‘A Great Whisky Already Has Something To Say’: Monica Berg
Co-owner of London’s award-winning Tayēr + Elementary bar, Monica Berg doesn’t just mix cocktails, she redefines them. Berg has earned accolades for crafting cocktails known for their flavour and balance, catapulting the bar into the ranks of the world’s best. During her first visit to India in collaboration with Johnnie Walker Black Label, she held a masterclass in Gurugram for bartenders, industry insiders, and whisky enthusiasts, which focussed on exploring this spirit beyond the usual soda serves.
In India, where whisky is often seen as a man’s drink enjoyed neat or on the rocks, Berg’s takeover demonstrated how whisky cocktails can be refined and modern while still respecting the spirit’s character. Known for challenging conventions, she emphasised that by always following others, one will never lead. “It is important to find the courage to be different, challenge old ideas and push them further,” she told her audience.
A Whisky-First Philosophy
It was not a class that handed out recipes for cocktails, but focussed on how to approach them as ideas. Her starting point was Johnnie Walker Black Label, a whisky known for its balance of smoke, sweetness, and spice. Instead of treating whisky as a spirit to be softened, Berg said it should remain the central note in every drink. But rather than dressing it up with sugar or soda, she demonstrated how bartenders can mix drinks that highlight it. “A great whisky already has something to say. Our job is to help people hear it more clearly,” she told the class.
According to Berg, bartenders must first of all know every single bottle on the shelf. Then by starting with the whisky’s natural profile and enhancing it thoughtfully, they can make drinks that feel modern yet timeless because true creativity comes from understanding the spirit first.
The Masterclass: Building Flavour with Precision
Moving beyond theory into practical craft, she went on to explain that one can sip whisky or pair it — there’s no wrong way to enjoy it. Walking the audience through her approach to cocktails, she explained that innovation should focus on flavour, clarity and balance and emphasised that while bartenders today have access to many techniques and gadgets, nothing substitutes for flavour, which must always be the prime objective.
Berg pointed out that a whisky like Johnnie Walker Black Label already has history, craftsmanship, and flavour. “Our role is to respect that. Creativity is important to a certain degree, but creativity for the sake of creativity is pointless in our industry, because we are not artists, painters, or musicians,” she said. Berg recalled that years ago, when she asked someone at Johnnie Walker about the whisky’s recipe, they told her there is no recipe but only a flavour profile in which every single bottle is made.
She also taught the class the importance of precision. “Before creativity and mixology, there is organization, methodology, and order. Because an idea is only good if you can scale it, replicate it and measure it so that it can happen again and again and again,” Berg said.
She explained that one must never add heat to fresh ingredients such as fruit and always use the best quality culinary produce. “If you are using top tier alcohol or spirits to make these cocktails, then why would you put some flavourless lemon, lime, strawberry or tomato into the cocktail,” Berg asked the class. Demonstrating her characteristic minimalist style, she said that one must not also embellish cocktails with unnecessary garnishes or distracting theatrics but keep the focus firmly on the drink.
Bar Takeover
Keeping the flavour profile of whisky in mind, Berg made four whisky cocktails at the masterclass and created the same at the bar takeover later that evening. The first was “Espresso Dust”, which was Johnnie Walker Black Label with passion fruit and coffee. Then came “The Citrus Step” made with Neroli and Ginger Ale.
“The Wild Dust” was more complex – it included aromatised wine, Oloroso sherry, Vetiver Gris Liqueur, Oak, Moss and Habanero. And the final one came with a note long familiar to Indians. Besides Fino Sherry and Nectarine, the “Nectar Bloom” came with green cardamom. She’s one of the few people who can use both hands. Seeing her stir the drinks with both her hands during the bar takeover at Lair was quite a sight.
A Legacy Beyond the Glass
The masterclass also focussed on other nuances of cocktail culture such as glassware and service. Berg pointed out that even the most perfectly crafted drink can fail if it’s awkward to carry or uncomfortable to sip in the glass in which it is served.
By the end of her session, Berg had inspired a shift in mindset as attendees fathomed the art of creating whisky cocktails that retain its heritage and complexity, which whisky aficionados cherish deeply.
As India’s spirits culture continues to evolve with a new focus on cocktails, Berg’s visit will help bartenders to become more innovative and encourage whisky lovers to savour their favourite drink in new ways.
