#TG Life
The Botanist Gin, hosted for the first time in India, a unique immersive experience titled The Botanist Wild 22 culminated in a bartending competition. Combining the world of The Botanist gin with their stellar mixology talents, 22 of India’s best bartenders competed for the title of ‘The Botanist Wild One’ as a part this unique three-day exploratory journey.
The final competition on Day-3 was held at Firefly, one of India’s hottest new bars. Participating bartenders invented their signature Gin cocktail featuring one locally foraged ingredient. The winner Evgenya Prazdnik was awarded the title of ‘The Botanist Wild One’ by a 4-member panel including Caitlin Hill, Matt Whiley, celebrity Chef Vicky Ratnani and artisanal bread-maker Sujit Sumitran.
The winning cocktail was served to guests as the evening culminated with ‘The Botanist Wild 22 Night’“ a celebration of the entire journey and experience.
The winner of the competition Evgenya Prazdnik who created a cocktail titled “Jungle Calling” wins a chance to visit Scotland to be part of a unique experience at the birthplace of The Botanist, in the wild Hebridean island of Islay, in March 2020.
The gin movement in India has seen us evolving into the world’s fifth-largest gin consumer. Today, every bar has a dedicated space for innovative gin-based concoctions that feature this versatile spirit being stirred with not only flavored tonics but locally sourced botanicals, fruits and herbs. With juniper berries and natural botanicals as its base and a strong association with refreshment, it’s only natural that this drink is taking the tropical climes of India by storm, with The Botanist gin leading the way!
Foraging is the art of searching for wild food resources within botanical surroundings. With an increasing focus on using locally sourced and produced ingredients, the process of foraging took center stage in this interactive experience. A learning expedition with an expert highlighting the rules of sustainable foraging was carried out for all guests in a private spice and fruit farm in South Goa, where all bartenders foraged for a minimum of one local ingredient that they used for the cocktail competition.
The number ‘22’ is particularly significant as it represents the 22 hand-foraged local island botanicals that delicately augment the berries, barks, seeds & peels that go into the making of The Botanist. In addition to the morning of foraging, other highlights included mixology lessons with the experts, dinners at secret locations in the wilderness of tropical Goa and fishing sessions. The Botanist Wild 22 journey blends the world of gin with the best of the local flavours and ethos of Goa.
