I have one old School drink per trip, what do YOU think this trip's drink should be?

Frankly, your impression of a drink may come as much from how well it is made as from which drink you choose. Go to a top bar like the one at Cosmo.

For something fruity, it's tough to beat a good Mai Tai. Also tough to find one. For simplicity, a Mojito.

 

Sazerac
Whiskey Sour
Boilermaker

 

Old Fashion with Southern Comfort

 

aka LPR(liquid panty remover)

 

Tequila Sunrise

 

Such amazing suggestions. . You guys really knocked this out of the park!

Geo, I usually only try one per trip (versus per night) as it's fun to associate a new specific drink with each trip.

The hard part will be picking the one!

@bardolator very good point on quality. I'm staying at Cosmo and Luxor. Needless to say, I will be doing my old school cocktail experiment at Cosmo

 

If it were only that simple.

 

Another vote for Okd Fashioned. I’m going to get one at Searsucker at Caesars—they have four special ones.

Call your bourbon for it.

 

Gibson.

It is what Cary Grant ordered on the train when he met Eve in North by Northwest.

 

I’ve greatly enjoyed this thread. Even though I almost exclusively drink beer, especially in Vegas, I’m very much a cocktail aficionado and have taken several classes on topics like mixology and liquor tasting.

There are three main things that discourage me from ordering cocktails most of the time in Vegas...

1. Cost. When I can get beer for “free”, paying $15 for a cocktail feels like paying $22, since I don’t only have to pay for the cocktail itself, I could be getting a $7 beer for “free” by playing. Yes, I know cocktails can be comped. As you may recall, I am a notoriously low roller, and don’t often play at the kinds of places that would serve cocktails worth having.

2. Ingredients. Casino bars tend to have a lot of “workaround” ingredients that cut corners, like pre-mixed Long Island iced teas, or citrus juices from concentrate. Additionally, sugary liqueurs like triple sec are magnets for insects, and if you’re “that” unlucky person who orders a margarita at a place that hasn’t served one in two months, you’re going to get a very textured cocktail.

3. Skill. I went into my first bartending class at 19 years old and completely green, thinking that I could get ahead in bartending with skill. In today’s drinking environment, that is not the case. Cleavage, speed, and punctuality are the top three things that matter. The exception, of course, is at actual cocktail bars. But sadly, these are becoming rarer and rarer.

Keeping the above in mind, I seldom order a specific cocktail at a cocktail bar. I usually ask the bartender what their favourite drink to make is, and just go with that. When I was on the other side of the bar, I always LOVED these requests, because it was an excuse to make something complex that could really put my skills/training to work. It may sound corny, but whether in food or cocktails, I firmly believe that you can taste the passion or love put into making it. Which is why I tend to prefer something the bartender specifically enjoys making, as opposed to something chosen based on my own whims.

To answer the actual question, Manhattans and Negronis are tied for me as my favourite “old school” cocktails, especially before dinner.

 

a French 75!

 

Another vote for an Old Fashioned.

Golden Steer makes the best one I've ever had.

But I would recommend more than one...............

 

Pretty sure most of my faves have been mentioned. But I’ll add my 2¢ nonetheless.

I’m a big fan of gin, so a Corpse Reviver #2 is one I really enjoy. Bouchon serves a fantastic version. If you like brown booze, you can’t go wrong with @BlacklabberMike ’s Sazerac suggestion (try one of Emeril’s joints.) Of course, I doubt you could get a decent version of either of these on the casino floor.

So, if “free” is a criterion, I think @Basil ’s suggestion of a proper daiquiri is spot on. Fantastic classic cocktail that you might actually be able to get a good version of while hunting for buffalo. And it’s perfect for summer.

Make sure to give us pic of all your boozy exploits this summer!

 

Sidecar is a great drink but, only if it is made correctly. Cosmo may be one of the few casinos that can make it correctly, I would ask the bartender his take on it.

 

Chuck beat me too it. It's the only way to fly!

 

Corpse Reviver No. 2
Aviation
Last Word (one of Hemmingway’s favorites)

 

@notfromconcentrate I love my mixology course and learned so much. It's also awesome when you're solo at a bar since it gives you something to talk about. I also found a number of new favorite drinks from bartenders simply by asking them to make something and/or telling them what liquor I like. I also learned some unique names for drinks as well, green tea shots (Jameson, Peach schnapps, and sour), spa waters (vodka, water, cucumber), spring waters (vodka, water, squeeze of lemon and lime).

I have such a hard time paying for fancy cocktails out. Usually do 1 nice one during dinner at a high end place (Amada in AC has a gin and tonic menu where the small tonic bottle is opened in front of you and you can choose your fruit.) I always tell my wife I would rather buy a $75 bottle of bourbon or gin and make my own mix-in ingredients than spend $75 for 3 or 4 drinks with cheap or old mixers.

The only liqour I won't spend big money on is plain vodka, since it's already a flavorless spirit, when used as a mixer there is no palatable improvement from Smirnoff / absolute to Grey Goose/Belvedere. That being said, when it's comped I always call the highest compable brand (it's all about the comp value lol).

PS Homemade sour mix with agave instead of sugar is not only phenomenal but also fairly health friendly!

 

I used to have a fully stocked bar, and I experimented with a variety of cocktails. Quality of ingredients, including top shelf booze and freshly made mixer, is definitely where to start. But when in Vegas.......

 

I've been going nuts over Negronis lately, really easy to make at home, but made by a competent bartender they somehow taste even better.

My vote is for the Negroni - the classic oldschool cocktail!

Also, forgot to note: Negronis made by an average, or even below average bartender still taste delicious, thats why they are such a favorite of mine. Very hard to get 1:1:1 ratio wrong! Also you'll never get a crappy 'pre-mixed' Negroni, like those Long Island Iced Tea/Margarita/Mojito in a bottle crap they serve some places.

 

Cocktails with Brandy/Cognac: Horse's Neck or French Connection...