The Palazzo Versace in Dubai is an opulent mirage.
At the hotel’s lobby, is a spectrum of guests from different nations walking out after a swim, past the picture-perfect patisserie. The pool overlooks the Jaddaf Waterfront as the dimming sunset changes from the iridescent pinks and purples to a fading black. The dhows (traditional sailing vessels) and abras (boats) bobbing on the creek turn on their lights. Simultaneously, the hotel transforms too.
A stage is set for the global launch of Longitude 77, a single malt whisky from India. Kartik Mohindra, chief marketing officer from the House of Pernod Ricard India, the brand behind the spirit, says tonight, the story behind the whisky, will be unveiled. So we wait to take swigs of the single malt that promises hits of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari through its notes. Longitude 77, is after all, named after the the meridian 77° East of Greenwich, passing through Ladakh, Haryana, Maharashtra and Kerala, almost slicing India in half.
At the launch, Zoran B, a whisky connoisseur, takes us through a tasting. Made in American bourbon barrels and wine casks, the single malt is extra aged in the cool, dry climate of Dindori, Nashik, in the Sahyadri range.
“The whisky is produced in small batches. The colour is a rich mahogany. Though the age of the whisky is between three and four years, it tends to age faster in India. Essentially, it is a 15 to 18 year-old scotch,” he says. The liquid is supposed to be rich, smooth and fruity. It, hence, tastes of berries, vanilla, cinnamon, oak and smoke.
Cocktails made with infusions of Ratnagiri mangoes, Kashmiri saffron, Kasturi Basmati and Kerala cinnamon are served while a fashion show by couturiers Shantanu and Nikhil, Rajesh Pratap Singh and Varun Bahl takes place.
“We have a product that fulfills their pride and their heritage. The launch targets the Indian expat diaspora. Why are Indian whiskys not given the provenance that other manufacturing companies enjoy, whether it is in Scotland, Japan, the U.S. or Canada. It is time to put India on the global map. This is our attempt,” says Kartik.
He adds that global launch in Dubai is significant as Indian expats take pride in the country “despite being across the pond”.
India’s burgeoning alcohol market is now bursting with new spirits. The gin explosion with new infusions is an example. However, Kartik maintains that India continues to be a whisky market. This has not changed in years, he says.
“You might see them [Indian drinkers] gravitate towards the occasional gin, wine, vodka or tequila. As they mature or succeed in life, the premiumisation continues. They become increasingly discerning about whiskys. A lot of the other categories do not afford a ladder or deep amount of storytelling which a whisky does,” he says.
Jean Touboul, CEO, Pernod Ricard India, says that the brand presence across India has been significant over the last 30 years. For instance, spirits like Jameson, Blenders Pride and Imperial Blue, are Indian staples. That is why they have launched into creating this luxe whisky .
Glasses clink and drinks are sipped. There is chatter about how new-age India is now in a bottle. As the night ends, the bottle with a deep-indigo label is unveiled. “We didn’t want to create a random Hindi or Sanskrit version that alluded to India. We wanted something more new age,” says Kartik.
Longitude 77 is available in Dubai, Goa, Maharashtra, Chandigarh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi Duty Free. It is priced between ₹3,000 and ₹6,000.
(This writer was in Dubai on invitation of Pernod Ricard India.)