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GUIDE imbibe Rhumbar's mojito gets its kick from Montecristo 12 Year aged rum. mojito madness START THE SUMMER OFF RIGHT WITH A REFRESHING RUM TREAT THAT'S LIKE A VACATION IN A GLASS. BY KHUSBU BHAKTA Rhumbar Wet Republic Cuban or not, there's something about lighting up a stogie that calls for a tropical drink. At the upscale cigar bar Casa Fuente (with many exclusive varieties), pair your smoke with a Casa mojito, made with Montecristo 12 Year aged rum, mint, lime, simple syrup, and a splash of soda. Or try the tangerine version, with a Mandarine Napoleon float. The Forum Shops at Caesars, 702-731-5051; casafuente.com Relax in the idyllic tropical setting of Rhumbar, where a classic mojito is mouthwateringly fresh. The bar's modern version of La Bodeguita del Medio's Cuban mojito of the 1940s is created with Montecristo 12 Year aged rum, freshly squeezed cane juice, limes, and yerba buena mint. Mirage, 702-791-7111; rhumbarlv.com Daylight Beach Club Like everything on the menu at the kitschy New York City import Serendipity 3, even the cocktails are fun, colorful, and over-thetop. Its libations include several mojitos. The coco berry muddles strawberries and blueberries with Malibu coconut rum and lime, while the Madras mojito combines "drunken" cranberries, Cruzan citrus rum, a splash of OJ, mint, and fresh lime juice. Caesars Palace, 702-731-7373; caesarspalace.com The party pool Wet Republic goes the extra mile with a lengthy list of creative mojitos featuring flavors such as pineapple and watermelon (with Bacardi Grand Melón and Watermelon Pucker). The Dragon Berry mojito is made with Bacardi Dragon Berry rum, fresh lime, mint leaves, and a splash of soda, while the "O" mojito mixes a lethal combination of Bacardi O rum, rock candy syrup, fresh mint, lime, OJ, and soda water. MGM Grand, 702-891-1111; wetrepublic.com The Light Group is bringing the shore to the Strip with its new Daylight Beach Club. To cool off, in-the-know imbibers opt for a refreshing watermelon mojito, made with Bacardi Grand Melón, fresh watermelon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda, and mint leaves. Mandalay Bay, 702-693-8300; daylightvegas.com Liquid Pool Lounge Enjoy Aria's boutique pool club with a pineapple mojito. Made with Skyy pineapple vodka, pineapple juice, lime juice, mint leaves, and simple syrup, then topped with soda, the drink is garnished with a star-shaped pineapple with banana leaf. (If you're in the mood to pool hop, check out the pitchers of strawberry mojitos at Liquid Pool's sister club, Bare Pool Lounge at Mirage.) Aria, 702-590-7171; liquidpoollv.com Serendipity 3 Tommy Bahama Restaurant & Bar For a taste that offers both the tranquility of the islands and the fiery zing of their heat, try Tommy Bahama's intense pineapple jalapeño mojito. The yummy concoction is made with two ounces of Cruzan pineapple rum, Sprite, half a lime, six mint leaves—and two red and two green jalapeño slices for a satisfying burn. Town Square, 702-948-8006; tommybahama.com MINTY FRESH Patricia Richards, master mixologist at Wynn Resorts, stirs things up this summer. Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill After a day at the pool, cool off at Wolfgang Puck Bar & Grill, where the brand's lead Vegas bartender, Peter Vitolo, has crafted a blood orange mojito, made with Atlantico Platino rum, fresh mint, blood orange, and lime. MGM Grand, 702-891-3000; wolfgangpuck.com Wynn Pool Whether you're playing in the waves or lounging in a poolside villa at the Wynn Pool, add a little spice to your sizzling day with a Thai coconut mojito, with ingredients such as kaffir lime leaf, natural coconut milk, house-made lemongrass ginger, Banks rum, and a splash of Malibu rum. One sip transports you straight to paradise. Wynn Las Vegas, 702-770-7000; wynnlasvegas.com V What kind of rum goes best in a mojito? If one prefers a lighter-style rum, then Bacardi or Cruzan Light is lovely, but for a more full-bodied rum taste, 10 Cane, Mount Gay Eclipse, or Barbancourt 15 Year. What are some secrets to making one at home? Hand-extracted fresh lime using a hand lime press allows the essential oils of the lime peel to become an ingredient in the mojito. Lightly muddle the fresh mint leaves, picked from the stems, to release their oils. Ideally, serve it over cracked ice, not crushed. PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER CHMIEL (WYNN MOJITO); ALEX KARVOUNIS (RICHARDS) Casa Fuente Wynn's mojito is the perfect pool partner. 116 VEGASMAGAZINE.COM 116_V_Guide_Imbibe_Sum13.indd 116 6/17/13 11:03 AM