Chivas 15 aged in oak with Indian spiced vermouth, Campari & rhubarb — Colonel Saab London
Kunwar (Kunwar in Rajasthani/Hindi — meaning prince or young nobleman) is the Colonel Saab's tribute to Roop Partap Choudhary — restaurateur and author of the definitive book on Indian cuisine, 'The Essential Guide to Indian Cooking'. This is his personal cocktail recipe, aged in an oak barrel for three months before service. Barrel-ageing cocktails is a technique borrowed from American craft bartenders — the barrel rounds off harsh edges, integrates flavours through oxidation, and adds subtle wood tannins that create a new flavour dimension impossible to achieve by simply mixing. The Indian spiced vermouth at Colonel Saab uses fenugreek (methi), cinnamon, and star anise — three spices that rhyme naturally with the spice notes of Chivas 15's deep oakiness.
Fenugreek (methi) has a slightly bitter, maple-like quality that adds an unexpected depth to vermouth. Don't steep for longer than 24 hours or the bitterness dominates. Fee Brothers Rhubarb Bitters are available at most UK specialist bottle shops and Amazon. The barrel-aged version at the restaurant is smoother and more integrated — the recipe above is the closest home approximation.
Use Paul John Brilliance (Indian single malt) for the Trafalgar Square version, which gives the drink a lighter, 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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