The ‘Spiced Cardamom Mumbai Mist’ is where India’s iconic street-side chai collides with modern mixology in a glass thrumming with both adventure and nostalgia. Inspired by the infinite stalls of Mumbai peddling their fragrant, complex masala chais, this drink brings familiar warmth and vibrance to an entirely new context—a chilled, stirring cocktail with vivid layers of spice and citrus.
Chai is intertwined with daily life in India unlike perhaps any other beverage. Spiced chai is believed to have its origins in royal Ayurvedic practices, but rapidly became a drink of the masses after the arrival of British tea in the subcontinent. Today, millions of small roadside 'chaiwallahs' brew tea with bold black leaves and a licorice-bright tangle of spices, adding milk, sugar, and always, their own subtle signature balance.
Here, this quintessential comforting drink is reinterpreted as a cocktail (or even presented as a mocktail by omitting gin) that remains respectfully tethered to the ritual of social sipping but is bold in its execution—undaunted by the prospect of blending East with West.
There’s an enigmatic complexity in both Mumbai and quality chai: bustling abundance of aromas, bitter-edged stories, a mingling of seemingly-colliding voices that somehow sync into sublime harmony. Watching the creamy cascades and aromatic swirls collide in this drink, I’m always once again reminded of Mumbai’s evenings—of insistent pouring rains, twirling rickshaws, laughter leaking out of every alley, carried constantly on the back of steam rising from endless kettles. ‘Spiced Cardamom Mumbai Mist’ is a love letter to those layered, living moments, condensed into a clear glass where heritage and innovation live side by side.
Whether enjoyed on your own balcony to conjure wandering memories, or shared as a showstopper at a gathering keen for a true taste adventure, this creation is proof that iconic flavors—when treated with respect, knowledge, and a dose of whimsy—can always be reborn.