How did rum become such a significant part of the Indian drinking culture? From army officers to college students, the cult of rum has many a devotee. But why? One finds the answer to this, as well as many other interesting questions in Magandeep Singh’s new book The Indian Spirit: The Untold Story of Alcohol in India. “It has something do with what the armed forces got as part of their stocks, or in their army canteens,” Singh writes, explaining rum’s popularity in India. Before long, rum had established an “unquestionable supremacy” over people’s palates. As a certified sommelier, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that Singh knows a lot more about spirits, especially wine, than others. His book The Indian Spirit, presented as a chronological narrative, delves into the spirit of drinking and alcohol consumption in the country over the years. In doing so, it establishes, in a lucid and fascinating manner, the reasons as to why Indians share a love-hate relationship with alcohol and how we were never the teetotalers the world thought us to be. There are also many interesting anecdotes in the book: did you know that alcohol dates back to the era of Alexander? Or that the great conqueror once organised an ‘Indian drinking Olympics’? The book is punctuated with such fun anecdotes and quips. But the book isn’t just a history lesson about alcohol. It’s more akin to a chronicle of events that shaped alcohol’s existence in Indian society.
“Alcohol was as much a homegrown essential as any other staple,” Singh writes, revealing that India was among the first civilisations to learn the science of distillation and put it to optimum use. The author also explains the rationale behind many common debates surrounding alcohol. Take, for instance, the spelling of whisky/whiskey. Singh explains that ‘whisky’ is how the Scots spell it. The Americans insert an ‘e’ to distinguish their drink from bourbon, or to “break away from European shackles”! Another interesting feature of the book is the number of personal tips provided by the sommelier on how to judge alcohol, know the best brands, how to improve drinking etiquette, etc. In that sense, it can also serve as a guidebook for novice connoisseurs! The Indian Spirit is a light-hearted read, a book you can enjoy on a Sunday afternoon with a beer in hand.
