Cocktail Culture: Presidential-Worthy Cocktail Program Unveiled at Delano Las Vegas
A distinctive social experience beckons guests this September as Delano Las Vegas, The Strip's newest hotel, unveils the inspired cocktail program at its eclectic lobby lounge, Franklin.
The luxury hotel's centerpiece for socializing, sipping and sampling, Franklin incorporates gold lighting, hues of deep blue and bronze, and statement navy sheers that drape from ceiling to floor and shimmer with sparkling lights reminiscent of fireflies at dusk. Elevating the energy of the lobby, Franklin will buzz with live entertainment, including dynamic performances and beats from the hottest up-and-coming DJs.
Rare, premium liquors highlight the cocktail-centric drink menu and provide unique offerings, with one-of-a-kind spirits including a custom Glen Moray scotch, Woodford Reserve Double Oaked bourbon and Delano's hand-selected Black Barrel Mt. Gay rum.
An intricate barrel-aging program will infuse a creative selection of draught cocktails with layers of complex flavors, utilizing custom oak barrels stored in house. With more than two-dozen craft beers by the bottle and a selection of wines-by-the-glass that is exclusive to Franklin, the beverage menu provides an array of options to suit any taste.
Alongside libations, guests can enjoy a selection of whimsical small bites and appetizers such as Grilled Flatbread Cambozola with caramelized pears and walnuts; selections of charcuterie and cheeses; and unique offerings including sea-salted Pommes Frites with Smoked Pepper Ketchup; and Fried Pig Ears served with togarashi, lime and black garlic-yuzo aioli.
A cocktail aficionado's enclave, Franklin is anchored by a curated craft bar program that upholds the art of the cocktail through the execution of perfectly balanced drinks. Highlights include:
The New Deal, a cocktail named for the signature achievement of the lounge's presidential namesake. This innovative cognac-based drink features D'Usse Cognac, Licor 43, fresh lemon juice and orgeat syrup and is sweetened by emulsified Bonne Maman Plum Mirabelle marmalade.
Mr. Hyde, combining hand-selected Oxley Gin, St. Germain, passion fruit, pineapple, lemon juice and kaffir leaves, provokes debate: was the drink named for the classic novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, or for Hyde Park, the site of FDR's Springwood estate?
Cocktail culture enthusiasts who sip the 1944 Classic Mai Tai may catch the nod to Trader Vic's, the Oakland, California bar where the Mai Tai was concocted in the eponymous year.
The Jefferson Library, a beer cocktail served in a tall and slender glass, produces a unique chemical reaction when Innis + Gunn Porter, a dark barrel-aged Scottish ale, reacts with lemon juice, maple syrup and pink angostura, creating ribbons of effervescence as the drink fizzes and cascades down the sides.
With a color reminiscent of the beautiful yet fleeting soft-pink hue the sky takes at dawn, the South Beach Sunrise pays homage to the iconic Delano South Beach and is balanced with Absolut Elyx Vodka, Campari, honey syrup and fresh lemon, offering a lingering flavor profile with the addition of egg whites.
The Mojito Cubano elevates the simplicity of the classic mojito's fresh lime, mint and sugar with the fragrant nose of Cana Brava Rum. Featuring strong notes of vanilla, coconut and honey, Cana Brava's delicious scent derives from the mineral-rich soils that produce Herrera, Panama's indigenous sugarcane, while the rum's ultra-smooth finish is the craftsmanship of Master Distiller and Cuban emigrant Don Poncho.
The perfectly balanced Delano Daiquiri incorporates Bacardi 1909 Heritage Rum, a limited-edition spirit that pays tribute to Don Facundo Bacard� Mass�, the revolutionary distiller who founded the Bacardi brand and redefined rum in Cuba more than 150 years ago. Showcasing the original alcohol proof at 89 percent, this smooth rum has a high ratio of Aguardiente Redestillado, the Bacardi brand's proprietary components.
The Basil Paloma, a refreshingly classic drink recipe featuring fresh lime juice, basil and Jarritos grapefruit soda, features Siet Leguas Blanco Tequilla. The Siet Leguas Distillery in Mexico distills its own tequila to this day, using the ancient "de tajona" process of grounding the agave with a stone wheel pulled by mules."
The SNM also incorporates a unique liquor - a Mt. Gay hand-selected Black Barrel Rum, chosen by Delano's mixology team at the Barbadian distillery and available exclusively at Franklin. The custom rum is the highlight of SNM, alongside Marie Brizard White Creme de Cacao, fesh lime juice and Torani Brown Sugar Cinnamon syrup.
In collaboration between MGM Resorts International and Morgans Hotel Group, the luxury all-suite Delano Las Vegas will fuse South Beach chic with the vibrant energy of the Las Vegas Strip when it comes to life September 1.
