When a customer at London’s Playboy Club dropped a $77,000 bottle of cognac, shattering its 224-year-old glass, bartender extraordinaire Salvatore Calabrese did what anyone would do: he grabbed another centuries-old bottle of cognac and proceeded to create the most expensive cocktail ever made. (The previous champ was the 27.321 cocktail from the Burj Al Arab’s Skyview Bar, sold for around $7,400 a glass.) The new drink, dubbed Salvatore’s Legacy, consists of 1788 Clos de Griffier Vieux cognac, 1770 Kümmel herbal liqueur, 1860 Dubb orange curacao and two dashes of Angostura bitters. That’s a combined 730 years of liquid history and a price tag of a staggering $8,830. But Salvatore’s Legacy isn’t the only pricey cocktail on the block. Check out some of the other most opulent drinks ever to be mixed.
$1,000 Kentucky Derby Mint Julep at Churchill Downs
For almost a decade now, Woodford Reserve has crafted $1,000 mint juleps for some lucky Derby onlookers. The 2010 recipe was a particularly decadent concoction of Woodford Reserve bourbon, turbinado sugar, Louisville-grown mint and — the kicker — ice from a 10,000-year-old Alaskan glacier, all served in a limited-edition (only 73 were made) Tiffany & Co. silver cup.
$3,000 Ménage à Trois at Wynn Las Vegas
Indulgence, thy name is Las Vegas. Sin City certainly knows how to go decadently over the top, and the signature Ménage à Trois cocktail at Tryst nightclub at Wynn Las Vegas is a testament to that fact. With the DJ’s beats in the background, order up this drink featuring 15-year-old Grand Marnier and, solidifying its luxury, 24-karat gold flakes.
$10,000 Martini on the Rock at The Algonquin Hotel
This martini has a lot of ice, but it’s not the kind you’re thinking of. Dropped at the bottom of this ritzy drink is a diamond from Bader & Garrin, the New York hotel’s in-house jeweler. Although the tag reads $10,000, the actual price varies depending on the size of the very special rock over which this drink is poured. Don’t think you’ll be able to enjoy this sparkly cocktail last-minute though — the bar requires a three-day notice to prepare the diamond.
