September 8, 2012
Innovative Ingredients Elevate Vegas Cocktail Scene
Mark Thompson READ TIME: 3 MIN.
LAS VEGAS, NV- Sage at ARIA Resort & Casino introduced twelve craft cocktails to complement Chef Shawn McClain's extraordinary flavor profiles.
Master mixologists stir up rare ingredients including white spirits barrel-aged in-house, gin-compressed blueberries, atomized angostura orange bitters and elderflower dust, heightening the restaurant's innovative beverage offerings.
The new cocktails available at Sage include:
Guests dining at the bar will enjoy a complimentary amuse bouche cocktail - Pink Lemonade - as Sage mixologists craft their chosen drink.
The refreshing liquid is poured into an ice-filled absinthe balancier, and then flows through a see-saw mechanism to create a perfectly blended libation.
Aperitifs to order include the impressive Opening Act, made with Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur, Campari, mint leaves and fresh lime juice topped off with a spritz of Angostura Orange Bitters. Also on the list is The Cat Walk, a blend of freshly made orange-flavored rooibos tea, passion fruit puree, Belvedere Lemon Tea, Aperol, St. Germain and prosecco.
Pioneering a unique method of enriching old favorites, Sage has created an impressive in-house barrel-aging process.
In addition to the more traditional method of barrel-aging brown spirits, Sage is introducing white spirit barrel-aging. Premium white or brown liquors are aged in New American Oak barrels for several weeks producing a well-blended mixture refined by the distinct flavors from the wood.
The mellowed spirit combination is then infused into classic cocktails creating an array of flavor nuances that sophisticated palates are sure to appreciate.
The classic cocktail, Last Word, is updated with an herbaceous mix of eight-week barrel-aged Plymouth Gin, Green Chartreuse and Luxardo Maraschino topped with fresh squeezed lime juice.
For those who enjoy notes of cinnamon and vanilla, The Empire State combines barrel-aged Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey, Root Liqueur, Angostura Aromatic Bitters and Punt e Mes Vermouth garnished with a brandied cherry and fresh orange oil.
From the rays of summer to the chills of winter, these cocktails are intricately layered with exotic ingredients designed to perfectly complement Sage's aromatic seasonal cuisine.
The Smoking Bulleit infuses smoked fresh peaches with Bulleit bourbon for a delicious taste of summer.
Other seasonal favorites include Blue Velvet, a frothy blueberry delight made with Hangar One Wild Maine Blueberry Vodka, Rothman & Winter Cr�me de Violette, simple syrup, Angostura Aromatic Bitters, fresh blueberries, lime juice, a touch of egg white and, for an effervescent kick, a splash of sparkling Brachetto/Moscato; and the Strawberry Solstice, a rum-based concoction that combines Strega Liqueur, fresh sour, fresh strawberries and Varnelli Anice.
These original libations, created by the resident Sage bartenders, reinvent traditional classic cocktails using high-quality modern spirits.
The 20 To Life is enriched with juicy apricot and spicy ginger flavors from Marie Brizard Apry and Canton ginger liqueurs combined with St. George Bontanivore Gin and Breaking & Entering Bourbon.
The highlight is a garnish of gin-compressed blueberries and apricots sprinkled with elderflower dust.
Guests also can jump on board for the TGV, named after the French high-speed train, a complex combination of Hennessy Black Cognac with pomegranate and blood orange liqueurs, fresh orange juice and sour adorned with an orange zest sugar rim that is visually perfected by a pomegranate chip.
With chocolate and cr�me liqueur bases, these cocktails add the final touch to a sublime dining experience.
The decadent Profundo combines Bulleit Bourbon Whiskey, Luxardo Sangue Morlacco Cherry Brandy and Chocolate Royale Liqueur by Marie Brizard. The centerpiece is the sparkling cherry garnish sprinkled with gold dust.
Guests also can enjoy the French Press, a chocolate delight accented with highly aromatic Barolo Chinato.
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A long-term New Yorker and a member of New York Travel Writers Association, Mark Thompson has also lived in San Francisco, Boston, Provincetown, D.C., Miami Beach and the south of France. The author of the novels WOLFCHILD and MY HAWAIIAN PENTHOUSE, he has a PhD in American Studies and is the recipient of fellowships at MacDowell, Yaddo, and Blue Mountain Center. His work has appeared in numerous publications.
