The iconic seafront Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in South Mumbai   created history when it opened in December 1903 as the first major Indian owned hotel in the country.

Thirty years later, in 1933, Harbour Bar, the ground floor bar overlooking the Arabian Sea made its own history as the Bombay’s first licensed bar, arguably also the first licensed bar in a major hotel in the country.

Harbour Bar has since withstood the test of time remarkably well. 86 years later it is still among Mumbai and the country’s more popular high-end bars, having made it to the Top 30 ranking of Best Bars India 2019. And there is no doubt that Harbour Bar is the oldest surviving Hotel Bar in the country.

Harbour Bar’s interiors still reflect its origins in Mumbai’s Art Deco era.  This historical prestige is reflected in the center bar, a solid carved piece of white marble, and the back bar framed in cut glass. And then there are the two historic windows that allow a raised seating area to connect directly with the harbour. You will also not miss the distinctive the oversized carved wood pieces at the entry that define the room with their elegant appliqué details.

There is one more surviving aspect of the Harbour Bar that still connects it to the earliest days. In its first year of operation in 1933, two American sailors who had just anchored their yacht off Gateway of India walked in to the bar and asked for a special drink to celebrate the US decision to end the much reviled prohibition. The Bartender concocted a gin and fruit   based cocktail at the spur of the moment, and flambéed it with Cognac in front of the Americans, and served it in a wine glass. The sailors were so happy with the drink that the Bartender asked Mike, one of sailors to name it. He stood on a bar, asked everyone in the bar to celebrate with him and named the cocktail ‘From the Harbour Since 1933’. You can still drink ‘From the Harbour Since 1933′ at the Harbour Bar. And they still flambé it at your table.

So it is only appropriate that in our inaugural year the Best Vintage Award should go to Harbor Bar at Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai.