Vegas Magazine - Niche Media - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
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TASTE let's celebrate TEN YEARS OF THE VEGAS HIGH LIFE CALLS FOR COCKTAILS WORTHY OF THE GOSSIP PAGES. BY ROBERT HAYNES-PETERSON F 96 "Las Vegas is a prime spot to celebrate—and people are willing to spend money." —FRANCESCO LAFRANCONI Order a Ménage à Trois from Tryst and you get to keep the gold-plated, diamond-accented straw. PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF TRYST or the rest of the world, a 10th anniversary is traditionally marked by a gift of tin or aluminum. Not so in Vegas. To celebrate a decade of providing readers with an in-depth look at a city where "fabulous" is an everyday experience, we are toasting with Sin City's priciest cocktails. "Las Vegas is a prime spot to celebrate," says Francesco Lafranconi, executive director of mixology and spirits education at Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada. "People come from all over the world and are willing to spend money." Whether it's a single pour or a cocktail whose price can run into thousands of dollars, there are two reasons the bill can balloon: rare ingredients or an added-value package, often jewelry. Wynn nightclubs offer both at once. At XS, you'll find the Ono, a $10,000 combination of the ultrarare Rémy Martin Louis XIII Black Pearl Cognac (which can command $80,000 or more—if you can find one of the fewer than 800 bottles produced), Charles Heidsieck 1961 Champagne Charlie, orange juice, apricot purée, and rose nectar, served in a jewelencrusted Champagne glass. Oh, and don't forget to take home your new Tahitian black pearl necklace and pair of 18k gold Mont Blanc cuff links. Meanwhile, over at Tryst, enjoy a Ménage à Trois for $3,000. It's a blend of Cristal Rosé Champagne, Hennessy Ellipse cognac, Grand Marnier 150, liquid gold syrup, and edible gold flakes—and at the end of the night, guests get to keep the gold-plated straw with a diamond accent. While nightclub extravagance attracts young high-rollers who want to make a statement, Bellagio's elegant Lily Bar & Lounge takes a different tack. You'll find a number of pricey cocktails featuring rare and unusual spirits. Order a 1914 Sidecar ($400) and enjoy Ferrand Cognac Memoire 1914 (almost a century old), Grand Marnier Quintessence ($800 a bottle at the few places that sell it), and lemon juice, all served in a cinnamon-sugarrimmed martini glass. Or for $450, down Elit by Stolichnaya Pristine Waters Series Himalayan Edition vodka. Limited to 300 bottles worldwide, each costing about $3,000, this unusually silky vodka starts with water from the Langtang National Park in the Himalayas. Finding upmarket booze isn't all that hard. Cognacs, vodkas, and tequilas all have high-end variants. Whiskies regularly release rare or vintage single-barrel expressions that sell at auction for tens of thousands of dollars, with new records set practically every season. Even rum is getting into the act: Last year Angostura released what it claims to be the world's most expensive rum, Legacy by Angostura, at $25,000 a bottle (the continued on page 98 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 096-098_V_SC_LocalFlavor_MAY/JUNE_13.indd 96 4/19/13 11:39 AM