MUMBAI: Stranger & Sons is among the first gins to be made in India since Indian independence. The inception can be traced back to a warm night when the moon was shining bright and a strange idea sparked a mystical thought. The moonlight showcased a strange creature, mythological yet beautiful. She was powerful and hid a secret, understood by only those who could interpret those enchanting words- or were they sounds? She was a stranger to some, but a welcome secret to the three seekers. Her two tails and three eyes unfurled a spell, to create a magical invention that you now enjoy as Stranger & Sons gin whether as a Strange gimlet or Gibson. Ethereal yet tangible, the result was so marvellous.
Going beyond the infamous juniper to highlight 9 Indian botanicals and spices that are indispensable to our kitchens, Stranger & Son’s is inherently Indian. The traditional “& sons” in the name applauds the inheritance by the three family members – Sakshi Saigal, Vidur Gupta and Rahul Mehra, where they pay homage to Indian businesses and traditions passed down from generation to generation.
Honouring the strange but mysterious creature’s persona this women’s week, the Stranger & Son’s family brings together stupendous bartenders from all around the world to mix up some creations that you definitely would love to describe as strange. We welcome SaiMai from the ABar, Marriott Marquis in Bangkok whose skills behind the bar will ensure your romance with gin never ends, June Baek from Madam Fan, JW Marriott Singapore who innovates with a style that cannot be replicated and makes the restaurant such a must visit while in Singapore, Celia Bugallo from Kwant, London who ensures that she delivers an exceptional experience each time and learns from each of her customers. These international bartenders will supplement strong Indian talent namely Cindy, from Mr Hoots, Delhi, one of India's leading female bartenders working at one of the most renowned cocktail bars in the country, Sarita Sharma from JW Marriott Sahara, who is one of the only woman bar professionals at JW Marriott Mumbai Sahar and is super enthusiastic and passionate of her craft & Feruzan Bilimoria ,Brand Ambassador - Stranger & Sons Gin, who has participated and excelled in multiple cocktail competitions and had an illustrious bartender career before representing the gin.
Giving these women a platform to do what they do best, Stranger & Sons, will use their Inherently Indian gin to deliver tasteful cocktails with an Indian soul. Sakshi Saigal, CEO, Stranger and Sons, is one of the few female entrepreneurs in the food and beverage space behind an alcohol brand.. Celebrating the occasion, she says “Commemorating International women’s day with women from the industry whether from the initial production stage to those who make the bars a success, we have curated this event to be wonderfully strange and Indian Inspired! Keen to showcase India’s entrepreneurial side via a playful but interactive event, we would like to see the magic that these women can create with their own signature style and our precise recipe of inherently Indian gin”. So get set because “In a strange situation, no one is a stranger" and prepare to be amazed as these women prepare cocktails that tap on experiments gone absolutely right.
The Strange Gimlet tells a tale of the Gymkhana club in Delhi where a sari clad lady in her pearl necklace celebrated more than just India’s freedom or a Strange Gibson which was the epitome of perfection made by a man who had no time left to perfect his hunting skills. Inspired by these stories, these women will offer the best cocktails shaken, stirred and poured. That familiar dizzy feeling we get (from the impeccably balanced drink as well as their presence), that’s what the women bartenders promise to work with.
In a splendid opportunity to highlight the women’s community in our colourful nation, Stranger & Sons has curated events at Yauatcha, Soho House Mumbai & The Daily All Day, Mumbai in Mumbai to offer an experience like never before!
Yauatcha will host a bar takeover that would make the mystical creature proud of her discovery of the secret saree pocket. Handing over the bar to these accomplished bartenders and before launching a sparkling cocktail menu, Stranger and Sons will take patrons on a journey through Saimai’s, June’s and Sarita’s versions of the Gimlet and the Gibson along with their own signature cocktails. Summery, but inciting relevant and fond memories via the olfactory senses, these cocktails are a grand interpretation of mysticism tinged with poise.
Soho House Mumbai will see a fun and interactive experience with the brand via riddles that tantalise the brain. Solving clues and moving from secret room to room, members and guests will enjoy famous Stranger & Sons cocktails and clues. From a Strange G&T to Gimlets to exclusive Indian spirited cocktails, the entire experience is fashioned around a well-kept secret that warrants being unravelled.
The Daily All Day, Mumbai will host a brunch and bring everyone together for a common love of gin that makes our country so proud.
