Let the party never end 2026 special - The glenlivet 12

2025 ended with a bang for me. Each year I make some resolutions and review the progress on them on the night of the 31st. Then I tell myself, "this year wasn't as bad as I thought it would be at the starting" and the pessimist in me smiles a little at my own joke. I always live by the army phrase - 
"Hope for the best but prepare for the worst". If that makes me a pessimist, so be it. 

Going into 2026, my gratitude remains all the same, it might have even increased. Hope has been simmering and my own confidence in self is glimmering. 2025 was a year of facing the consequences of my actions. And what I learnt from it - I can live my life with my head held high, which is more than I can say for anyone else. Hard work never ends, and in my life the moment I stop working hard, I stop living. The pain makes me alive, the pain makes me special. Never shy away from pain. Embrace it, welcome it, fucking let it run through your veins ! 

Let's now talk about the beauties I ended my 2025 - the Glenlivet 12 - My fourth favourite whiskey after Genfiddich 12. 
To put in in context with my earlier reviews, it's not as artisanal as the glenfiddich, nor is it as explosive as the black label, it is more like drinking a fine wine than scotch. If you like lighter notes and are a newbie to the scotch whiskey world, this is a good introductory single malt for you. 

The glenlivet 12 sits on the fruity side of the taste profile in the world of the scotches. It's very sweet, very fruity and there is not even a hint of peat or smoke. So, for the first timers, who have been scared of whiskies, this should be your go-to drink. It costs around Rs. 6000 in Gurugram and around Rs 7000 in Delhi. 

People graduating from cheap Vodkas or rums will find it worth the investment. 

Tasting notes - 

Nose - Sweet, fruity and very light pepper

Palate - Sweet, very sweet, then other flavours start coming up especially pears. Due to such light flavours alcohol also hits you but you tend to ignore that and dig deeper by the time you finish your first drink. 

Mouthfeel - Watery. Diluting with water in 1:1 ratio does add a velvety touch to the drink but I liked it without any dilution

Finish - Sweet apples and peppery middle but not as peppery as the Indri Trini. 

Overall, it remains light, fruity and quite enjoyable when you want to enjoy the company more than the drink. But does that make it a bad drink? Absolutely not. It can be enjoyed by everyone and almost on every occasion. That's the beauty of it. My friend already loves it because she doesn't like peaty notes. As far as I am concerned, this whiskey reminded me that scotches can be enjoyed even on a good weekday. I had 3 small drinks but it barely made any dent the next morning, it's that good ! 

But why is it then 4th on my list? 

Because you can't enjoy it alone. Now, it's an oxymoron when I say that you can't enjoy this drink alone because drinking per se, is a social activity. What I mean when I say you can't enjoy it alone is that you never get past the sweetness to actually enjoy the body of the whiskey which is really a shame. I'd love it to drink it at my friend's house or during a house party but will I ever reach for it when I am alone, sitting with my thoughts and immersed in deep philosophy? Perhaps never. It's a great single malt, no doubt about it but I like my liquor more complexed. Sweetness can't match the complexity of the flavour profiles that bitters do. The bitter profile is an acquired taste. Even I would run away from the bitter profile 10 years ago. But slowly, through American coffee, 'the folgers' I understood the myriad flavours that exist beyond the initial bitterness. Sweet flavour profile is always linear and mostly flat especially when you add sugar artificially. That's why your virgin mojito almost never tastes good in a cafe. I can't remember the last time I had sugar. I had given up sugar naturally a long, long time ago despite growing up on that dirty shit - nescafe, which has the audacity to call itself coffee! It's a flavouring agent like Bournvita for milk! And speaking of milk, I don't think I have ever put milk in Folgers. And I can guarantee you that my homemade Americano beats Starbucks coffee everyday of the week and twice on Sunday, but only if you enjoy bitter flavour profile.

Bitter whiskies similarly, offer a crisp note to them. A lingering aftertaste that automatically cleanses your palate. But this whiskey, the glenlivet 12, which is intentionally sweet and fruity, lags behind in precisely that department - the complexity. It's unusually flat. I'd love to give it more tries in the coming days and if I ever change my opinions, I'll update on this blog but for now, it remains a good whiskey, not great. Will I buy one again? Oh absolutely. It's a must-have on your shelf. First timers will love it, those who are looking to let the conversation be the highlight of their evening will romanticise it and those who are pensive like myself will enjoy the break!

So that was that about the whiskey, but what about the party? Well, my new year party, unlike everyone else, commenced yesterday on 1st January 2026. I am not a party animal but I do like a little, warm, cozy gathering of the people I love. It's a nice thing about growing up - you know what you like and what you dislike and you become unapologetic about it. I am never the one to impose myself on others but over a period of time, I have come to be surrounded by few selected people who respect my boundaries and my wishes, as much I respect theirs. We respect restraint and appreciate each other's maturity. I had made a conscious decision to be away from all social media in 2021 and I can tell you with 100% conviction - that's the best decision I had ever made. My friend understands this and though she's forever on Instagram, she makes it a point never to invade my personal space by putting any of my photos online. It's very rare to find genuine, selfless respect from a person. People outgrow you and they stop respecting you, sometimes even degrade you, but to find a person who not only reciprocates but also goes over and beyond to shower respect, admiration and appreciation, which only grows as the time passes is truly rare. So for this person I deemed it my honour of sharing the Glenlivet 12 on the night of 1st January 2026! We drank, talked the entire night and had a few laughs before watching my favourite series on Apple TV these days. In hindsight, that wasn't the best of decisions because now she knows I have a HUGE HUGE CRUSH on Hannah Waddingham!

My god, that lady blows over me. I have actually never felt like that with anyone. My insides coil up, heart starts to race, pupils dilate and face starts to flush whenever I watch her. She must be 55 now but boy oh boy, how she stops my world whenever she enters into a scene. I never understood what crushes actually mean before I saw hannah waddingham. My friend saw all this and has never stopped yelling "SHAME! SHAME! SHAME!" ever since! 

I hope you too find the most amazing company and you be the best of yourself for others in 2026!

See you soon! 

IHY

The best drink (Cocktail) for winters!

Have you seen the levels of pollution lately? I went up in the Himalayas recently for a small trip but the pollution levels even in the hills were above normal. The entire country is facing this existential threat of pollution it seems. While Delhi used to be an outlier a decade ago in terms of pollution numbers, it is now one among many cities that battle air pollution each winter. 'Battling' might not be the right word here because there's actually no battle. We just witness pollution killing our children and poisoning our elders but we don't do anything about it. The solutions you ask? They are  simple really - 

1) Fucking plant trees! Build a green wall around each city and create green buffer areas between habitations and industries to trap atleast those pollutants which settle on to the ground. 

2) More waste treatment plants to avoid open waste burning. Just needs strong implementation and willpower. 

3) Promote walking and cycling, and build roads to integrate, assimilate and initiate walking culture among the lazy Indians. 

But alas! people really don't want to do anything about it. And hence, the obfuscation and the disruption strategies by people in power. Confuse the public, tangle them in bureaucratic quagmire and avoid all accountability! 

Anyways, like always, I digress. This post is not a rant! It's a feel good post. Since, everyone I know is suffering from a cold or a related ailment, I have invented a new winter drink that cures the cold in an instant! (Yes, this is my eureka moment lol ) 

LO and BEHOLD - 

THE WINTER APPLE ELIXIR by yours truly

1) Take 1 apple and thinly slice all of it

2) Take 1L water in a pan and add the apple slices

3) Add 1 whole clove (laung), 1.5 cm long cinnamon stick (dalchini) and a pinch of salt. 

4) Bring the concoction to a boil and then let it simmer for 5-10 mins. 

5) Once it cools down, blend everything in a juicer and strain it if you want a smooth drink. I like fibre so I avoid straining. 

6) Now comes the best part - Add a little bit of whiskey/brandy (I prefer full 30 ml) and mix well. 

7) Let the drink settle down for a minute and then enjoy a hot, rejuvenating cup of the best winter drink you'll have in your life! This will cure your cold, get you warm and most importantly, remind you to enjoy the little things in life!  

Nuggets of wisdom - 

1) If you are using whiskey, use small amounts first. Try with only 2 spoonfuls first and then keep adding until you get that balance right. 

2) If you're using brandy, then go for cognac. My personal favourite is Napolean cognac. The fruity aroma from grapes and the body of cognac, elevate the apple concoction. 

3) Mildly squeeze a few drops of orange zest to elevate the drink even further. Not only will it balance the sweetness of apples but it will also reduce the bitterness of alcohol.

4) Apple, being a natural digestive system cleanser, this drink will really improve your digestion. So that's an added benefit. 

This drink is like one of those warm, fuzzy, happy memories of childhood where you felt secure and comfortable. It stops the time for you for one full cup of this drink. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

Glenfiddich 12 and Black label

I recently had an opportunity to open a bottle of this beautiful Glenfiddich 12 while celebrating and though I am more of a black label aficionado, I was pleasantly surprised by the tasting profile offered by this exquisite beauty. 

My go to drink is black label, 'on the rocks'. No dilution and if dilution is needed only in the ratio of 1:1 with plain water. It maintains that peaty note and the body of the spirit remains intact. That strong oak flavour on the nose is really what makes Black Label stand out. Each of the single malts in Black Label have been aged for 12 years minimum in Scotland and the robust flavour profile really shows that. You can smell the whiskies gone inside - the cardhu, which gives it that peaty profile, the smokiness comes for Caol Ila, Clynelish 14 gives it the fruitiness, that sparkle midtaste and that wood-vanilla flavour profile and finally the Glenkinchie. I am yet to come across a bottle of glenkinchie so I don't know what that does in Black Label. 

Now coming to Glenfiddich, when I first tried it, I adopted a similar strategy. Diluted this single malt in a ratio of 3:1, kept on the palate for a few seconds and tried to take a whiff of all the oak and nuts during the aftertaste. I was disappointed. So much hype and for what? Glenlivet 12 had more body than it. But as my friend suggested, I was drinking it wrong. She poured me the drink undiluted and without any ice. For a moment there, I started questioning her sanity but she insisted. For the first time in my life I was drinking an alcohol at room temperature. I soon realised that I had done the ignominious act of wasting a fine whiskey in my previous drink. What I found -
- Nose : Fruity, apple and peaches are aplenty and a strong malty note
- Palate : Mild watery (which made sense why not to dilute), crisp, thin mouthfeel and overall very light.
-Flavour : Definitely vanilla, nutmeg, Apples, Oranges, Cardamom and a hint of wood but very mild
-Finish : Dried oak, vanilla, cinnamon. 
Definitely a complex flavour profile. But the nose is stronger than palate which is really tricky. You'd be fooled to think it would go well with orchard fruit drinks like oranges but you'd only be wasting a fine whiskey. For every drink, I have a go to snack but for Glenfiddich 12, I really don't like to pair it with anything. This whiskey is an art. And it demands your full attention like you're standing in an art gallery and a painting compels you to think about it. An art which is beautiful in itself is good, an art which elicits compliments is great but an art which compels you to engage, look at it from your own perspective, relate with it, is the pinnacle of the civilisational consciousness. Some people do that with their paintings, some with their words and some with their wines. This elixir of an art-form demands a pause, a perspective and an engagement. 

So here's to this artform in a bottle - Glenfiddich 12! 

Public Service Announcement -

Drink responsibly. I am not a drinker by any means. I must have had alcohol this year after a gap of 8 years. And boy, how I have changed over those years! I could seriously drink around half a bottle of Black Label (And I have) and still show up at my hospital without a hair out of place. This time, 2 drinks (30 ml each) and I was already battling a nasty hangover for the next 2 days. Alcohol and my body don't gel with each other anymore. 
Don't drink and drive. 
It's a cardinal sin to indulge in intoxicating substances. No matter what the world tells you.
Don't drink to lose your senses. Drink to appreciate the art, drink to enjoy the fine luxuries of life. And those can only be enjoyed in very small amounts on rare occasions. Beers, cheap alcohols should be avoided. Cheap beers are the instagram reels of the wine world. 

HOPE

 Hello everyone, 

A very HAPPY NEW YEAR!

I'll be really short today. Each year brings new joys in our lives and we get a chance to rectify our mistakes and at times, build entirely new resolutions and connections. I personally feel immense gratitude to the people around me for being with me. I personally like to introspect at the end of each year, not to find faults but to appreciate the things I am grateful for. 

This year what I am thankful for the most is HOPE. 2024 was a truly testing time for me but I powered through, showcasing immense resilience and mental strength that emanates from a place of security rather than pressure. There were times when I was at my breaking point, at one time I even got beat up pretty bad. But people around me showed faith in me when even I was unsure of whether I could keep the ship steady or not. This was a sign that all is not lost, that I should still have hope and not give up. 

I forged new friendships that I know would last a lifetime and I strengthened the ones I already had by taking a leap of faith with them. I learnt new ideas and above everything, I found that I still have got the flexibility and adaptability. The things that were bothering me till November, I sort of won over them and miraculously, December turned out to be the best month of this entire year!

But as I said before, hope, is my takeaway for 2024. Hope keeps you going. It is what helps you get out of the bed in the morning and what lets you sleep peacefully at night. Hope is the manifestation of your resilience. It is your spiritual connection. It is simply that slight smile on your face after a long tiring day. Hope is everything!

And for my resolutions for 2025, they are quite simple - to be more ruthless, with myself. To be more mindful, of the things I do and the things I let in. To be more grateful, for this life and what I have and more importantly, what I don't. 

So here's to hoping that 2025 will be filled with hope and endless possibilities!

With love and gratitude,

IHY :)

Of the intersecting lives

Hey there! How have you been? I am going to write this post as a diary. Perhaps a little self introspection would be beneficial for both of us. Among other things I often wonder what if our lives had never crossed paths with each other. Had it not been for that train journey, our trajectories were wildly different. I was engrossed with my own stuff while your plans were unknown to me. I found you intriguing, curiosity swept over me. I wanted to get to know you, and I took it as a challenge onto myself that I will get you to open up to me, almost everyone does, I have a trustworthy face. Do you regret not opening up to me? The end result is the same even now. 

With some people you never feel anger towards them. She was one of them. Despite hurting me in more than a hundred ways, I never did feel angry at you. I can attribute it to your cuteness, your short height which makes you look younger than your age but I think the real reason remains that our paths were never meant to cross with each other. You were nothing but a distraction, a test for me, in which I failed rather spectacularly. It was a test of my newfound strength and a test of my resolve. It was the first real world practical after my training. Miserably failed and learned my lesson but it was a rather expensive lesson to be honest. 

So having learnt my lesson now, I find that my worldview has become dichotomous. I am patient as well as really in a hurry, both at the same time. The numbers are not on my side but when have they been? My thoughts have been either 50 years too young or 50 years too old. See with this blog only. The art of writing is slowly dying. People may write for themselves but what sells and grabs the most eyeballs is vile, mundane, mass produced pieces of paragraphs, world would have been better without. A good writing piece or a novel for that matter, in my opinion, should give you perspective. It is in a short supply these days and mine has been clouded by repeated losses, one after the other. I desperately need a win. It was a lack of perspective that rendered me idea-less for blogs for a long time now. There were some sparks here and there but nothing good could come out of it. 

- until next time, IHY

Unlocking Youth Empowerment through Skill Development in India

In the vast tapestry of India's demographic landscape, one vibrant thread stands out – its youth. With nearly half of its population under the age of 25, India possesses an enormous reservoir of untapped potential. This young population is not only a source of economic growth but also an incredible force for social change. To harness this potential, skill development is an imperative.

India stands at a crossroads, where its burgeoning youth population can either be an asset or a liability. The need for skill development is clear. Without it, the dreams and aspirations of millions of young Indians remain unrealized, contributing to unemployment and social unrest. While India's youth is often portrayed as a demographic dividend, it can easily become a demographic disaster if not provided with the skills to participate meaningfully in the economy. The consequences of neglecting this crucial aspect of development are manifold.

The challenges to youth empowerment through skill development in India are multi-faceted. First and foremost, the education system often emphasizes theoretical knowledge over practical skills. This results in a mismatch between what youth learn and what the job market demands. Many graduates find themselves unemployable due to this mismatch. Secondly, the lack of access to quality education and training, especially in rural areas, exacerbates the problem. The digital divide and uneven distribution of educational resources limit opportunities for many. Thirdly, the informal economy, which absorbs a significant portion of India's labor force, often does not recognize or value the skills of youth, leading to underemployment and poor working conditions.

If these challenges are not addressed, the future impact on India's youth can be grave. Rising frustration and a sense of alienation can lead to social unrest. Inability to secure decent employment can result in a wasted demographic dividend. Moreover, youth without skills face the risk of falling into poverty traps, perpetuating cycles of economic hardship. It is, therefore, imperative to empower the youth by providing them with the skills necessary to contribute effectively to the nation's development.

To tackle these challenges and empower India's youth, various measures have been undertaken. The Indian government has launched initiatives such as "Skill India" to provide skill training to millions of young people. Vocational education and training programs are being expanded, aiming to bridge the gap between education and employment. Additionally, public-private partnerships are being encouraged to enhance the reach and quality of skill development programs. These efforts have begun to show positive results, with an increasing number of youths gaining employable skills.

The link between education and skill development is profound, representing more than just a path to employment. It embodies a philosophical dimension – the idea that education should not merely be the acquisition of knowledge but also the cultivation of practical abilities. As Swami Vivekananda once said, "Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man." It emphasizes the notion that every individual possesses unique talents and potential that can be realized through the right education and skill development. It is not about fitting young minds into pre-existing moulds but allowing them to explore their inherent capacities.

In conclusion, skill development is not just about employability; it is about empowerment and realizing the potential of a nation's youth. In India, where a significant portion of the population is young, investing in skill development is a strategic imperative. As Mahatma Gandhi aptly noted, "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." This profound wisdom underscores the significance of continuous learning and skill development in human life. Skill development is not a destination but a journey toward self-improvement, employability, and empowerment. To ensure that India's youth can live up to their potential, it is not just an economic necessity but a moral obligation to invest in skill development.

Are American problems our problems?

Black lives matter, LGBTQ+, Gun violence, capitol hill seige, MeToo, Jeffery Epstein - I seem to know more about America's problems than ours. Why is that? I am not the one too active on social media nor do I particularly look out for American news. The Indian public discourse is the one to blame. We are being fed American news so much that our own problems seem to have obscured by the seemingly first world problems. Just imagine the stupidity of all this - a country whose 30% population still lives in poverty, whose average road network is still worse than that of Vietnam is talking about BLM on its national news. In a country where majority of youths are dissatisfied with their employment or lack thereof and depression coupled with identity crisis is rampant, we are talking about LGBTQ in our editorials. At the risk of sounding transphobic - I fucking do not care whether a tans person has been called a hijhda by their neighbourhood uncle/aunty. Deal with it ! Our politicians are so mad they will give reservations to trans people if this discourse keeps on going like this. 

There has to be some end to the stupidity of journalists who decide the public discourse. The Delhi Infrastructure is collapsing but there has been no news of it anywhere. We are just fed the Hindu vs Muslim , much on the lines of liberal vs democrat debate in US. The vile and poisonous public discourse is a boon for politicians who have it easy. They Win even local body elections not on the merits of their groundwork but on the perception war fuelled by communal and religious hatred. How does it matter to a remote village in Madhya Pradesh which is dealing with water shortage on what views does an MP from bengal have on Maa Kali? Ofcourse they must voice their dissatisfaction if they're hurt by her immature comments but please explain for once how can this become the entire agenda of an election when more pressing matters are screaming for attention. 

This irony gets to me sometimes. On one hand we want the best professionals with fanciest degrees as the ones providing us services and simultaneously we get befooled so easily by the outright white lies and ridiculous promises like Rs 1500/month and free electricity. Where does the economic sense of people go when Delhi government continues taking out full page ads on fucking non issues, 3 minute television ads on every news channel during the primetime that too and wastes public money to the tune of thousands of crores. This is in a sense buying the silence of media houses on criticism. Whereas even minute details are being asked on policies from union ministers by the super intelligent tv anchors, why do they dumb themselves down when interviewing Mamta or kejri? These media houses are drowning in money yet they keep begging for subscription. And you have to really give it to the news anchors for they have mastered the art of verbal diarrhea - The art of incessant shouting and not even getting a single point across. And yet these bloody halfwits have more power than you or me to get things done. 

Ah these ironies never end. 

Anyhow, thanks for reading. And if you think I am transphobic, then no I am not. I watch lesbian porn.