Jaipur New: Local Alcoholic Beverages

The recipe came from the Kanota family, thikanedars of Jaipur State, and lists more than 80 ingredients including sandalwood, nutmeg and dried fruits. It was the first heritage brand to return to production when the state distillery restarted in 2018. Classed as a winter liqueur, it is drunk in 30ml measures rather than long pours.

Saffron carried from Kashmir once made this the most extravagant liqueur in the Jodhpur court, paired with musk from the Himalayan deer. Musk was dropped after the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, and the current recipe uses milk, crystal sugar, ghee, saffron, herbs and nuts. Roger Moore is reported to have taken to it while filming Octopussy in Rajasthan.

A House of Marwar recipe developed at Kishangarh from an older palace liqueur known as Manmohan. Herbs, spices, seasonal fruit, murabba and barks go into the blend, along with milk and clarified butter. It is treated as a winter drink and served warm in some households. The taste is sweeter and fruitier than Chandr Hass.

The recipe traces to the Sodawas cellars of Jodhpur and passed to Thakur Bishan Singh of Osian as a jagir from Maharaja Umaid Singh. It sits at the bitter end of the heritage range, built on herbs and barks rather than fruit or saffron. Production is smaller than the flagship brands, so availability is inconsistent.

Rose petals grown near Pushkar are picked in the morning and distilled the same evening in copper pots at Mahansar, in Shekhawati. The Shekhawat family has distilled there since 1768, and this rose liqueur is their best-known product. It is bottled at around 43 percent and taken as a digestif. Honey, cardamom and clove sit behind the floral note.