A perfectly crafted cocktail sets the mood for any gathering. NoMad bar and restaurant at Park MGM recently debuted some holiday cocktails ($17 each), courtesy of beverage director Leo Robitschek. They cover the gamut of spirits, from vodka to bourbon to absinthe, with clever names like Gnome Alone 2: Lost in Vegas (Elyx Vodka, Ramazotti Amaro, cranberry and ginger); Scrooged Sour (Old Forester Bourbon, lemon, mulled wine, egg white); and Candy Cane Colada (Pernod Absinthe, Branca Menta, coconut, pineapple). And while NoMad properties in other parts of the world follow a four-season schedule, Las Vegas gets two: spring/summer and fall/winter.

"For me, seasonality isn't only based on the ingredients that you're consuming," Robitschek says. "It's also how it evokes sense memories. So I think a lot of times in the fall, you drink things that remind you of the holidays, whatever that holiday is to you. Or you drink things that remind you of your parents or wherever you grew up. So you think of more warming drinks when the seasons are changing and becoming a little cooler."

And should you happen to be throwing a cocktail party this holiday season, Robitschek has a few tips, too. "Prep is everything, because you don't want to get stuck behind a bar making every single person or drink," he says. "So what I usually do is two or three batch cocktails. Egg nog is always a hit at a party. I'll make a massive batch of Negronis and a batch of Manhattans. When it comes to citrus drinks, you could always do a punch. For me, it's always about preparing something ahead of time and having it there so people can serve themselves. You have a party because you want to spend time with people you love. Being stuck behind the bar, and I've learned this the hard way, is not the best way to do that."

NOMAD Bar: Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday, 5-11 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Restaurant: Tuesday-Saturday, 5-11 p.m. Park MGM, 702-730-6785.

Make your own egg nog!

From The Nomad Cocktail Book by Leo Robitschek

(Serves 15)

• 6 eggs, separated

• 8 oz. sugar

• 16 oz. cream

• 32 oz. milk

• 2 oz. Frangelico

• 4 oz. J&B blended Scotch whisky

• 6 oz. Old Forester 86 bourbon

• 6 oz. Pierre Ferrand 1840 cognac

• 6 oz. Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva rum

• 1 whole nutmeg

Place the egg whites in a 5-quart bowl and the egg yolks in a separate 5-quart bowl. Add 6 oz. of sugar to the bowl with egg yolks, then whisk until the yolks turn pale yellow and thicken. Whisk in the cream, then add the milk, Frangelico, scotch, bourbon, cognac and rum. Grate the nutmeg over the top and whisk until combined.

Add the remaining 2 oz. of sugar to the egg whites and whisk until stiff peaks form. Slowly whisk into the egg yolks-spirits mixture. Reserve in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks. When ready to serve, pour in a serving into a festive mug, and garnish with freshly grated nutmeg.