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Local alcohol and drinking cultures around the world capture a lot about the essence of the region from where they originate. This begins right from the produce which is used to prepare the spirits. Generally, regional and indigenous liquors are made using fermented fruits or flowers which grow in abundance in those areas. And at once, a connoisseur gets to know about the terroir, the distillation wisdom and the cultural resonances of the liquor of that region.
Traditional alcoholic beverages also carry some rich flavours. Many times, these drinks have lower alcoholic content and more of pronounced sweet fruity and floral notes. Now, mixologists are starting to recognise the potential of these spirits in crafting inventive cocktails and local drinks are remarkably gaining much attention across trendiest bars around the world. This in part is also owing to the regional and cultural flair that these alcohols seem to showcase.
Indian Regional Spirits
Diving into an exploration of Indian spirits is as much an exercise in understanding local cultures as it is in absorbing the sheer regional diversity these liquors seem to embody.
In Image: Toddy [Source: Adobe Stock]
For its part, toddy, made from fermented coconut sap, produced in villages of Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu among others speaks of the coastal spirit of this subcontinent marked by rows of tall trees set along the shores.
The mahua is another Indian liquor rooted in sustainable foraging of floral ingredients which make up this lightly flavoured spirit. Produced in the tribal regions of Madhya Pradesh and even Chhattisgarh, it is part of many big and small hyperlocal regional traditions.
In Image: Apong [Source: Wikimedia Commons]
Such is the case with apong too, which is a north-eastern liquor produced in regions of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh using fermented rice and herbs. Apong is the local brew of the Mishing community, with links to a deep-rooted culture of hospitality and custom.
Another interesting semi-fermented beer made from barley or millets is the tongba – served in a bamboo vessel topped off with hot water in the cool, mountain climes of Ladakh and Sikkim. What’s intriguing is the process of serving the tongba at local dives in small Ladakhi villages. A cylindrical bamboo container is filled with the millet liquor and hot water is added to this at frequent intervals – almost like a pastis, for the mountains. The drink is meant to be tasted using a bamboo straw and as the level of the hot water reduces, it keeps on being replenished to continue the process of opening up the flavours of the spirit.
In Goa, where cashew nut and coconut trees abound, feni reigns supreme as a distinctly pungent local liquor. It features regularly at Goan feasts and festive gatherings. Feni has now become inextricably linked to the beachy, holiday-like Goan identity, even as the liquor has begun to make a dynamic appearance in modern mixology.
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Japanese Sake & Shochu
Image Credits: Unsplash
From the east Asian Japanese shores come two liquors known for their exceptional craftsmanship and soft flavours. Sake is brewed using rice and soft water, and the attention to precision in its production is reflective of Japanese cultures rooted in perfection. Even as the shochu is a less formal drink than sake – which is many times served during weddings – it is nonetheless a local spirit that resonates with the flavours of the different islands on which it is produced using slightly varied kinds of rice, barley and sweet potato.
For the Japanese, embedded in minimalistic aesthetics and a culture rooted in tradition, serving both sake and shochu follows certain elaborate etiquette that exemplifies their local cultural wisdom.
Pastis In Southern France
Image Credits: Wikimedia Commons
An elegant indicator of Provençal life in southern France, pastis is an anise-based spirit known for its slightly botanical flavour. It is a spirit which is best described in French as “je vis à mon rythme” or “I live at my own pace.”
A drink meant for slow-sipping, pastis was a remarkable move away from the more formal spirits like cognac and incidentally became a more democratised drink meant for everyone from poet to philosopher to fisherman. In southern France, the pastis then symbolises a vacation-like, slow-living vibe, such that even its yellow hues seem to resemble the sun-soaked weather of this province known for its holiday homes.
Mexican Mezcal
Image Credits: Adobe Stock
While tequila and mezcal have now become popular spirits in contemporary mixology, the latter still retains some deep, regional roots in Mexican agave-producing regions. This smoky spirit is closely tied to a culture of artisanal liquor production, which are reflected in its making.
The spirit continues to be traditionally produced in Oaxaca, a place which is culturally quite significant, and is a liquor still made by local, rural farmers who collect agave hearts to roast them in order that the liquor develops its essential smoky character.
