

While the song ‘It’s the most wonderful time of the year’ is often associated with Christmas, for us at Maharaja Drinks that time of year begins at Diwali. The festival of lights heralds for us, the start of a jam-packed social schedule, filled with dinners, soirées, feasting and of course, sipping on some of the finest Indian drinks.
We gathered the Maharaja Drinks Sabha (a.k.a. our Founders who, if you haven’t met them yet, you can get acquainted with them here) to find out how they’re spending this festive weekend.
For The Accountant, celebrations have already begun with a Diwali dinner at Emsworth’s Darbar restaurant where we were delighted to see a selection of Indian spirits and wines from our emporium. Diwali day itself will include a Bollywood Matinee show at home, accompanied by murukku and achappam alongside our ever-popular Masala Cola and other Borecha kombuchas.
The main event for The Accountant is a dinner for 10 at home with a menu reflecting his Keralan and Bengali heritages - from mini idlis to jal moori, biryani and mishti doi to name but a few of the dishes that will be upon the table. And of course, a selection of Indian wines including Fratelli J’Noon White and Reveilo Nero D’avola. “Be sure to open and decant that red wine 2-3 hours before dinner to really get the best out of it,” he adds. And instead of a typical dessert wine, he’s opting for the Rhythm Pineapple Wine.
The Resident Hippie, while not of Indian heritage himself, has spent many a Diwali in India over his 30 years of travelling the country for work and pleasure. “Such is India and such is Diwali,” he says “Always a complete indulgence of the senses, sights, smells and tastes that one will never forget”.
While his Diwali this year is a quieter affair, it’s an opportunity to reminisce on his times in India. “A time for reminiscing and planning in equal measure. Out with the old, and in with the new - always with a drink in hand.” And his drink of choice? “I’ll start with a dry martini, using Broken Bat gin as the base, before moving on to Indri Trini Single Malt Whisky”
For our Brand Guru, his Southern Indian roots means Diwali starts very early in the day. And, as anyone who needs to wake up at 4am will agree, coffee is a must to kick start the day. “The aroma, frothiness and bitter-sweet taste of Blue Tokai coffee reminds me so much of my childhood,” he shares.
The day continues with prayers and a traditional meal, and then things ramp up for the evening with fireworks, fun and of course a feast. “We will begin the evening with a round of celebratory drinks,” says the Brand Guru. “We’ll have the Grover Zampa Soiree Brut as well as G&Ts with one of my favourite gins in the world, Hapusa”. Of course, whisky will be on offer for those who are so inclined.
The Surgeon has opted for Rampur Asava and Rhythm Alphonso Mango wine to accompany his feast of Punjabi vegetarian food and sweets. “It happens to be my brother-in-law's 65th birthday,” he adds. “So it is a double celebration on the 1st.”
The celebrations continue on Saturday, with a ‘share a dish’ party with a mix of vegetarian and non-vegetarian food, with plenty of drinks flowing. A bottle of Indri Dru Indian whisky is awaiting its debut at The Surgeon’s house on this day.
The Ski and Sailing Instructor is already well into the festive mood, commencing his celebration at London’s Diwali on the Square event in Trafalgar Square. Ease is the name of the game for him when it comes to cooking, and this year’s pick is a classic Butter Chicken to pair with a mix of Indian beers. “After dinner, we take advantage of the view from my balcony to watch the fireworks over London,” he shares. “And we’ll be sipping some Grover Zampa Soiree Brut this year to round off our evening”.
We are delighted to have welcomed a sixth member of our Sabha, who is based in India and shares with us his plans for celebrating in the homeland. "One of the traditions we have is making rangoli together - all of us," he shares. "A lot of colours, and a lot of arguments over designs!" On the table, there'll always be matar kachoris - usually made as an offering for the puja, but enjoyed by all. Tea - of the oolong variety in this case - is a staple of the day, but both Hapusa and Jaisalmer Indian gins are crowd favourites when it comes to cocktails at his abode.
And so begins our busiest but much-loved time of year, filled with feasting and frolicking, with our favourite made in India drinks keeping our glasses filled. If you're looking for inspiration for your own Diwali or festive celebration, perhaps we may tempt you to serve up some new cocktails for your guests? Take a look at our Indian cocktail recipes for inspiration.
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