Cut by Wolfgang Puck is easily one of the top steakhouse experiences on the Las Vegas Strip, and that’s saying something. It’s a restaurant dedicated to details, and one of its newest features—interactive tableside cocktail cart service—demonstrates its focus on simplicity and style.
The cart offers three variations of the Old Fashioned, two of which feature rising star rye brand WhistlePig—the New Old Fashioned pairs the rich, 12-year-old spirit with house grenadine, blueberries and blackberries, while the Premium Old Fashioned uses 15-year-old WhistlePig in a classic format.
Founded in 2007, WhistlePig has only been available in Nevada since March. What makes it so special? WhistlePig focuses exclusively on rye whiskey and the aging process, and since September 2015, every aspect of its creation—from growing the rye to the wood used in the aging barrels—is all executed on the WhistlePig farm in Vermont.
“We believe we’ve elevated the category and established the luxury tier in rye, which was basically thought of as a junk whiskey,” says Michael Hodge, chief of sales for the western region. “Single-malt [Scotch] has that prestige, but if you look at American whiskey, it’s just not there. Pappy Van Winkle is one bourbon out of the entire American whiskey portfolio that has established that age statement, and we thought, ‘We can do that with rye.’”
It has already happened. All you have to do is look at the response to the product. “The aura of WhistlePig has spread,” Hodge says. “Vegas has that luxury culture and consumer, a lot of people who are looking for quality and for a story.” Cut at Palazzo, 702-607-6300; daily 5:30-11 p.m.
