REACHING THE NEXT GENERATION
Somrus’ Indian-Inspired Cream Liqueurs Add Depth to a Category WRITTEN BY RICH MANNING /// PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SOMRUS
We tend to abuse the word “exotic.” What may initially appear outside our orbit and compel us to use the word often falls into our wheelhouse upon further scrutiny. I realized this in the middle of my interview with Monica Badlani, co-founder and COO of the award-winning Indian cream liqueur brand Somrus. In the middle of discussing how Somrus’ new coffee cream liqueur connects with Indian flavors, Badlani mentions that one of its key ingredients, chicory, provides the backbone for the legendary coffee served at Café du Monde in New Orleans. Just like that, a deeper understanding occurs, one that connects Badlani’s own Indian heritage to my American experiences, particularly my own encounter with overindulging in café au laits and sugar-dusted beignets. It’s a dynamite discovery, one that demonstrates why food and drink truly matter. Our exchange also crystallizes a key objective behind what the Chicago-based brand hopes to achieve within the market. “At the risk of sounding cheesy, we’re looking to create the next generation of cream liqueurs,” Badlani said. Using the term “next generation” isn’t as cheesy as one may initially think when you consider the category. Cream liqueurs entered the public consciousness with the introduction of Bailey’s in 1973, so they’re new compared to old-school liqueurs like Chartreuse and Cointreau. They also came of age at a time when bartending innovation and customer curiosity were mired in their sad nadir. The era’s negative effects were still hovering over the category when Badlani and Somrus’ other co-founder and CEO, Pankaj K. “PK” Garg, launched the brand in 2014, even as consumer interest in craft distilling and proper cocktails buried most memories of the spirit scene’s bad old days. This is where the “next generation” sentiment kicks in: Their initial rum-infused chai cream liqueur demonstrated a push toward overcoming the categorical hangover caused by too many cement mixers and Russian Quaaludes. “It’s never been about us just getting to market,” Badlani explained. “We’re always trying to get new people into the category, especially since consumers are now more educated about what may be out there.” Somrus’ trio of cream liqueurs — chai, mango, and coffee — aren’t necessarily designed to be a direct competitor to Bailey’s. They’re far more sophisticated, with each expression pulling in different spices, ingredients, and flavors commonly found in Indian cuisine. The chai cream, for instance, builds upon its base
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