Whiskey Warmup: Sip Strip Spirits Perfect for the Winter Months
Las Vegas isn’t known for its cold weather, but the temperature can drop low enough during the winter months for the occasional snow flurry to surprise guests. So if you’re planning on visiting during this time, you might need something a bit heavier than your trusty SoCal “coat.”
Luckily, several restaurants and bars on the Strip boast extensive selections of the unofficial spirit of the season: whiskey! At Zuma inside The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (zumarestaurant.com), guests can imbibe a variety of Japanese whiskies and single malts. Due to the insatiable demand for Japanese single malts over the past decade and rare access to them in the United States, Zuma’s staff pays close attention to how they are severed – neat or using purified carved ice from the contemporary Japanese restaurant’s ice block station.
“When offering Japanese single malts, not only do we want to keep in line with its tradition, but we want to transport the customer to Japan,” Zuma’s global beverage director, James Shearer, told the Vegas Guide. “Essentially, you are enjoying the detailed complexity and craft that goes into making what is regarded as one of the best single malts in the world.” One of the most popular whisky-based cocktails served at Zuma is its Burning History: a mix of Suntory Whisky Toki, ginger syrup, honey water, yuzu juice and egg whites, infused with Scotch barrel smoke and poured over ice. For $24, the smokin’ beverage definitely puts your grandma’s Hot Toddy to shame!
If you prefer Irish whiskies, Rí Rá Irish Pub inside The Shoppes at Mandalay Place (rira.com/las-vegas) boasts the largest Irish whiskey collection in the country with 121 selections. The pub serves 421 whiskies total, including such rare pours as Bunnahabhain 40-Year-Old Scotch for $1,375. For something a bit more affordable to warm you up, try the $13.50 Foyne’s Original Irish Coffee: POWERS Irish Whiskey mixed with brown sugar and black coffee, served in a heated glass and topped with house-made cream.
Thirsting for a unique experience? Sports fans can enjoy not only a menu of highly coveted spirits at Stadia Bar inside Caesars Palace (caesars.com/caesars-palace) but also pours of three of Caesars’ own signature blends of whiskey that are purchased by the barrel. Groups can even order miniature Old Fashioned or Manhattan cocktail barrels for $125 and have them delivered to their table.
-Heather Turk