Wine works in most circumstances. Whites and reds usually pair with different foods so look up these online (there are plenty of pairing guides available). It is usually the safest (and easiest) bet. Most restaurants in India are not going to serve you more than a Sula or a Grover so there's not much brand snobbery to deal with.
Other stuff depends on your taste. Generally vodka, rum are considered more dehati and whisky, gin more refined. But there's no point ordering whisky if you can't stand the taste. So figure out what you like and go for it.
You know what's more classy? Being yourself and ordering what you feel like drinking. If you don't drink, stand your ground and don't get consumed by peer pressure or social pressure to drink. If you do drink, order what you want to. Drinking to impress usually is very unimpressive.
Your attitude, ability to converse, carry a conversation, make a point, knowledge of the law and current events are some of the qualities that will make you stand out. NOT what you drink. Oh and class shaming??? So not cool.
It's acceptable to order juice on the excuse that you are driving, or that you are on a diet. I saw a big client of my firm (a hotshot banker) do so. But then remember to address other materialistic factors, like expensive watch and shoes (this same client had a Rolex watch).
To impress clients, go for a Speyside single malt. Do not go for blended plebeian stuff like Blue Label or Chivas. Wines of that calibre are hard to get in India, but buying a proper French one (nothing below Premier Cru/First Growth) like a Chateau Latife/Mouton/Margaux. I broke the bank buying a Chateau Margaux once but those who know (the equity partner, the client) they know.
Ignore all the trolls below, or the naive frontbenchers telling you to "be yourself, and it doesn't matter". It absolutely matters, or you won't get re-invited to the right parties. If you don't know your way around alcohol, you will stick out in some circles.
First of all, you're framing your question wrong. It's not just about what to order. The more important thing is what NOT to do. You need to just get the basics right, and not be laughed at.
Here's everything you need to know.
1. First, as someone said, only wine, whiskey and gin carry cachet.
2. Do not order beer. This is the easiest way to appear nouveau riche/ clueless. Only college kids order it. There are plausible exceptions for craft beer and other hipster things, but its easiest to just ignore beer.
3. Do not order rum. This is the second easiest way to appear clueless. Only college kids order it. Work meetings are the wrong time to revert to Old Monk Nostalgia from college. Again, there are exceptions like Kraken and some Spanish rum, but that is for advanced drinkers, so avoid for now.
3. Do not order vodka. This is the third easiest way to appear clueless. It is uncool and has no cachet.
4. Whiskey. First of all, do not order soda. See above comments about college kids.
5. Only have whiskey with ice ("on the rocks"). It's also OK to have whiskey with some water, but just a "splash". 1 parts whiskey to 3 parts water is generally a good ratio. Any more water and you'll open yourself up to ridicule.
6. DO NOT DRINK WHISKEY LIKE WATER. Sip it slowly. The snobbish whiskey journals advise you to take nothing more than a sip of around a few drops, and let it coat your tongue, before swallowing it. A 30 ml pour should last you around 15-20 sips.
7. It's OK not to know the intricacies of whiskey brands, but here's the basics. Whiskey is divided into "single malt" (it is only made from one distillery) and "blended whiskey" (whiskey from many distilleries is blended into a consistent taste). Single malt is way up there on snob value, because of the "purity" and "unique character".
8. If you're a beginner, it's OK to stick to blends, but order the right brands. Price is generally a good indicator. Just download a few bar menus from Zomato and learn about different brands, then order things that are close in price to the brands I've listed below. But that comes with caveats. Firstly, DO NOT go for Chivas Regal or Johnny Walker Red Label. These are for nouveau riche types who dont understand whiskey, and it is mostly uncles who drink these along with chicken tikka. Order Johnny Walker Double Black ("it is slightly smoky, but not too smoky") or Monkey Shoulder. DO NOT order Johnny Walker Blue Label, unless someone offers it to you first.
9. If you're a beginner, there are some good single malts that are not too intimidating. Avoid Glenfiddich (pronounced Glen-fiddick, DO NOT say "fiditch"), since too many people know it. Glenlivet, Jura or Talisker are all good brands. It is also OK to order Amrut Fusion (Indian brand, but well regarded) or anything Japanese.
10. If the above brands are not available and you're stuck, don't worry. Audibly ask for JW Double Black or Talisker, and if they say that's not available then just pick something at random that isn't Chivas Regal or Glenfiddich.
11. Openly say you've mostly only had (insert brand from above) because you love the taste, but have not had too many other whiskies. Don't try to fake it beyond that. If you've done everything above, you've done enough to blend in (sorry not sorry) and not become a laughing stock.
12. Gin. First of all, the most important thing with gin is not the gin . It's the tonic water. Start by asking what tonic water they have. Fevertree is the gold standard, but Franklin is also good. Otherwise get Sepoy or Jimmys. If you don't want it too sweet, get Svami. As a last resort, take Schweppes. DO NOT ORDER SPRITE OR 7 UP OR COKE WITH GIN.
13.You can drink whiskey without ice, but you need ice for gin. At least 3 cubes, though even 8-10 cubes is OK. Use that to decide when to order what (time of day, weather). Generally, cold weather= whiskey with single or no ice cube, warm weather = gin. Daytime= gin, night= whiskey, but gin is also OK at night.
14. With gin, there are lots of brands, but there are a few that are "safe". Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Hendricks are all good in foreign gins. For Indian gins, Hapusa and Stranger and Sons are good. Avoid Beefeater, Gordons and Greater Than.
15. Most gins are citrusy, so you can have them with a slice of lemon. The exception is Hendricks. You need to have Hendricks with cucumber, and preferably with cucumber tonic water. DO NOT HAVE HENDRICKS WITH LEMON.
16. Avoid cocktails, unless the people you want to impress are also having them. DO NOT ever order Long Island Ice Tea. They use cheap alcohol and you will get a headache. Avoid Margaritas and Mojitos. Avoid anything with Blue Curacao. If you don't have an option with cocktails, just order a martini. Read the room and see if you can order a pinacolada. It's also very safe to ask the server if they can make a hot cocktail for you, and then go with whatever they recommend.
17. Slowly start reading about whiskies and gins, and trying them out with friends or even on your own. Use the above tips, until you get there.
Hope this helps. Will do a Part 2 on wine if I have time.
Johnny Walker Blue Label is flashy and mainly bought to show off. It's also often among the most expensive whiskies on the menu. If you order it, you will either come across as someone who doesn't know any other whiskies, or like a freeloader.
I absolutely detest people who do things to appear sophisticated - sophistication of the mind must always be the aim - not the appearance of it. If one is naturally curious about drinking and enjoying alcohol then you must spend the time to read and appreciate alcohol, not read a manual written by some pretentious prink on how to look like you enjoy alcohol.
It doesn't make a wit of a difference if you emphasis the "o" in Glenmorangie or not or if you have Old Monk with Thumbs-up at a party. Clients don't care and, in my opinion, you shouldn't care for the people who will judge you for being a "simpleton" if you don't know which tonic water to use with which gin. On gin: Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray are not "good" foreign gins - they are fine and I like(d) them, but no one will be impressed if you order Bombay Sapphire rather than Beefeater.
I can't believe that I live in a world where such people exist.
There is a big difference between (a) appearing sophisticated, and (b) not appearing unsophisticated. I suggest you learn the difference before you graduate.
I graduated more than a decade ago from law school.
I like bespoke suits and hand or Goodyear welted shoes. I enjoy cheese, speciality coffee, and (Chinese / Japanese) tea (ie not chai), and, at one time, I liked drinking spirits (and the gins recommended as "good" gins are nothing more than beginner gins - I wouldn't try to look cool by ordering Bombay Sapphire; in fact my first boss kept BS in their house for people they didn't wish to entertain with good alcohol). I also love watching theatre and attending Indian and Western classical music concerts.
Not one of these activities / hobbies were undertaken so that I can "look" sophisticated before a client or any other person. My curiosity lead me to these hobbies and I they are for my own consumption. Not to impress anyone.
Let me say this again: one must aspire for sophistication of the mind, not copy acts which make you appear sophisticated. If I would ever want to drink Old Monk and Thumbs-up; I would not hesitate in the least. One would have to be quite insecure to be happy pretending for a third person who doesn't give a shit about you.
No matter how much you will earn; with this attitude, you will never have class - only a pretense of class.
And you don't put 1:3 whisky to water. At best, you put a few drops of water to open the bouquet. Not 90ml of water in 30ml of whisky. Maybe 5ml of water in 30ml of whisky.
- Also, should the drink depend on the weather and the food?
Basically, I don't want to come across as a dehati in front of seniors and colleagues, in a world where you are judged on the watch you wear etc, .
Other stuff depends on your taste. Generally vodka, rum are considered more dehati and whisky, gin more refined. But there's no point ordering whisky if you can't stand the taste. So figure out what you like and go for it.
dosti ki spirit
First of all, you're framing your question wrong. It's not just about what to order. The more important thing is what NOT to do. You need to just get the basics right, and not be laughed at.
Here's everything you need to know.
1. First, as someone said, only wine, whiskey and gin carry cachet.
2. Do not order beer. This is the easiest way to appear nouveau riche/ clueless. Only college kids order it. There are plausible exceptions for craft beer and other hipster things, but its easiest to just ignore beer.
3. Do not order rum. This is the second easiest way to appear clueless. Only college kids order it. Work meetings are the wrong time to revert to Old Monk Nostalgia from college. Again, there are exceptions like Kraken and some Spanish rum, but that is for advanced drinkers, so avoid for now.
3. Do not order vodka. This is the third easiest way to appear clueless. It is uncool and has no cachet.
4. Whiskey. First of all, do not order soda. See above comments about college kids.
5. Only have whiskey with ice ("on the rocks"). It's also OK to have whiskey with some water, but just a "splash". 1 parts whiskey to 3 parts water is generally a good ratio. Any more water and you'll open yourself up to ridicule.
6. DO NOT DRINK WHISKEY LIKE WATER. Sip it slowly. The snobbish whiskey journals advise you to take nothing more than a sip of around a few drops, and let it coat your tongue, before swallowing it. A 30 ml pour should last you around 15-20 sips.
7. It's OK not to know the intricacies of whiskey brands, but here's the basics. Whiskey is divided into "single malt" (it is only made from one distillery) and "blended whiskey" (whiskey from many distilleries is blended into a consistent taste). Single malt is way up there on snob value, because of the "purity" and "unique character".
8. If you're a beginner, it's OK to stick to blends, but order the right brands. Price is generally a good indicator. Just download a few bar menus from Zomato and learn about different brands, then order things that are close in price to the brands I've listed below. But that comes with caveats. Firstly, DO NOT go for Chivas Regal or Johnny Walker Red Label. These are for nouveau riche types who dont understand whiskey, and it is mostly uncles who drink these along with chicken tikka. Order Johnny Walker Double Black ("it is slightly smoky, but not too smoky") or Monkey Shoulder. DO NOT order Johnny Walker Blue Label, unless someone offers it to you first.
9. If you're a beginner, there are some good single malts that are not too intimidating. Avoid Glenfiddich (pronounced Glen-fiddick, DO NOT say "fiditch"), since too many people know it. Glenlivet, Jura or Talisker are all good brands. It is also OK to order Amrut Fusion (Indian brand, but well regarded) or anything Japanese.
10. If the above brands are not available and you're stuck, don't worry. Audibly ask for JW Double Black or Talisker, and if they say that's not available then just pick something at random that isn't Chivas Regal or Glenfiddich.
11. Openly say you've mostly only had (insert brand from above) because you love the taste, but have not had too many other whiskies. Don't try to fake it beyond that. If you've done everything above, you've done enough to blend in (sorry not sorry) and not become a laughing stock.
12. Gin. First of all, the most important thing with gin is not the gin . It's the tonic water. Start by asking what tonic water they have. Fevertree is the gold standard, but Franklin is also good. Otherwise get Sepoy or Jimmys. If you don't want it too sweet, get Svami. As a last resort, take Schweppes. DO NOT ORDER SPRITE OR 7 UP OR COKE WITH GIN.
13.You can drink whiskey without ice, but you need ice for gin. At least 3 cubes, though even 8-10 cubes is OK. Use that to decide when to order what (time of day, weather). Generally, cold weather= whiskey with single or no ice cube, warm weather = gin. Daytime= gin, night= whiskey, but gin is also OK at night.
14. With gin, there are lots of brands, but there are a few that are "safe". Bombay Sapphire, Tanqueray, Hendricks are all good in foreign gins. For Indian gins, Hapusa and Stranger and Sons are good. Avoid Beefeater, Gordons and Greater Than.
15. Most gins are citrusy, so you can have them with a slice of lemon. The exception is Hendricks. You need to have Hendricks with cucumber, and preferably with cucumber tonic water. DO NOT HAVE HENDRICKS WITH LEMON.
16. Avoid cocktails, unless the people you want to impress are also having them. DO NOT ever order Long Island Ice Tea. They use cheap alcohol and you will get a headache. Avoid Margaritas and Mojitos. Avoid anything with Blue Curacao. If you don't have an option with cocktails, just order a martini. Read the room and see if you can order a pinacolada. It's also very safe to ask the server if they can make a hot cocktail for you, and then go with whatever they recommend.
17. Slowly start reading about whiskies and gins, and trying them out with friends or even on your own. Use the above tips, until you get there.
Hope this helps. Will do a Part 2 on wine if I have time.
Just 1 question though: why do say Blue Label should not be ordered?
It doesn't make a wit of a difference if you emphasis the "o" in Glenmorangie or not or if you have Old Monk with Thumbs-up at a party. Clients don't care and, in my opinion, you shouldn't care for the people who will judge you for being a "simpleton" if you don't know which tonic water to use with which gin. On gin: Bombay Sapphire or Tanqueray are not "good" foreign gins - they are fine and I like(d) them, but no one will be impressed if you order Bombay Sapphire rather than Beefeater.
I can't believe that I live in a world where such people exist.
I like bespoke suits and hand or Goodyear welted shoes. I enjoy cheese, speciality coffee, and (Chinese / Japanese) tea (ie not chai), and, at one time, I liked drinking spirits (and the gins recommended as "good" gins are nothing more than beginner gins - I wouldn't try to look cool by ordering Bombay Sapphire; in fact my first boss kept BS in their house for people they didn't wish to entertain with good alcohol). I also love watching theatre and attending Indian and Western classical music concerts.
Not one of these activities / hobbies were undertaken so that I can "look" sophisticated before a client or any other person. My curiosity lead me to these hobbies and I they are for my own consumption. Not to impress anyone.
Let me say this again: one must aspire for sophistication of the mind, not copy acts which make you appear sophisticated. If I would ever want to drink Old Monk and Thumbs-up; I would not hesitate in the least. One would have to be quite insecure to be happy pretending for a third person who doesn't give a shit about you.
No matter how much you will earn; with this attitude, you will never have class - only a pretense of class.
What rubbish! Atleast don't misguide children!