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1 12 / the tasting panel / may 2014 The Emperor of Vodka Braving the scorching L.A. temperatures, Billy continues his journey to Mixology 101, an open air bar in L.A., where he meets up with Bill Mamea, the Beverage Director. As Bill begins muddling basil for his concoction, he explains that Mixology 101, "likes to keep things cutting edge when it comes to [their] drinks. [They] have mixology contests all the time to push the program forward—Billy was even at the last one." As part of these efforts to stay on top of trends, Bill seeks out the newest spirits on the market. "We blind tasted Soyombo against other premium Vodkas, and it just stood out fantastically," Bill insisted. "The story and the history of the vodka brings a passion to the product that mixolo- gists love to know and pass on to customers." Billy Ray and Beverage Director Bill Mamea put the finishing touches on The Soyombo Basil. The Soyombo Basil ◗ 2 oz. Soyombo Vodka ◗ 1 oz. St-Germain ◗ 1½ oz. simple syrup ◗ ¼ oz. honey ◗ 1 ½ oz. fresh lemon juice ◗ 2 basil leaves ◗ Lightly muddle two basil leaves. Add vodka, St-Germain, simple syrup, honey and fresh lemon juice. Shake and strain. Garnish with a roll of basil and lemon peel. Our journey around Los Angeles would not be com- plete without a trip to Nic's Beverly Hills, a swanky vodka bar in an even swankier area. Since Nic's moves a lot of vodka from all over the world, we were interested to see what bartender David Warchol thought of the Mongolian spirit? His response: "It's like a velvety kiss." While the two chat about everything from James Bond to juicing presses, David whips up a cocktail, which Billy says flawlessly captures L.A. summertime. Billy and David then proceed to throw on fur coats and check out the VODBOX, a walk-in, drink-in exhibitionist freezer— specially designed to enjoy vodka in the purest form. Luckily for us, we know just the vodka to test out. Conqueror's Gold ◗ 2 oz. Soyombo Vodka ◗ ½ oz. sour ◗ ¾ oz. oroblanco ◗ ¼ oz. Aperol ◗ 3 drops grapefruit bitters ◗ Shake over ice and strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a sprig of mint. The Beverly Hills Ice Festival Billy Ray and Bartender David Warchol take a taste of Soyombo in Nic's Beverly Hills VODBOX. Meet Champagne's Sexy Italian Cousin. ©2014 Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits, White Plains, New York. Please Drink Responsibly. Quintessentially Italian, Enza lights the moment with a sophisticated sparkle. You're sure to fall in love with this refreshingly crisp, classic Prosecco. TP0514_102-116.indd 112 4/24/14 11:04 PM