The Bar Chronicles Mumbai: Three Iconic Bars, One Favourite Drink by Sayoni Bhaduri

The city of dreams has plenty to offer the avid cocktail connoisseur, but the question is, where do you go if you want to try something new? The Bar Chronicles, Mumbai answered that question for us in a recent exploration hosted by drinkspreneur Aneesh Bhasin spanning three of the city’s best bars from Worli to Bandra. Bhasin has long been a trusted name in the world of Indian mixology and a noted commentator on wine, spirits, and lifestyle, and most recently known for his ventures into bespoke tonics. And for this exclusive event, we followed his lead on our mission to explore the highly skilled mixology prowess of Aer, Bandra Born and Slink & Bardot. He introduced the evening as an experience where, at every bar, a whisky cocktail will open up new ways to enjoy Johnnie Walker Black Label.

Aer, Worli - Elysian Hiball

The journey kicked off at Aer in Worli, a rooftop bar known for its stunning sunset views and equally captivating cocktails. The “Elysian Hiball” was the drink of the hour, a brainchild of Mayur Patil, senior bartender at Mumbai’s Aer, which brings together Johnnie Walker Black Label with Earl Grey tea, Penja pepper, weeklong fermented grapes and lemon oils. Even as you take in its deep reddish-orange hue (ever-so-complementary to the city’s twilight sky), you’re struck by the fresh yet complex flavours — not the easiest to achieve in a highball.

Patil shared a secret for how he strikes the right notes: “To balance the tannic profile of the fermented grapes and overall acidity, we use an ironfish.” An ironfish is, quite literally, a fish-shaped cast iron ingot generally placed in boiling water or the cooking pot, to supplement nutritional sources of iron.

Bandra Born, Bandra - Me So Martini

Bandra Born is known for their innovative takes on Indian and international flavours and has become Chef Gresham Fernandes’ personal playground to dish up some of the city’s most inventive comfort food. But behind the bar there was more waiting for us as head bartender Raviraj Shetty and mixologist and brand developer Hemali Bendre were waiting to serve a “Me So Martini”. The “Me So” of the cocktail’s name refers to its chief ingredient: miso, which mingles with salt, coffee, and Johnnie Walker Black Label, for a new take on the ubiquitous espresso martini. The miso mellows the caffeine, while the blended Scotch whisky brings the complexity. The garnish that tops it all? Chocolate shavings.

Slink & Bardot, Worli - Peach Highball

Libation sampled and praised, it’s time for the next instalment of this bar chronicle — aka Highlight #3 (or if we want to be more precise, aka “Peach Highball”). For this, the cocktail crew slinks over to Slink & Bardot, where head bartender Guruprasad Tripathy has a Johnnie Walker Black Label, basil, lemon and house peach seltzer concoction awaiting.

It captures summer in a glass and the peach in the seltzer absolutely shines with the lemon and basil. Fruit-forward drinks get a bad rap for being overly sweet, but as a seltzer, the peach flavour speaks volumes. Or rather, sings, because Tripathy’s gives its underrated pairing with whisky its moment in the (now setting) sun.

Though there were three cocktail highlights, the host for the Mumbai edition of The Bar Chronicles — M’sieur Bhasin — is definitely a worth-mentioning fourth. He ensures that our coterie is entertained throughout, not just with the contents of our glasses, but also with the conversation. The Bhasin brand of banter is supplemented throughout with lots of little-known trivia about Johnnie Walker Black Label’s history, which ensures that we walk away at evening’s end with not only a renewed appreciation for the spirit’s flavours, but also for the spirit’s spirit.

Extend your whisky journey with some of the best bars in Mumbai, which are hosting limited-time Whisky experiment menus for enthusiasts to push boundaries and explore the versatility of Johnnie Walker Black Label.