July 2024

[India] Indian staff tastes Japanese RTD Sour What is the taste preferred by Indians? Part 2Introduction.
This time, the second round of sake tasting will be conducted. Last time, lemon sours werecompared to each other, and the preferred flavors were those with a good balance between"subtle lemon flavor/taste" and "sweetness. In this second round, we will ask participants totry various flavored sakes and consider what tastes are preferred.
Related Article:[India] Indian staff tastes Japanese RTD Lemon Sour - What is the taste preferred by Indians?

Attitudes toward alcohol, culture
Before I get down to business, I would like to introduce the members who participated inthis tasting.
This time, we dug a little deeper and asked about their drinking habits.
Mr. A: Male, in his 30s. He drinks alcohol about once every three months, and his favorite
alcoholic beverages are beer and whiskey. He often drinks at parties and other gatherings,
and drinks at friends' houses, gatherings, weddings (pre-wedding gatherings of friends),
and sometimes at home. I don't often drink alcohol alone.
Mr. S: 30s, male. Drinks alcohol about once a week. His favorite drinks are beer andwhiskey. I often enjoy drinking with a group of friends. Drinks at bars, restaurants, etc. I
sometimes enjoy drinking alone.
Mr. P: Male, in his 20s. He used to drink alcohol once every three months, but now drinks
twice a week. The reason is that alcohol is cheap in Delhi and Haryana, so it is easy to gethold of.(＊1)

Basically, he drinks all kinds of alcohol, but prefers whiskey and vodka tobeer. I drink mostly in bars and restaurants when I am in the mood to party. I have neverTranslated with AI Translator© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

drank alone before.
Mr. H: 30s, male, drinks alcohol about once or twice every two to three months, and his
favorite drink is whiskey (Scotch). I often go out for a drink with friends when I feel likedrinking, and I also enjoy drinks at bars, etc. About 2 out of 5 times, I enjoy drinks alone.
Mr. Sa: 40s, male. He drinks alcohol once or twice a week. He drinks a variety of alcoholic
beverages, but prefers rum in winter and gin in summer. He drinks at home, bars,restaurants, and sometimes at friends' houses. He drinks mostly with family and friends andrarely drinks alone.
1 In India, different states have different liquor taxes. For example, Goa imposes a 49%tax, while the highest state, Karnataka (Bangalore), imposes an 83% liquor tax.
https://english.jagran.com/india/liquor-prices-in-india-goa-has-cheapest-booze-karnatakatops-chart-statewise-list-of-alcohol-prices-10103195
As before, most enjoy drinking with friends and are less likely to drink at home or drink
alone. They also rarely drink with their families and do not tell their families that they drink.
The reason for this seems to be that India is not a culture that is tolerant of alcohol bynature. One of the people we asked stated, "Alcohol was a taboo in India. Therefore, it
seems that the parents' generation is more strict about alcohol. When asked, "What would
you do if you knew your parents drank alcohol? They would be told, "Don't drink alcohol, domore good deeds. Compared to their parents' generation, the current generation isbecoming more accepting of the drinking lifestyle and will probably become more tolerant ofalcohol, albeit gradually.
I was also told that in Delhi, some people drink alcohol in a way called "Car-o-Bar (Carover)". Car-over is to enjoy alcohol in a car. They go out with friends, buy drinks, order
food, stop the car, and enjoy it in the car. Since drinking alcohol in pubs and restaurants isexpensive, this is a more economical way to enjoy alcohol.
However, of course, drunk driving is enforced in India, and drinking in public falls under theIndian Penal Code. According to a police officer in Noida, a newly developed city nearDelhi, anyone found drinking in public, including in a parked car, will be arrested for a firstoffense. (*2) In Haryana, another state adjacent to Delhi, a fine of 5,000 rupees will beimposed for the first offense of drinking alcohol in public, including inside a car. (*3)
2 Noida residents complain against ‘car-o-bar’ on isolated road in Sector 77 - Hindustan Times
3 Haryana declares war on ‘car-o-bar’, a la Delhi; pay up Rs 5,000 if caught | India News - The Indian Express© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

Restaurants and bars where members often go fordrinks
I myself often drink alcohol, but unlike in Japan, there are not many cozy bars in India.
Bars, however, often have restaurants attached to them, and basically, places where you
can drink are also places where you can enjoy food. In addition, many of them have DJs
performing on weekends.
So we asked the members who participated in the tasting session to introduce their favorite
bars and restaurants that they usually frequent.

1. Fio Bar and Restaurant
It has a restaurant and bar with European and modern Indian cuisine. They can enjoy
drinks in a stylish atmosphere.
Restaurant Instagram
Bar Instagram

2.

Whisky Samba

As the name suggests, this is a restaurant where you can enjoy Japanese cuisine (with anatmosphere similar to Japanese cuisine overseas) and where whiskey and cocktails are themain attraction.

3.

ReSet By Plan B

This restaurant mainly serves Indian food. While the above two restaurants are a bit
expensive, ReSet By Plan B is more like a beer hall and not too expensive.

© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

Tasting part
This time, five different flavors were prepared.

From left to right
Taco High, Hyoketsu Pineapple, Horoyoi White Grape, Horoyoi White Sour, Horoyoi Iced
Tea SourThe survey sought to find out what flavors were preferred in these five categories. Note thatin this survey, the flavors were judged only by taste, not by showing the package. Afterchecking the aroma and color before drinking, the respondents were asked for theirimpressions after tasting the drink.

Taco High
Taco high is a plain sour, a drink characterized by its citrus taste and low sweetness that
goes well with food. It is easy to drink with a moderate alcohol content of 6%.

Scent Impressions
Mr. A: "This is a nose-piercing aroma. And I feel lemon."Mr. Sa: "Vodka, Sprite, and lemon."Mr. H: "I sense lemon and sourness."
Overall, the lemon citrus aroma seemed to be strongly perceived.

Post-drinking impressions
Mr. S: "The aftertaste was bitter."Mr. P: "I didn't feel this drink was strong enough alcohol to intoxicate me. It was likesparkling water. It's fine if you just enjoy the alcohol, but not if you don't."
Mr. H: "It felt like a bad lemon."Mr. Sa: "When I smelled the aroma, I had that feeling, but the taste was very plain. I didn't
feel anything at first sip. It tasted bitter and sour."Mr. A: "This was just like lemon water and a squeeze of lemon. Nine out of ten was theacidity. Also, I know some people find this bitter, and some people like the sweet part of the© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

bitterness, but this probably wasn't either, and it wasn't too bitter."
When asked what kind of drink it reminded them of, they mentioned "badly made gin" and"a little gin and tonic. Although it was a tasting, so the amount of alcohol may have beensmall, they didn't seem to feel much of an alcohol taste. As for the taste. Some said it wasthin, but they did seem to sense a bitter taste. Others said it was "like sparkling water,""squeezed lemon," and "not very sweet.

Hyoketsu Pineapple
This liquor has a refreshing pineapple aroma and taste. It also has a moderate alcohol
content of 5%.

Scent Impressions
Mr. A: "This is a pineapple."
Mr. S: "Pineapple."
Mr. P: "Pineapple."
Mr. Sa: "Definitely pineapple.
The aroma was unanimous: pineapple. It was easy to imagine because the pineapple flavor
was quite strong and pineapple is a commonly consumed fruit in India.

Post-drinking impressions
Mr. A: "It tastes like pineapple. It tastes more like juice. The aftertaste is not bad. The
presence of alcohol is not very strong, but the aftertaste is very good. It is fruity andalcoholic. Also, many people are in the habit of having something to drink during meals.
This can be replaced from soft drinks and can be with lunch or dinner. I found it sweet andsour."Mr. S: "It was pineapple flavored. It was sweet and I would drink it every week. And I think
this is a refreshment drink."
Mr. P: "If I wanted to leave without getting drunk, or if I wanted to taste a little bit of tonic
flavor, I would definitely drink this, but it's not something that makes you feel good or drunk.
If I were to mix this with vodka, I think it would be better because then I could enjoy thepineapple flavor."
Mr. H: "I don't really like mixed drinks. I like to drink it the proper way. I like the authentic
style. So I didn't like it much. But I think the aroma and taste matched."
Mr. Sa: "When I smelled the aroma, I could already imagine what it would taste like. This
one seemed to have the same aroma and taste. I think it is a summery drink. It is a lunchdrink, not an evening drink. It wasn't bitter, just a little sour."
Whatever drink came to mind, they imagined the pineapple flavor of Tropicana and thetaste of Appy (Indian apple juice), and they seemed to like it. One possible reason is that© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

the pineapple flavor matched the aroma, which was easy for Indian people to imagine when
they smelled the aroma, and it matched the taste, which was consistent.

Horoiyoi White Grape
Horoyoi is a popular brand of easy-to-drink alcohol with an alcohol content of 3%. It ischaracterized by the fruity taste of white grapes and its refreshing and easy-drinking nature.

Scent Impressions
Mr. A: "Minty flavor, yes, minty and sweet. The aroma seems to be good for women."
Mr. S: "Mojito."
Mr. H: "I can't identify what it is, but it sounds like a sweet flavor."
Mr. Sa: "Blueberry."
I imagined a minty type of aroma. There were also some berry opinions such as blueberry.

Post-drinking impressions
Mr. A: "The second one was pineapple, but this one feels like some kind of fruit, similar tothe second one. If you mix it with gin, I think it would be good. Especially, in my opinion, a
lot of women like gin and for them it should be a little sweet. You could add lemon, youcould add masala spices, you could add mint. I think it would be like a fusion mojito. Thepineapple was not artificially sour, but had a natural pineapple essence to it. This is artificial
sweetness, like that found in candy. This one had no bitterness or acidity, just sweetness."
Mr. S: "This was just another refreshment drink. Flavor is good."
Mr. P.: "It's a different flavor than the second one, but I think it's the same kind of drink. It
was difficult for us to recognize what flavor it was. I didn't think this was something you
would drink at a party. Only sometimes when I want a soft drink, I drink this instead."
Mr. H: "I think the aroma and taste are right."
Mr. Sa: "It tasted a little artificial, like it wasn't real sweet."
At first, when they smelled the aroma, they recognized it as a fruit aroma, such as mojito or
blueberry, but they could not tell which fruit it was. In fact, one respondent said he could
taste sweetness, but "couldn't tell what it was. Although the taste did not seem bad, it wasalso considered an artificial flavor. Some also suggested that this drink would be better if
gin or other ingredients were added to it.

Horoyoi White SourThis is also an easy-to-drink drink in the Horoiyoi series, with an alcohol content of 3%. It isan alcoholic beverage that allows you to enjoy the mellow taste of lactic acid bacteria
beverages.

© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

Scent Impressions
Mr. A: "The flavors are like cake. The color didn't interest me, but the aroma was intriguing."
Mr. S: "It was my first time to smell it. Vanilla, like vanilla cake."
Mr. P: "I couldn't identify what it was."Mr. H: "Butterscotch cake."

Post-drinking impressions
Mr. A: "It was hard to tell what flavor this drink was, but it was sweet and had just a hint ofbitterness, so it was very well balanced. I could also taste the cake flavor, and it was sweet.
It seemed a little more balanced than the others. I just thought the color was a mismatch,kind of like Limca (Indian juice of lemon and lime), or like it's been washed but still has
bubbles in it."
Mr. S: "I don't think there is any alcohol in it. The sweetness and vanilla feel is OK. Easy todrink."
Mr. P: "I felt lemoniness."
Mr. H: "The aroma and the aftertaste are all right. And it's butterscotch cake with vanillaflavor."
Mr. Sa: "The taste and aroma were mismatched! I don't like the flavor of the cake, it waslike candy. Taste and smell were mismatched, when I smelled it I thought it was a lemony
drink, but it was a sweet drink."
The author himself was surprised by the answers, but the aroma seemed to be vanilla,butterscotch, and cake. When asked what kind of drink it reminded them of, no specificdrink came up. We had hoped that the Japanese would associate it with lassi, but the taste
was not familiar to the Indian respondents, who said they had never experienced this flavor
before. In Japan, lactic acid bacteria drinks such as Calpis and yogurt-based drinks arevery common, but they are not that widespread in India. Therefore, it is thought that thesweet aroma of dairy products, which is closer to that of the product, was associated withthe product. The taste was also rated relatively well, and the drink seemed to have a wellbalanced taste. On the other hand, for those who do not like sweet drinks, the taste,
combined with the aroma, was not very favorable.

Horoyoi Iced Tea Sour
The last one, Iced Tea Sour, is also a Horoiyoi brand, with 3% alcohol by volume, and has
the aroma and flavor of black tea, with a slight lemon taste.

Scent Impressions© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

Mr. A: "Green tea."
Mr. S: "Tea without milk."
Mr. Sa: "Lemon tea, it was a bit like beer."
Mr. P: "The aroma of tea was strong. The aroma was completely black tea."

Post-drinking impressions
Mr. A: "I felt very bitter. It was like tea bags and water. The bitterness was strong. Whenyou drink tea, of course there is some bitterness in tea, but it was similar."Mr. S: "No chance to drink it at all. Unacceptable. The taste was not iced tea. The aroma isnot good. No sweetness."
Mr. P: "I want to drink iced tea, but I can't find it, so I'm going to buy this one. If it werecolder, I might find it tasty, but all I get is the flavor of the tea. A little sweetness, not thatmany flavors."
Mr. H: "It doesn't suit my taste at all. I could taste the bitterness and the aftertaste wasbitter."Mr. Sa: "I felt a little sweetness, but also some bitterness. There was no alcohol taste."This one seemed to be a little less suitable for this participant. Most of the participants
seemed to feel the flavor of black tea. However, most of the participants this time perceived
a bitter taste, which seemed difficult to accept. For Indians, especially those in the northernpart of the country, black tea is chai (black tea boiled with milk and a lot of sugar added),
and there are few opportunities to enjoy the taste of black tea straight. Perhaps the gap
between their usual taste and this kind of taste made their evaluation of the tea moresevere.

What was preferred this time?
Finally, we asked for the top three. The most popular was the Hyoketsu Pineapple, followedby the Horoyoi White Sour and the Horoyoi White Grape. Conversely, the most difficult toaccept was the Horoyoi Iced Tea Sour. Hyoketsu pineapple was commented as "verysweet, no bitterness, very tasty." The fact that it tasted as expected was also a favorable
factor. The comment on the Horoiyoi White Sour was "I have never tasted anything thattasted like a cake before, so it was a unique taste. The sweetness of the taste may havemade it easy to drink.
The following is a comparison of all the evaluations to see what was the most favorable
factor. From the reactions to the five products tasted this time, it can be said that"sweetness" and "aroma and taste match" were the most favorable factors this time. This
point was also commented on in the Hyoketsu and White Sour products. On the other© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.

hand, "bitterness" tended to be avoided. This is consistent with the fact that "bitterness"
was also shunned in the previous roundtable discussion. One respondent said, "It would bebetter if it at least had some flavor." Flavor and sweetness were also important, as one
respondent said, "It would be better if it had at least some flavor. The white sour, which wasrated as "cakey," was unexpectedly well received by Indians, despite its unfamiliarity with
their tastes. As for the alcohol taste, as in the previous survey, almost no alcohol wasperceived in any of the drinks. Many of the drinks this time were particularly low in alcohol,
so they probably felt like juices.
We hope you will refer to this article, keeping in mind that it was written for our five Indianstaff members and may not be applicable to all Indians.
Translated with AI Translator
Contact:
info-india@intage.com© INTAGE INDIA PVT. LTD.