Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/142283
Rocking Rhum With so many fantastic places to eat, drink and play in Las Vegas, for some, the desert playground may as well be called Paradise. That's exactly what Max Messier, Brand Liaison for Rhum Clément had in mind when he presented his cocktail, Two Tickets to Paradise. But in true Vegas fashion, Messier put on a show, torching strawberries in front of our eyes in a very David Copperfield–looking exercise in master mixology. "Clément Première Canne is a white rhum perfect for the U.S. market," said Messier. "It is uncanny in the way it is soft, dry, and earthy, which the average American consumer has not seen yet." An Agricole Rhum, Rhum Clément is produced in Martinique, a French overseas territory known for its excellent terroir suited to sugarcane production, and where the brand's namesake, Homère Clément, pioneered the Rhum Agricole method. With history and a fantastic product on its side, Rhum Clément is set to shake up the U.S. consumer. NYC-based bartender Max Messier is Brand Liaison for Rhum Clément. The Rat Pack Says "Before even getting to the taste—you get to watch strawberries getting torched! Mesquite and grass on the nose and a light and refreshing surprise on the finish." —Ben Grosse "An excellent agricole profile with a strong backbone in the cocktail that offsets the sugar from the flambéed strawberries." —Chris Hopkins "A complex cocktail that's got a lot of interesting things going on. The sparkling wine and strawberries follow up the rhum nicely, and the finish is long and dry." —Max A. Solano ♥ Two Tickets to Paradise ◗ 2 oz. Rhum Clément ◗ ¾ oz. mint verbena syrup ◗ ¼ oz. lime juice ◗ 2 strawberries, quartered ◗ Prosecco to top The Conquering Spirit Golia Vodka chairman David Solomon. Named for the country that Genghis Khan ruled, Golia Vodka (SRP $32) took the famed warrior's conquering spirit to the streets of Vegas, where our panel was won over by this Siberian wheat-based vodka's smoothness. "Mongolians know vodka," explained David Solomon, Chairman of Golia Vodka. "We're not going after the flavor crowd or the low-cal crowd. We're going after adventuresome men. This is a vodka meant to be consumed with the warrior spirit." While Genghis Khan is certainly vintage, he's maybe not so Vegas, but Brand Mixologist Raul Faria proved that even in the 12th century, Genghis Khan would've loved this drink: "My vintage inspiration is the Moscow Mule," he said of his cocktail, The Imperial. "I imagined him taking ingredients from the conquered lands and grabbing it up for this drink!" The Rat Pack Says "Layers upon layers of flavors! Honey, ginger, pepper—an intense version of a classic Mule!" —Ben Grosse "Pepper notes in the vodka have a Russian style that's familiar and nuanced. It's a complex cocktail that's interesting and beautifully presented." —Patricia Richards "This is a very good neat vodka with light aromatics, creamy texture and strong wheat. A nice long finish!" —Jeremy Merritt ♦ The Imperial ◗ 2 oz. of Golia Vodka ◗ ½ oz. lemon juice ◗ ½ oz. of peppercorn-, cardamom- and lemongrass-infused honey syrup ◗ Thai basil ◗ Fuji apple chunks ◗ Fever-Tree Ginger Beer ◗ Light the strawberries on fire. july 2013 / the tasting panel / 131 TP0713_100-148.indd 131 6/25/13 6:03 PM