Saffron-infused Desi Daru vodka & butterscotch syrup — Colonel Saab Trafalgar Square
Desi Daru Original is a London-distilled vodka made by Desi Daru, a British-Indian craft spirits brand — their name literally means 'local liquor' in Hindi and Urdu. The brand celebrates the desi (local, indigenous) drinking tradition of India, acknowledging that home-distilled spirits have a long history on the subcontinent. Colonel Saab at Trafalgar Square uses Desi Daru as their house vodka for Indian-flavoured cocktails — and the Valley of Spice infuses it with saffron (kesar — Crocus sativus, grown exclusively in the Pampore valley of Kashmir, harvested by hand from individual flowers at dawn). Saffron in vodka turns it a rich golden amber, infusing its honey-hay-medicinal aroma into the spirit. Butterscotch syrup adds a caramelised sweetness that echoes saffron's own golden, slightly sweet character.
Kashmiri saffron is the finest in the world — its threads are deeper red (the stigma) and its aroma is more intense than Spanish or Iranian saffron. It is available at Indian grocery stores and Spice Mountain in Borough Market. Desi Daru is available at their website and specialist London off-licences. Butterscotch syrup: the homemade version is significantly more complex and less sweet than Monin — the butter and cream add a genuine dairy depth that pairs perfectly with saffron.
Add a small float of Amrut Single Malt (5ml) over the surface for a saffron-whisky cocktail that is exceptionally beautiful.
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.
Visit colonelsaab.co.uk