If there is a cocktail worthy of being called the quintessential drink of Vegas ... it is the Manhattan ($20), as made by mixologist Emilio Tiburcio of Lily. Not for its flash, love of excess or thrill of the game, but for an eloquence in presentation that speaks pure power. The Vegas of insiders and influencers.
Tiburcio doesn’t reinvent the wheel in this classic cocktail; he just makes the ride that much smoother. The libation begins before a sip is taken with the visceral effect from an ice sphere resting delicately in a pool of deep amber. “In every sip you experience a different journey,” Tiburcio explains, “and when you hold the Manhattan, it is as if you are holding the world in the palm of your hand.”
Build a bourbon empire in a snifter glass at home, or for a night on the town less Hangover and more Rat Pack, head to Lily at the Bellagio and let Tiburcio show you the way.
The Manhattan
Ingredients:
2 oz. Russell’s Reserve 10-year Bourbon
1 oz. Dolin sweet vermouth
1/5 oz. dark cherry juice
Dash of Aztec chocolate bitters
Lemon zest
Ice sphere
Method: To build cocktail, first put ice sphere in a snifter glass. Add Russell’s Reserve, then Dolin sweet vermouth, then dash of Aztec chocolate bitters, followed by cherry juice. Zest the glass with lemon peel. Swirl once to chill and serve.
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