Smooth Sips and Desi Tips: When Scotch Meets Tharra
One evening, my dad’s friend Santosh joined him for their customary evening liquor session. As they settled into their routine, Santosh launched into enthusiastic boasting.
“Bhaisaab, let me tell you about the finest whiskey I’ve ever had! I recently visited this rich guy’s house with a friend, and he served us this foreign whiskey. It was pure magic! The bottle had a black label with an old dude casually strolling with a stick and a hat. Smooth as butter, I’m telling you!”
Now, Santosh came from a background where desi tharra (country liquor) was the closest thing to top-shelf liquor. But my dad, thanks to my expert guidance in scotch appreciation, instantly recognized Santosh’s description as Johnnie Walker’s Black Label. And, for once in his modest life, he couldn’t resist a chance to flex his newfound knowledge.
“Ah, sounds like you’re talking about the Black Label. Yeah, it helps with my bowel movement, just like how bidis work for you in the morning,” Dad was trying to show off how black label is at the bottom of his liquor preference.
“But, how about trying something even better? My son brought it all the way from the US,” he continued, referring to one of the bottles from my Hyderabad collection that I had started transporting along with Anjali.
Santosh’s eyes practically turned into dollar signs at the mere mention of booze from America, and without skipping a beat, he eagerly replied, “Heck yeah, what is it?”
“It’s Johnnie Walker’s Gold Label. It’s a couple notches above the one you were just praising,” my dad proudly declared as he poured a shot.
Without bothering to add any soda or water, Santosh grabbed it and had it on the rocks!
“What do you think?” my dad asked eagerly.
“It knocks the Black Label out of the park! Pure smoothness, my friend. I feel like I’ve been blessed by the whiskey gods,” Santosh replied, clearly stunned by the quality.
“Want another one?” my dad offered.
“Absolutely!” Santosh exclaimed, not hesitating for a second. He downed the second one just as eagerly. A few minutes later, my dad asked, “How about another round?”
This time, Santosh hesitated. “As much as I’m loving this top-shelf stuff, it’s not quite hitting the spot. Got any desi tharra lying around?”
And that’s when it hit my dad. Santosh was way out of his depth with sophisticated scotch. Only a good ol’ desi tharra could give him the kick he craved. A scotch just wouldn’t cut it.
“Bandar kya jaane, Adrak ka swad (Pearls before swine).” He concluded as he narrated this hilarious tale to me the next morning.
