The ambience was heady from the word go. The air was thick with smoke. Bartenders, both the proven ones and the wannabes, from across the country had gathered at a city hotel a Martini Grand Prix, a competition to demonstrate their skills and finesse in the art of mixology and working flair, the two integral aspects of bartending.

In mixology, the bartender is supposed to make a deadly cocktail with ingredients that would be heady yet light on the drinker. Working flair comes with balancing the two and it also involves juggling of bottles as well.

Jaffer Sadiq from Blue Bar said that he always attempts at making a realistic drink that is refreshing.

“Mixing is like a scientist who mixes the ingredients to come up with a perfect medicine,” he reasoned. Sunil Singh chose to stick to his magic box which specified what ingredients must be used.

He wished to call his drink, A Kiss of Heaven. “I want my drink to transcend the people into a heavenly bliss,” he said. His choice was a mix of fruit and alcohol in light measure. He largely restricted himself to fresh orange. “My drink must make people feel alive,” he added.

Sani, a woman bartender from Hyderabad, flaunted her skill at flaring. She practices flaring for nothing less than four hours a day. She gets the mix and balances the bottle perfectly well. Juice syrup and lemon formed large portions of her blend.

Another lady Dipannita Mohanty from the Marriot in Hyderabad said that women bartenders get a great deal of attention. Her mixing depends on the sense of taste. With a keen sense one can not only command popularity but it serves as an excellent PR exercise.
“I like my cocktail based on the food I eat. I concentrate 90 per cent on food and the rest on the cocktail. Drink must suit the palate,” she reasoned.