Udaipur New: Local Alcoholic Beverages

Saffron leads a blend that also carries almond, cardamom, nutmeg and rose. It is classed as a winter liqueur and served neat in small measures. The recipe reached the state distillery through the royal house of Jodhpur. Musk was dropped from the formula after the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.

Herbs and spices are distilled into a dark liqueur with a bitter edge. It is grouped with the winter bottlings and drunk neat after a meal. The recipe comes from the same set of princely formulas acquired by the state distillery. Bottles carry a premium price, so measures are usually poured small.

Udaipur's brewpubs pour unpasteurised beer made on the premises. Wheat beers and lagers dominate the taps, since both suit the heat. Tasting flights let you work through the range in small measures. The venues sit outside the old city, mostly along the Bhuwana and Celebration Mall corridor. Wheat beer is the usual starting point.

Indigenous herbs and spices are fermented and distilled for this bottling. It belongs to the winter group of the Royal Heritage range. Production has been intermittent since the label was revived, so availability varies. Ayurvedic preparations sit behind the recipe, as they do across the range. Ask at the bar before ordering a measure.

Jaggery and Indian date are fermented in earthen pots for a fortnight. The wash is then distilled with milk and fennel. Maturing in ceramic runs for close to six years. The liqueur turns milky white when water is added. It is treated as a summer bottling and as a digestive.