Cocktails made for the holidays in Las Vegas

By Heidi Knapp Rinella

Las Vegas Review-Journal

5 years ago

The Peppermint Martini at Hangover Lounge at Madame Tussauds. (Madame Tussaud's) — The Peppermint Martini at Hangover Lounge at Madame Tussauds. (Madame Tussaud’s)

First Flight cocktail, available at the Dorsey, Electra and Rosina at The Venetian and Palazzo. (The Venetian)

Rosy Cheeks cocktails at Morton’s the Steakhouse. (Landry’s)

The Chocolate & Bourbon cocktail at Chart House at the Golden Nugget. (Landry’s)

The Holiday Cheer cocktail at Mastro’s Ocean Club. (Mastro’s Restaurants)

CW Egg Nog at Cabo Wabo Cantina. (Cabo Wabo Cantina)

The Fireside Creme at Trago Lounge at Tropicana. (Tropicana)

Slater’s 50/50 holiday cocktails are, clockwise from top right, the Very Berry Christmas, Ho Ho Hot Toddy, Yuley Muley and White Fireball. (Slater’s 50/50)

Poinsettia Punch at Sugar Factory at Fashion Show mall. (Sugar Factory)

The Naughty Santa at Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant. (Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant)

Rosy Cheeks cocktails at Morton’s the Steakhouse. (Landry’s)

Landry’s Rosy Cheeks cocktails at Morton’s the Steakhouse.

For this most festive time of year, Las Vegas restaurants and lounges are doing their part to hang the holly and mount the mistletoe with creative cocktails that promise to make the season bright. Here’s a selection:

Rosy Cheeks

You’re sure to take on a rosy glow with the Rosy Cheeks, a blend of Ketel One Botanical Grapefruit Rose Vodka, Aperol and simple syrup with lemon juice and Aperol-mango whipped cream, $17 through New Year’s Eve.

Morton’s the Steakhouse, 400 E. Flamingo Road

First Flight

First Flight starts with Four Roses Yellow Label Bourbon, lemon juice, orgeat and Angostura bitters, which are shaken with ice, strained into a Champagne flute and topped with half Plum Red Bull and half Champagne, $14 through Monday.

The Dorsey, Electra and Rosina at The Venetian and Palazzo

The Holiday Cheer

They call this a dessert in a glass, and they’re not kidding. The Holiday Cheer is a blend of Tito’s Vodka, Kerrygold Irish Cream, Kahlua and Licor 43, garnished with a cinnamon-sugar graham cracker rim, $22 through New Year’s Eve. Mastro’s Ocean Club, The Shops at Crystals

The Peppermint Martini

The Peppermint Martini — one of three holiday cocktails being featured at the Hangover Lounge — pairs vodka and peppermint schnapps and finishes them with a candy cane rim and garnish, $5 through Dec. 31.

Hangover Lounge at Madame Tussauds, The Venetian

The Chocolate & Bourbon

The Chocolate & Bourbon mixes Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon with Carpano Antica Formula sweet vermouth, Tiramisu Italian liqueur and Fee Brothers Aztec Chocolate Bitters, garnished with chocolate and a cherry, $13.

Chart House, Golden Nugget

Poinsettia Punch

Gummy Christmas trees and candy canes top this bubbly concoction of cherry vodka, Champagne and cranberry juice, $40 through Dec. 31.

Sugar Factory, Fashion Show Mall

CW Egg Nog

Cabo Wabo’s CW Egg Nog is made with a secret house recipe; what they will reveal is that it contains brandy and Grand Marnier, $14 through Jan. 31.

Cabo Wabo Cantina, Miracle Mile Shops

Naughty Santa

Inspired by Pancho’s Naughty Maggie margarita, the Naughty Santa is made with Campo Azul Reposado, a float of Grand Marnier and a tajin rim, $13.50 through Tuesday.

Pancho’s Mexican Restaurant, Downtown Summerlin

The Yuley Muley

The Yuley Muley, a cranberry-infused twist on the Moscow Mule made with Tito’s vodka, cranberry juice and ginger beer with fresh cranberries and mint, is one of five cocktails being featured at Slater’s 50/50. The others are the White Fireball, with Fireball whiskey, vanilla vodka and Rumchata with a peppermint-sugar rim; the Very Berry Christmas, with Champagne, cranberry juice, a sugar rim and candy cane garnish; the Ho Ho Hot Toddy, Jameson Irish whiskey with honey, lemon, and cinnamon; and (not pictured) Gingleberry Juice, with rosemary syrup, fresh cranberries and Seagrams gin, $12 each, through Dec. 31.

Slater’s 50/50, 467 E. Silverado Ranch Blvd.

The Fireside Creme

This creamy dream blends Remy Martin Series V Cognac with Ambros Banana Whiskey, Baileys Irish Creme, dark creme de cacao and half and half, topped with nutmeg and swirls of caramel syrup, $16, through early February.

Trago Lounge, Tropicana

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Las Vegas Sands Chairman and CEO Sheldon Adelson. Las Vegas Sands operates The Venetian and Palazzo.

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at hrinella@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0474. Follow @HKRinella on Twitter.