Go Inside Las Vegas’ Bellagio Resort & Casino’s Secret Cocktail Lounge The Vault interior at the Bellagio, MGM Resorts International photo credit Robert Flicker Location Bellagio Resort & Casino 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89109 The Vault, a secret bar nestled discreetly behind the live gaming tables on Bellagio’s casino floor, transcends the ordinary casino bar experience. It stands as a rare gem, offering one of the most lavish and indulgent drinking experiences Las Vegas has to offer.   Inside The Vault Concealed behind an unmarked door, disclosed to patrons on a need ..read more

Modern Caribbean Rum This beast of a rum book is 850 pages long, is illustrated with over 900 images, measures over ten inches square, and weighs eight pounds — all without containing cocktail recipes or brand tasting notes. Modern Caribbean Rum: A Contemporary Reference to the Region's Essential Spirit is a (very) close up look at rum history, production, and regulations in one part of the world. The text is a passion project of husband-and-wife team Matt Pietrek and Carrie Smith, who previously wrote and published Minimalist Tiki (with plenty of recipes in that one) on their own publis ..read more

In olden times, a Scotch whisky drinker was a Macallan Diehard. Or a Laphroaig Lounge Lizard. Or a Johnnie Walker Blue Label Guy. These days, Scotch, like other whisk(e)y categories, is boldly playing, experimenting, and adapting. Sure, the standbys, delicious as ever, abound. But if you’re seeking something new or adventurous, or diving into the flavor-driven world of Scotch for the first time, these recent releases are a great place to start.   Longmorn 18- and 22-Year Single Malt Longmorn 18- and 22-Year Single Malt 57.6% | 54.5% ABV, $280 / $440 New to the U.S., but with 130 years be ..read more

Editor's note: Last year I had a brief visit to the dreamy town of Motovun where I met winemaker Marko Fakin. He shared what it was like growing up in a family that made wine the traditional way, his education in modern winemaking techniques and his experimentation with the prized local grape of the region, teran. Our thanks to contributor Chris Boiling for sharing even more about this intriguing variety and the wines made with it.   Motovun Stunning coastal towns and medieval hilltop villages with exquisite food and wines. That’s my summary of Istria, my favorite part of Croatia. It’s a ..read more

This cocktail book isn’t expensive, but it’s going to cost me a bunch of money. It is inspiring me to buy a whole lot of other books referenced in its pages.  The Cocktail Parlor by Nicola Nice The most important and most-referenced cocktail books of old were all written by men. They contain recipes, but often also instructions on things like customer service and running a tavern or how to cut off drunk customers. Women played a different role – they were preparing drinks and cutting off drunks too – but at home for themselves, family members, and when entertaining others. The Cocktail P ..read more

In Italy, amari are ubiquitous. As with wine, folks are loyal to their local version of the bitter spirit, but restaurants, bars, and shops offer multiple labels in different styles so that people can choose the type they enjoy most to sip after a meal as a digestif. Amaro Montenegro, one of the least bitter and most approachable of the genre, has been produced in Bologna for 139 years, since 1885. Originally named Elisir Lungavita (“long life elixir”) by founder Stanislao Cobianchi as a nod to amaro’s reputedly healthful properties, the company renamed it for Prince Vittorio Emanuele’s bride ..read more

Jason Friedman making a cocktail Jason Friedman is the Bar Manager at The Blind Pig in Yorba Linda, California, a pre-prohibition era inspired craft cocktail bar and restaurant that uses fresh, uncommon ingredients and modern techniques. With a passion for high-quality ingredients and a dedication to providing unique culinary experiences, Friedman has been a driving force behind the bar program’s success. He has worked in various restaurants around Orange County since 2015 and currently collaborates with the restaurant's chefs to better incorporate a wide variety of ingredients including diff ..read more

Research shows consumer drinking habits are changing and the industry is responding. Meanwhile, staffing shortages and inflation are still impacting how people are getting their drinks and bars are looking for ways to respond as business makes a slow return to normal. Today we look at what consumers are drinking, and not drinking and some ways that bars and restaurants may be delivering drinks in the future.   What Consumers Are Drinking The Rise of Zero Proof The biggest impact on the alcohol market in the past few years has been the steady rise of zero proof options for wine, beer, an ..read more

Uruguay’s ‘national red’ may soon be joined by a ‘national white’ Cerro del Toro Tasting Room and Vineyards The scene: A wine-tasting session on a slopeside deck overlooking the vineyards, distant green hills, and valley-floor reservoir of Bodega Cerro del Toro, 20 miles west of Uruguay’s fun-city getaway, Punta del Este. The players: Martín López, every inch the laid-back winery General Manager, with well-trimmed beard, shades, and jaunty straw hat. His sidekick and Winemaker at Cerro del Toro, Martín Viggiano, wearing an Albariño 2022 T-shirt with some Portuguese words that, according to Go ..read more

Like April Showers, there is a sudden sprinkle of new cocktail books hitting the market to keep your whistle wet. Here is a preview of some of the most anticipated tomes. A Quick Drink: The Speed Rack Guide to Winning Cocktails for Any Mood by Lynnette Marrero and Ivy Mix with Megan Krigbaum (Abrams Books, April 30, 2024) A Quick Drink Speed Rack is an all-woman+ quality-versus-speed bartending competition that raises money for breast cancer charities while also being the most loud and fun bartending event you’ve ever seen. I’ve lost my voice screaming at nearly all of them. Fo ..read more