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Rummania L “Rum is a very approachable spirit,” says Rob Aspaas, Tommy Bahama’s/Las Vegas restaurant manager and rum- melier. “You can sip on rums as easily as single malts or cognacs. as Vegas is indeed a city of excess, as evidenced by the in-depth pres- ence of rum in Sin City. Although The Great Recession shuttered Trader Vic’s and silenced the drumbeats of Mandalay Bay’s Rumjungle, other enclaves are thriving under Kill Devil’s influences. Take, for example, Chef/Proprietor André Rochat’s cigar bar and lounge at Andre’s French Restaurant at the Monte Carlo, a favored Michelin one-star hangout for locals and visitors alike. Sequestered here are 25 rums dating from Emperor Napoleon’s Rhum de SA Majesté to Captain Morgan Spiced Rum, along with cigars from the only Las Vegas gourmet restaurant with a city- sanctioned smoking lounge. Likewise, Casa Fuente at The Forum in Caesars Palace is the only spot permitted to mix rum with cigars. Similarly, the Mirage has Rhumbar, with its “Mojito-esque” décor (inspired by blanco rum and muddled mint), plus a humidor and over 50 rums. Here, you will find Rhumbar’s 1944 Mai Tai made with Appleton Estate Reserve, and their Latin Manhattan featuring Cruzan Single Barrel. Boasting the largest rum selection in Las At Andre’s cigar lounge at the Monte Carlo, one can enjoy flights with the rarest rums in Las Vegas, including a 1977 Trois Rivières Rhum Agricole Vieux from Martinique, a Saint James Imperial Blanc from Martinique and Rhum de SA Majesté, provided by Empress Josephine for Emperor Napoleon. Vegas, Tommy Bahama’s stocks 172 rums, including best-selling Don Q from Puerto Rico, and every variation from world rum- leader Bacardi. Even offering a $90 rum and food pairing menu, this Demon Rum mecca is in Town Square at the southern end of The Strip, where knowledgeable connoisseurs seek it out. “In Las Vegas it’s hard to be ‘the first’ to do something,” says Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant Manager and Rummelier, Rob Aspaas. “But we realized we had a chance to do rum better than anyone else in town. Some restaurants try to be too much of a nightclub, as opposed to putting rum front and center, where it’s respected and you can educate guests and help them enjoy it. Now we’re at the point where we realize it’s not just the number of rums, it’s the quality of rums in our collection. I could have over 200 rums right now, but I want only rums I’m proud to showcase.” 100 / the tasting panel / march 2011 RUM RUNS RAMPANT IN SIN CITY story and photos by Richard Carleton Hacker Malibu Update They say it’s hard to improve upon perfection, but Malibu, the world’s best-selling coconut flavored rum, keeps adding new flavor dimensions that raise the rum bar. Joining the original Malibu Coconut, known for its all-natural, soft and buttery sugar cane flavor, came Malibu Pineapple and Malibu Mango in 2004, Malibu Passion Fruit in 2005, Malibu Tropical Banana in 2007, and Malibu Melon in 2009. Now, following a Facebook contest to select the next big flavor, Cranberry Cherry will join the ranks, having beat out citrus and mint to make it to the bottle. The new Cranberry Cherry Malibu rum will be making its debut, with a SRP of $13.99, in May, just in time for the newest summer cocktails. “Our bartenders really like working with Malibu flavored rums,” says Rob Aspaas, Tommy Bahama’s Las Vegas restaurant manager and rummelier. “The flavors are so versatile they can be adapted for an unbelievable number of cocktails.”