A restaurant pop-up with a premium tequila and Ladakhi cuisine

Chef Prateek Sadhu’s Ladakh pop-up to celebrate 5 years of Masque restaurant becomes a platform for the launch of the 1800 Milenio Tequila, which will cost Rs 55,000 in India.

Mumbai-based progressive Indian restaurant Masque has been doing pop ups across India to celebrate five years of experimental cooking. Chef Prateek Sadhu has been harnessing regional ingredients and influences to create a locavore menu, in keeping with his food philosophy.

The latest leg of the Masque pop up series has taken him to Stok Palace in Ladakh. For this edition, from September 10-12, Monika Enterprises is importing the premium 1800 Milenio Tequila - this is perhaps the first time that this tequila will be available in India.

1800 Milenio Tequila is being imported and will be sold exclusively at the pop-up. Monika Enterprises MD Kunal Patel says, “Chef Prateek believes in bringing the best to the table by sourcing the local produce of the land. For the luxury pop-up in Ladakh at the Stok Palace Heritage, he is using the best of local ingredients of the terrain. So, we decided to launch 1800 Milenio at the pop-up. The tequila has the flavours of agave from Mexico and opens the gate for other ultra-premium tequilas.”

1800 Milenio Tequila has been aged for three-and-a-half years and then matured in French oak Cognac barrels. It is the finest expression of 1800 produced at La Rojeña Distillery, the oldest active distillery in Tequila in Mexico’s Jalisco region, where it gets its blue weber agave piñas, the red clay soil and the relatively cool climate.

The dark amber colour of the 1800 Milenio is testimony to how long it has stayed in oak casks. The tequila has a vivid copper intensity and notes of toasted oak, vanilla, caramel and red fruits. The underlining notes of white pepper and roasted agave play a supporting role to the barrel aromas. The result is a rather smooth tequila. Its trapezoid-looking bottle with a shot glass top pays homage to the Mayan pyramids in Mexico.

Even if you are not able to make it to the Masque dinner in Ladakh, you can pre-order the limited edition 1800 Milenio, which costs Rs 55,000.

Chef Prateek’s Ladakhi dinner will include local delicacies such as local mushrooms, Chhurpi, a cheese made from Yak milk, buckthorn, apricots and more. “I grew up in Ladakh, it is home, and I go back every year to forage for local ingredients which I use in my food at Masque.” This year, he has taken Masque to Ladakh. “The launch of 1800 Milenio Tequila will add that extra dimension to the pop up. Its flavour,” he says.