A British friend of mine once asked me about the best thing from India. My instant reply was, “Old Monk!”

Your bar is incomplete without a bottle of Old Monk. Old Monk will be the only alcoholic drink in a bar of a devout follower of Old Monk. It’s worth pointing out that the beaming old man has developed a legion of followers without a single rupee being spent on advertising, according to Mohan Meakin Pvt. Ltd., the producers of Old Monk- A remarkable achievement when you consider that rum in India is synonymous with the brand.

So, what is it that makes it special? According to Rajat, a traveler and a photographer, it is the smoothest drink he has come across. It is smooth, mellow and has a sweet taste. He likes it with Thums Up with a twist of lime, he added.  “It is simply the best!”, said Dr. H. Das.

As mentioned in the website of the creators of Old Monk, “Old Monk Rum is classical 7 years old blended velvet smooth dark rum, with a hint of vanilla; it has an alcohol content of 42.8%. Its taste is smooth, the fragrance is caramel – and the consistence is fine chocolate alike, it is suitable to enjoy as a long drink as well as a shot. With the first drop of Old Monk Rum, the sheer aroma of distilled cane sugar grown in lush green fields of India. It is the Drink of Gods and Lords of India.”

What is so amazing is that it has not changed over the years. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for the loyalty it commands. Throughout the country, in ramshackle wine spots, bootleggers’ pockets, the most expensive bars, the rooms of students no matter how old they are, the research scholar frustrated with life, the rich and the poor – Old Monk enjoys a loyal following throughout the country.

So what is it about Old Monk that makes it different?

Is it the beautifully carved bottle? Or the vanilla essence in the taste? Or is it the lack of any hangover in the morning the next day? Nobody knows. May be it’s a combination of all the three, and more.And when a few friends get together, Old Monk stands for a little fun, a little nostalgia, and some good time.

Hic !

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