Stranger & Sons and Subko are Shaking Up Cocktails with the FILTR Martini

Some trends fizzle out quietly, while others linger, steadily becoming a lifestyle. Take the espresso martini—a drink that started as a cheeky request to “wake me up, then mess me up,” and has now evolved into a beloved staple on cocktail menus worldwide. But just as things were beginning to feel a bit predictable, a bold new player has entered the scene, and it’s not from the swanky bars of New York or London. It’s rooted in the fragrant, frothy chaos of South India’s filter coffee culture.

Stranger & Sons, a gin distillery that’s no stranger (pun intended) to inventive concoctions, has joined forces with Subko Coffee, the trailblazing coffee roasters redefining India’s coffee scene, to introduce the FILTR Martini. More than just a cocktail, the FILTR Martini is a love letter to South Indian filter coffee, with its careful choreography of throw lengths and froth heights—a ritual that’s equal parts precision and poetry. Inspired by the charming simplicity of Udupi cafés, this ready-to-drink delight reimagines the classic espresso martini through a distinctly Indian lens.

At its core, the FILTR Martini marries two worlds: Subko’s expertly sourced specialty coffee and Stranger & Sons’ award-winning gin. But this is no ordinary cocktail-in-a-bottle. Shake it with ice to awaken its rich froth, and finish it with a spray of vanilla garnish that arrives neatly with the bottle. What you get isn’t just a drink—it’s an experience. A bridge between the past and present, filter coffee and cocktails, local tradition and global appeal, all colliding in a single sip.

Rahul Mehra, CEO and Co-Founder of Third Eye Distillery, captures the essence of this collaboration perfectly. “We’ve always been serious about cocktails, and our past innovations prove that. In a world where the espresso martini is getting a bit too predictable, we wanted to break the mould. Taking inspiration from the filter coffee served at Udupi cafés, we’ve elevated a classic cocktail to where it truly belongs. Subko’s extraordinary range of Indian-grown coffee inspired us to create something no one’s ever had before—an effortless, yet deeply thoughtful ready-to-drink cocktail.”

Rahul Reddy, Founder of Subko Coffee, echoes this sentiment: “This project allowed us to merge three worlds—specialty coffee, South Indian filter coffee, and world-class gin. Collaborating with Stranger & Sons gave us the chance to express craftsmanship in both spirits and coffee. It’s a true tribute to the Subcontinent and its unique flavours.”

Currently available in Goa and Maharashtra, with plans to expand into Bangalore and Gurgaon, the FILTR Martini isn’t just an experiment—it’s a carefully crafted evolution in cocktail culture. But this isn’t Stranger & Sons’ first rodeo. Their ‘incahoots series’ kicked off with Perry Road Peru, India’s first ready-to-drink cocktail, born from a partnership with The Bombay Canteen. Perry Road Peru’s debut was met with such enthusiasm that small batches continue to pop up whenever fresh pink guavas are available, meeting the unyielding demand from fans across India and beyond.

As cocktail culture gains momentum in India, the FILTR Martini stands out—not just as a new drink, but as a statement. It tells us that great ideas often come from unexpected places, like a humble coffee cup in a bustling Udupi eatery. It invites us to explore how drinking traditions, however niche, can inspire the cocktails of tomorrow. All it takes is a bit of ice, a shake, and an open mind.