I See You, Once Again

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Nirav Thakker

While the master Blender was giving tasting notes and while Rishi was trying to keep an eye on his subject, somebody else was noticing him as well. Slyly through the corner of the eye. Wishing just that he would see her just once. Notice her as well. However, he was too engrossed in himself.
Suman had never thought that she would see him once again after the comedy night years ago. Much water had flown down the Ganges since then. But the feeling that she had felt towards him that day, she had not felt the same for anyone else. How was it possible, she wondered. She wanted to corner him. Tell him what she felt about him. She wondered if he felt the same as well; but she also wondered if he had even seen her at all.
She let out a heavy sigh. Was there any point wondering so much as well. What would he think of her as if she made the first move? But what was wrong in making the first move? Wasn’t this the time and age of equality among genders. No. Indian men would remain Indian men. The same stereotyped men. Ones who thought of every women as an object to use and once bored, throw them away and move. All that the men ever wanted was sex. Discuss marriage with them, discuss settling down with them and they would be faster than the Houdini at vanishing from the sight. Oh, what if this man was not like them. What if this man valued her, her feelings and did not want just her for her body. Thousands of questions and emotions were erupting in her mind.
Little did Suman realize that the group activities had changed from discussing the history to tasting the Scotch. She forced herself to come back to her senses. It was necessary if she had to enjoy what she had come here for. The entire group was now seated around a large table with the master Blender at the head seat. She tried noticing more of her surroundings. The entire setup was created to give the dramatic effect of having transported them back to the Victorian Eras when James MacKinlay would have taste his first blend! The table also seemed to be from the same set up. Large, heavy looking, made out of mahogany. The chairs were made of mahogany as well. Each had tall backs. It made her look puny and kid like when she tried imagining herself seated on the same chair in front of a mirror. It reminded her how the people back then lived in style!
One of the Assistants came around the table handing each a glass of Black Dog Scotch. The master went on to explain that the glass held the Centenary edition of the Scotch. He asked each to take a sip and let the group know what they thought about the flavour and what the contents that went on to prepare the Scotch would have been. Each had his own interpretation and thought about the flavour. This was repeated one after the other with each of the Black Dog Scotches available. Twelve year old, Eighteen year old and Twenty One year old. He even joked, that while in our country, one was eligible to vote at the age of eighteen, eligible bachelor at the age of twenty one, he could have the Scotch legally only at the age of Twenty Five. Oh so very unjust.
After all the versions of the world’s finest Scotch were discussed, each were handed out a paper with the real ways to taste and the real aromas that each Scotch had. Every one had gotten at least one item wrong or may be missed it out altogether.

Tasting Notes – Black Dog

Black Dog 21 Year Old:
Colour – intense amber gold with shimmering highlights
Nose – a harmony of delight orchestrated by a multitude of seductive aromas immediately arouse the senses. Soft peaches and ripe citrus fruits coupled with pear, marzipan and bergamot begin this flirtatious fanfare. The aged malt whiskies from the Speyside valley make their own inimitable contribution by adding that distinctive charm and finesse. Velvet and smooth. The hand of time in the finest sherry wood has weaved its magic spell to perfection.
Taste – Bold and magnificent. This outstanding blend must be given the reverence and respect it richly deserves. For twenty one year’s these aged single malts and grain whiskies have remained dormant in our cold dark warehouses before they were finally blended together by our master Blender. Therefore the spirit must be held long on the palate for at least twenty one seconds to awaken its many hidden attributes. Like a rare masterpiece it will reveal its inner beauty. It’s inner world. Intense flavours of Seville oranges, ripe sweet mangoes and ginger spice reward the palate, and then whispers of bitter chocolate, liquorices and crushed almonds drift lovingly on.

Black Dog 18 Year Old:
Colour: Deep, golden, glossy and mahogany.
Nose: A truly noble bouquet of luscious malty tones and rich velvety textures with a hint of dolorosa sherry in the background.
Taste: Round and mellow complex quixotic flavours with an impeccable balance of individual malt and grain whiskies and silky soft tones that dance on the tongue.
Finish: Luxuriously smooth and long, a testament to the malt & grain whiskies which have spent years in oak casks & vats.

Black Dog 12 Year Old:
Colour: Amber, with golden highlights.
Aroma: Robust malty, mellow woody, complex yet delicate aroma of sherry and vanilla
sweetness with whispers of soft peatiness in the background.
Palate: Beautifully rounded, heavy body, pronounced malty, mellow woody, fruity sweetness
with teasing light warm peat.
Finish: Luxurious and exciting, long and warm with a touch of cream.

Black Dog Centenary:
Colour: Amber with golden highlights.
Aroma: Matured wood, toasted malt, mild honey sweetness, delicate butterscotch bordering on cream,
with floral nuances that emerges at the end.
Palate: Robust body, pronounced rich malt and oak and sherry sweetness, spreads warmly in the
mouth like silent sea waves.
Finish: Balanced, long, intense and bright.

Won a contest

Posted on March 4, 2013 by Nirav Thakker

Rishi’s latest case was giving him a lot of fun. It was taking him to places he had never imagined nor ever dreamt of either. Earlier his subjects had dragged him into art galleries, museums and what not. But the latest subject was different. He was interested in not just the run of the mill art galleries etc., but also had an itch to know more about brewing scotch. Blame it on the social media group he was a part of.
Rishi had found himself getting actively involved in all the contests and conversations that his subject engaged himself in. He loved the fun of participating in the contests. Whether he won or not was a different story, but he made sure he was at the right place at the right time. This last contest had been held to get the social media more interested in the art and history of scotches. Rishi would never have let this chance go by. Whether his case had taken him there or not.
The entire entourage had been asked to assemble at a well known public place in the middle of the city. They group was then planned to be taken to the brewery where the entire process would be explained to them by a master Blender. The company that had organised the contest had kept the entire thing a secret about where they would be visiting and which brand’s brewery they would be visiting. Rishi’s joy knew no bounds when he saw the bus stop at the Black Dog’s brewery!
He always wanted to know what the process of making one of the world’s finest scotch was. After all, it was his favourite too. The master Blender started off with clearing the basic perception that everyone had. Black Dog was not named after a black canine! Everyone had thought it was named after the canine! So much for general knowledge. He went on to say that the birth of the great Scotch Whisky took place over 125 years ago when James MacKinlay of the second generation of the Leith Scotch Whisky blending family launched the masterful whisky by the name of Millard Black Dog. It is said that in the year 1883 Walter Millard, a Scot from the British East India Company came searching for the perfect Scotch and eventually discovered the great taste of this whisky in these misty shores of Scotland. Being a keen angler, Walter Millard named the whisky Black Dog in honour of his favourite salmon fishing fly used in the Spey and Tay rivers of Scotland since the early 19th century.
A spell bound Rishi was for a minute taken aback when his subject briefly went out of sight. However, things were back great when he returned just a minute later. The master Blender also gave tasting notes and let the group know how one was to taste the scotch and the qualities of each type of Black Dog Scotch that was available in the market.

The rich Heiress

Posted on March 3, 2013 by Nirav Thakker

Once upon a time there lived a happy family. A family with a father, mother and two kids. Both twins. While the older one was active, talkative and an extrovert, the other was coy, shy and an introvert. The older was called Sivani, the younger one was known as Sneha. Vani and Neha to family. Both had a normal childhood. Went to the best schools in the town. The parent couple was a model for all. They moved in all the known and right circles. Often hosted parties. But not all was well under the skin.
The mother had a problem of depression. The couple often quarrelled behind closed doors. The kids knew about the quarrels. They could do nothing ‘bout it though. All that they could do was cringe at the sounds coming through the door. One fine evening, in a fit of rage, the mother emptied a bottle of sleeping pills, took Vani and left in the car. Never to return. When the wreckage was found, the bodies were badly mutilated and charred beyond recognition. Neha was left behind because she had been to a friends place nearby. She never could forgive her father. She thought he was the reason behind the suicide.
Things changed after the accident. Neha turned into cold Sneha. She tried all that was possible to turn into Vani. She suddenly changed into an extrovert. But inside, she shivered each time she thought. Her father also changed. He spent more time inside his study and office. The only contact the two if ever had, it was during the dinner, sometimes only. The two avoided each other like plague.
Sneha’s palatial house had all the comforts that one could only imagine. The best cars; Ferraris, Beemers, Mercs; the best perfumes; Azzaro, Burberry; they only wore designer labels from half way across the globe;Dolce and Gabbana, Gucci, Armani. The palatial house also housed a bar that the parents had made to entertain the guests who often came home. The parties always had liquor flowing like water. The favorite being one of the world’s best, Black Dog.
Sneha had taken to drinking secretly and often smuggled bottles to her room in the dead of the night. With age, her weirdness only increased, and so did her despise for her father. She was sure to do everything that she could to annoy him, including colouring her like a parrot to creating a wall decorated with all the different types of bottles of Black Dog Scotch. She showed her creative best when she had to annoy her Dad the most. She left no stone unturned. Despite all this, Sneha had grown up to be a fine lawyer and a women’s rights activist.
Her dogged family life had also left another scar on her. She could never trust a man. She had been so often in and out of relationships that it was hard to tell what was more; her ex boyfriends or her clothes in her wardrobe. Her parents’ friends now cringed at the very sight of her. She had also become an eyesore at her father’s office. The employees there cast a sad glance at her each time she would leave the office crying after one of those fights and her father’s partners tried to ensure the two, the father and daughter, never got any close.

A few weeks earlier

Posted on March 2, 2013 by Nirav Thakker

Sneha had been bitching incessantly about her boyfriend. She seemed to be totally inconsiderate of the fact that Suman was no longer listening and was lost in her own world. Sneha’s boyfriend had been recently caught in a compromising position with another girl. This expose had been orchestrated with a TV show in the tie. She had been seeing such instances happening very often in the last few weeks. This had raised a suspicion in her mind for long and the answer how loyal her guy was dogged her for long.

Suman was a TV Show producer and worked with a well known production house. She was also the person who ha seen to it that Sneha had gotten rid of the douchebag as soon as possible. She worked with the same production house that produced the loyalty test show. Being a part of the media industry meant that she often was privy to some of the best page three parties in the town. She chose not to attend those was a different question altogether. Today was however different. Sneha had dropped by her place and managed to pull her out of hiding to a party she had intended to throw. After all, Sneha owed Suman one.

Sneha’s Dad was one of the richest people in town. He owned the TV Channel where Suman’s shows were aired. The two had come across each other at the Channel house when Sneha was in a huff after having an umpteenth fight with her Dad. Choicest expletives were being exchanged between the father and daughter. Suman had ignored and had gone straight to the cafeteria. The cafeteria was teeming with all kinds of people and was full of gossip and incessant chatter. She found the sole empty table and settled down there.

After the fight Sneha had rushed out of the office but then decided against it and took to the cafeteria for a cup of cold coffee. Unfortunately for her, the cafeteria had been full. There was only one table that had one alone chair inviting her. Being the spoilt brat, she sploshed down on the chair without any permissions or pleasantaries and yelled out her order. “One Cold Coffee with double ice cream now!” Suman had not liked this attitude but ignored. After all she was not concerned. Sneha was not like that. She started off with her rants. She poured herself to Suman. This was the first time she had poured her woes out to someone. Suman sympathised with Sneha.

Nobody till this date has any clue how then these two totally different girls become thickest of the pals. However, Sneha post this would be found only at Suman’s place if she was not sleeping over at her boyfriend’s place. She seldom went home. Even if she did, it was only for her clothes or for more money.

Sneha’s party did not look like it was in any mood to get over soon. Suman grew impatient by the minute. Finally not being able to hold any longer, Suman had wandered out of the party area into another event that was happening. She hoped it would be better here. The event read “Black Dog Comedy Evenings with Russell Peters”. She dragged herself there hoping to get her evening better. And she had been right. Russell had had soothing effect on her and had left her in splits. She was having a gala time.

It was here that she had first seen him. A rather simple looking guy, yet fairly handsome. Not so fair, yet not so dark. She had some how felt an attraction towards him. She kept looking at him for the rest of the evening. The guy never noticed though. She wanted to talk to him but then she could not. She had been tongue tied. Her phone buzzed incessantly. She could let the world wait for him.

A Fine Evening

Posted on March 1, 2013 by Nirav Thakker

I am starting out a story that I am planning to build. I would be posting an episode daily. I haven’t thought of a suitable title for the story yet and would be hosting a poll at the end of the series to get it a suitable name.

It was a fine evening and Rishi was relaxing in the bar. He had had a fairly rough day at work and was badly in need of unwinding. It being a Friday today, he had plans to hit his favourite hangout; the place where he generally picked up his weekend dose of fun and girls; the Kama Sutra Bar at Hotel Ashok. The place was famous for having the best pick from the entire town!

Rishi was a Private Detective, 30, suave, unmarried and a playboy with the girls! He had had enough of being pestered around by his parents to get married but had no intentions of doing so. He lived alone in Bangalore, away from his parents who stayed in Lucknow. He had come down to the city to make a living out of working for a software firm but then things had not worked out as he had intended. He was soon out of job thanks to the recession. Just when he was planning to go back to his parents in Lucknow, his friend Bobby had introduced him to Sunny, a Private Detective and the two hit it off well. The money was good, and even better was the prospect of being at the best places at the client expenses. His clients were mostly women who wanted to know what their husbands were up to. Today, he had successfully solved a high profile case.

Once at Kama Sutra Bar, Rishi ordered his favourite drink, Black Dog Scotch, 21 years old blend on the rocks. He loved sipping the scotch. It always left a fine taste in his mouth. It was a relief after the down market whisky he had been drinking at the dingy dungeon like place while tailing his client. Since Rishi was a regular at the bar, it was only one Bar Tender who served him, Alex.

Alex was someone who was known to his colleagues as a fun loving person. Always alive and had never had a dissatisfied client. It was his capability to entertain clients and get them to mingle that kept him everybody’s favourite.

Today, the bar was empty. The people had not started pouring in yet and Rishi had come in early. Out of curiosity or out of plain humor, Alex asked Rishi why he preferred Black Dog over the other brands. Rishi was not surprised. He had thought of it often too. But then one swig and he knew why he chose it. The brand was over a hundred years old. 130 to be precise and carried true Scottish legacy on its shoulders like a responsibility. It was an international luxury brand. One to which people all over the world relaxed to. One of the world’s finest Scotch Whiskeys! Beyond that Rishi loved the colour. It was intensely golden and had shimmering highlights. It tasted bold and magnificent. Intense flavors of Seville oranges, ripe sweet mangoes and ginger spice rewarded the palate and then whispers of bitter chocolate, liquorices and crushed almonds drifted lovingly on. Just like a lady in the arms melting just after a deep passionate kiss. The smell was no less. Soft peaches and ripe citrus fruits coupled with pear, marzipan and bergamot all blended well by a master, one who was definitely a magician in disguise!

Alex had certainly not expected so much of knowledge about the scotch from a person like Rishi. After all, Rishi was known to Alex as only a guy who often came to the bar to relax, unwind and enjoy. This was the first time Alex realised Rishi to be a fairly learned and a well-travelled person! Rishi loved to refer to these as just his, personal evenings, Black Dog Easy Evenings!

Just then someone caught Rishi’s eye. She was stunningly beautiful and he had never seen her at the bar earlier. She was just the right person he would call living in style!