The Tasting Panel magazine

July 2013

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egas V intage V THE TASTING PANEL HEADS TO DOWNTOWN LAS VEGAS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MID-CENTURy MIXOLOGy T hese days, Las Vegas is a far cry from the adults-only playground this desert city was known for half a century ago. Today, you're as likely to run into a stroller as a showgirl on the crowded Strip, and with every over-the-top casino offering big name headliners and celebrity chef–driven eateries, Vegas seems to have even out-Vegas-ed itself, with every inch more glittery and spectacular than the previous. While we're all for the glitz and glam, we couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic for the days when Sammy, Dean and Frank wandered the halls of The Sands, so we headed to Downtown Las Vegas, where a bona fide cocktail revival is reigniting the retro flair of Freemont Street's glory days. We gathered ten of the town's top beverage buyers and invited 13 brands to join us at the Downtown Cocktail Room, where they presented us with their vintage Vegas cocktails. Each brand had ten minutes to shake things up in front of the new Vegas Rat Pack, and we must say, they hit it big! In the next few pages, you'll find our panel's tasting notes, along with cocktail recipes that run the gamut from Don Draper–worthy quaffs to Elvis-era extravagance. Viva Las Vegas indeed! Meet the ( New) Rat Pack Ben Grosse, Beverage Director, The Palms Casino & Resort; Patricia Richards, Master Mixologist, Wynn Las Vegas; J.R. Starkus, Master Mixologist and Spirits Educator, Southern Wine & Spirits of Nevada; Tony Gardner, Mixologist, Milos at The Cosmopolitan; Kevin Vogt, Wine Director, Delmonico Steakhouse; Max Solano, Mixologist and Beverage Manager, Emeril's Restaurants and The Venetian and Palazzo Resorts and Hotels; Jeremy Merritt, Head Bartender at Downtown Cocktail Room; Kent Bearden, Craft Brand Specialist, Spirits and Beer for Wirtz Beverage Nevada; Rachel Burkons, Senior Editor, THE TASTING PANEL; Chris Hopkins, Property Mixologist, The Cosmopolitan. july 2013  /  the tasting panel  /  125 TP0713_100-148.indd 125 6/24/13 6:04 PM

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