 Delhi's Sidecar walked away with top honors once again at the 4th edition of 30BestBarsIndia, the country’s most prestigious bar ranking and awards platform, at a ceremony held at Taj Cidade de Goa Heritage last night. Besides being ranked India’s #1 Bar for the second year in a row, it also walked away with the Best Independent Bar Award and the Best Cocktail Menu Award - for Arq, a menu inspired by quintessential Indian ingredients. Pune’s Cobbler & Crew (#2) took home 4 awards this year – Highest New Entry, Best Bar Team, Best Bartender (Aashi Bhatnagar), and Best Work in Sustainability (along with Pune’s Soy Como Soy). Notably, Pune also captured the People’s Choice Awards – with Elephant & Co. Kalyani Nagar (#47) deemed People’s Choice Best Bar and TOIT awarded People’s Choice Best Microbrewery or Taproom. Bangalore bars stepped into the spotlight as well, with ZLB 23 – The Leela Palace (#6) bagging Best Bar Design. It was also awarded the Best Hotel Bar alongside Copitas – Four Seasons Hotel (#4). The city’s favourite watering hole, TOIT (#29), was the winner of the Best Microbrewery or Taproom Award. PCO New Delhi was this year’s Highest Climber – jumping eight spots to #12. The Best Restaurant Bar went to Gurgaon’s Comorin (#11). The Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu was awarded to Chennai’s Pandan Club, for its innovative storytelling and presentation of Zero ABV drinks. Additionally, AD Singh, Founder & MD, Olive Group of Restaurants was honoured with the Industry Icon Award while Polo Lounge, Hyatt Regency Delhi took home the Timeless Bar Award. Vikram Achanta, Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia says, “The anticipation for the awards increases year-on-year, and this year, we saw noticeable jumps in the list. Eleven new bars made their way into the top 30 list, showcasing the pace at which Indian bars are innovating. As standards continue to increase in the industry and global eyes watch India’s beverage landscape evolve, bars need to continue pushing boundaries across cocktail programs, adopting new techniques, and enhancing bar talent to stay relevant.” Radhakrishna Nair, Co-Founder, 30BestBarsIndia added, “Many rankings this year were closely fought affairs, especially among the top bars in the country, with very few votes separating them. Every year, we re-evaluate our award categories to stay relevant with what’s taking place in the bar landscape, both nationally and internationally. It is in keeping with this strategy that we introduced the Best Non-Alcoholic Cocktail Menu award this year to recognize bars that are making strides with zero-ABV drinks.” Appended is the Top 30 List:
Chilean Concha y Toro; latin America's largest wine producer hosts a masterclass in mumbai1/10/2024  Sommelier Fazil Mohammad Renowned wine expert and Brand Ambassador of Viña Concha y Toro S.A., Mr. Fazil Mohammad, recently concluded a successful visit to India where he steered conversations around wine and conducted an exclusive Wine Masterclass in association with Aspri Spirits, Concha Y Toro's exclusive importers in India. The visit aimed to elevate India's vibrant wine scene by showcasing Concha Y Toro's legacy and expertise through a series of exclusive engagements, culminating in a captivating wine masterclass. Concha y Toro is one of the most admired wine producers and exporters with a sales presence in 130 countries and 13 distribution offices. The brand is Latin America’s largest wine producer with over 12,000 hectares of vineyards planted in Chile, Argentina, and the USA. During his visit, Mr. Fazil engaged with wine enthusiasts, industry professionals, and media representatives, sharing insights and history about the brand. The Wine Masterclass, led by Mr. Fazil, provided a unique opportunity for attendees to delve into the world of Vina Concha Y Toro wines and gain a deeper understanding of their heritage and craftsmanship. He also informed the audience about Concha y Toro being a part of the global community of Certified B Corporations and its inclusion in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for the last eight years. "We are thrilled to have hosted Mr. Fazil from Vina Concha Y Toro. The masterclass conducted by him underscores our commitment to introduce global pioneers like Vina Concha Y Toro to our discerning consumers. With over 140 years of history, Vina Concha Y Toro has achieved remarkable recognition globally by being named among the “Top 100 Premium Wine and Spirits Brands of the World” at the exclusive 2023 Luxury Lifestyle Awards. The winery was also included among the “Top 100 Wineries of 2023” by the distinguished Wine & Spirits Publication, and we are thrilled to bring this forward to our Indian consumers," remarked Mr. Jackie Matai, Co-Founder of Aspri Spirits. Commenting on his first visit to India, Brand Ambassador of Concha y Toro, Fazil Mohammad, expressed enthusiasm about the company's entry into the Indian market, stating, "We are thrilled to be working with Aspri Spirits to bring the best of Chilean winemaking to India with the likes of Casillero del Diablo and Frontera. Both brands have a rich heritage and a commitment to quality that aligns perfectly with the discerning taste of Indian consumers. We believe that the premium quality of Casillero del Diablo and the vibrant charm of Frontera will resonate well with the Indian palate." (excerpt from a release) The Vault Festival 2024, Asia’s Premier Craft Spirits Festival is Back at Jio World Garden, Mumbai1/9/2024  The Vault Festival, Asia’s premier craft spirits festival is back with its highly anticipated third edition to take place at the Jio World Garden on February 17 and 18, 2024. The event is an unparalleled experience for those with a curious inclination to the world of craft spirits. Limited early bird tickets are live and start from INR 999 till INR 2999 for the platinum passes, all inclusive of taxes.
Akin to the previous two editions, the festival presents four unique experiential pillars with an added edge of Certification Trails, for visitors to hone their skills in spirits, mixology, and hosting from the best minds in the game. Pre-book certifications will be available at INR 599 (All Incl.) for a limited time. With the core vision of creating a conversation-forward platform for connoisseurs, new-age experimentalists, and driven enthusiasts of the spirit community, it invites visitors to come forward and transform their understanding of spirits and mixology. The 2024 edition will have specific pavilions dedicated to Tequila, Rum, Whisky, Gin, Saké, and more with over 50 boutique international labels and Indian craft creations. Speaking on the occasion, Keshav Prakash, Founder of The Vault and Curator of The Vault Festival, said, “We are thrilled to bring back The Vault Festival for its third edition, promising an unparalleled experience as Asia’s premier craft spirits event for aficionados and enthusiasts alike. This year, we've curated a lineup that celebrates the ‘slow-drink’ movement of craft spirits and provides an immersive behind-the-scenes journey into their production. To give our audience a truly holistic experience, we’re all set to launch our Certification Trails for our visitors to take away authentic learnings from the festival. By providing an open forum between luxury craft spirit makers and the burgeoning spirit community, we want to bring forth the culture of spirit appreciation, rather than promoting casual consumption.” The festival is designed keeping in mind four distinct experience pillars to provide an immersive deep dive into the world of craft spirits: - Taste – A space to experience global boutique spirits and Indian craft distillations directly from their makers. Nose-sip-savour, with other fine spirits enthusiasts and connoisseurs. - Discover – Think multi-sensory experiential venues, where one can explore what goes behind the scenes in crafting a spirit, with small, artisanal bites to pair. - Listen – Engage with stories, conversations, and masterclasses with the who’s who of the Food & Beverage space. - Indulge – A spread of cutting-edge cuisines and new-age bar inventions by gourmet chefs and leading mixologists celebrating exquisite food and drink pairings. A journey through tastings and immersive masterclasses, the festival is a cultural phenomenon spread over one weekend of exclusive learning with spirit-focused arenas, bold cocktails, exquisite food pairings and dialogues with the best minds of the Food & Beverage industry. Visit - https://thevaultfest.com/. for more details. (Excerpt from the release) |
 
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The Happy High is a Mumbai based beverage consulting co founded in 2014 with a vision to raise the bars of the wine and dine scene in the country. Read more.
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