Fresh betel leaves (paan ke patte) are available at Indian grocery stores in the UK — particularly in areas with large South Asian communities (Southall, Wembley, Green Street). They are highly perishable (2–3 days) so infuse immediately after purchase. The paan mix syrup is a simplified version of actual paan — for maximum authenticity, add a few drops of rosewater and a pinch of meetha saunf (sweet fennel seeds, the variety sold as mouth freshener at Indian restaurants).
Add 10ml coconut cream to the shaker for a Coconut Paan cocktail with a richer, more tropical character.
An elegant homage to the era of the Indian Army officer — refined North and Central Indian cuisine in a handsome Holborn dining room. Colonel Saab's bar programme is built on house-spiced spirits and techniques drawn from both the subcontinent and the British raj era, producing some of London's most inventive Indian cocktails.
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