While at the IBM Think! conference in Las Vegas, I found myself without dinner plans one night, so I decided to duck into one of the crazy busy and overpriced restaurants in Mandalay Bay called Libertine Social. I sat at the bar and was immediately greeted by Jose', a friendly and eager bartender. I told him to make me his best Manhattan. He used
Buffalo Trace Rye with Antica Torino vermouth and orange bitters - a pretty straight up recipe with nothing too fancy. It was a good balance of ingredients and a very enjoyable cocktail. My only ding on Jose's performance was his choice of a drunken maraschino cherry - who does that? It was too sweet. I don't recommending eating the cherry at the end.