Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Travel

Bucket List Booze: 4 Over-the-Top Cocktails to Try Before You Die

By

Modern Nomad is a weekly column dedicated to mobile gear, must-see world destinations, tips for life on the road, and traveling better through technology.

For a properly crafted cocktail in cities like Boston, NYC, or Los Angeles, you can easily expect to shell out $25 or more. But these four unique cocktails boast some of the world’s most lavish, over-the-top ingredients and preparations, often with a sky-high price tag to match.

Recommended Videos

Kentucky Derby Mint Julep (Louisville, KY)

Kentucky-Derby-Mint-Julep
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Few cocktails are more representative of The Deep South than the classic mint julep. But the branded Kentucky Derby Mint Julep elevates the humble cocktail to an absurd level. The recipe features Woodford Reserve bourbon, turbinado sugar, local, Louisville-sourced mint, and 10,000-year-old glacial ice, all served in a limited edition Tiffany & Co silver cup at the annual Kentucky Derby horse racing event. Price tag: $1,000 (USD)

Related: The Best Hot Cocktails for Cold Autumn Weather

Sumo Mary (Chicago)

Sumo Mary Cocktail (Sunda, Chicago)
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of course, you needn’t shell out a grand to score a must-have cocktail. Chicago’s landmark Asian restaurant, Sunda, blurs the line between entree and beverage with their 32-ounce Sumo Mary. This absurd version of the classic hangover cure boasts a lengthy ingredient list including Bloody Mary mix and Absolut vodka served in a mason jar, then topped with roasted potatoes, Chinese broccoli, tocino grilled cheese, a baked snow crab roll, braised pork belly, duck bao, and bacon. It’s every bit as ridiculous and awesome as it looks. Price tag: $40

Cotton Candy Nitrotini (Charleston, SC)

Nitrotini
Image used with permission by copyright holder

There’s a certain beauty in science and Charleston’s Grill 225 pays homage to that fact with their elaborate Cotton Candy Nitrotini. The Mr.-Wizard-meets-Mr.-Boston cocktail includes X-rated Fusion liqueur, Pinnacle Cotton Candy vodka, pink lemonade, and grenadine, all garnished with a tall cotton candy cloud. The concoction is then topped with liquid nitrogen cooled to -320°F, forming a dramatic, smokey vapor atop the glass. If a cotton candy cocktail is a little too “country fair” for you, the entire Nitrotini menu includes more toned-down versions as well. Just be sure to heed the drink’s included warning label (“Nitrotinis should be given the same respect as fire”), which seems intent on completely dissuading you from imbibing it in the first place. Price tag: $19

Ono Champagne Cocktail (Las Vegas)

Ono-Champagne-Cocktail
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Las Vegas’s reputation for excess is legendary, so it’s no surprise that the city is home to one of the country’s most extravagant bespoke cocktails. XS at the Encore Wynn casino offers an exclusive Ono Champagne Cocktail — a blend of ultra-rare $90,000-a-bottle Louis XIII Black Pearl cognac, Charles Heidsieck 1981 Champagne Charlie, apricot puree, fresh orange juice, and Sence rose nectar. If you’ve ever wanted to party like Alex Rodriguez or a hedge fund manager, your cocktail has arrived. Price tag: $10,000

Topics
Mike Richard
Mike Richard
Contributor
Mike Richard has traveled the world since 2008. He's kayaked in Antarctica, tracked endangered African wild dogs in South…
These unexpected menu items at Komodo Las Vegas made my meal memorable
From appetizers to dessert, expect to be impressed
Komodo Las Vegas

The difference between a good meal and a memorable meal goes beyond just great food. You can find great food anywhere and especially when visiting Las Vegas. Yet, the most memorable meals of my life have more than just stellar food. Memorable meals have an element of surprise or experience to them. At Komodo Las Vegas, unexpected menu items turned the dining experience unforgettable.

The menu is full of choices that go beyond what you'd see at a typical Southeast Asian restaurant, transforming a meal into a complete dining experience. From the Matcha Martini to the Surf & Turf Maki Roll, these unexpected menu items at Komodo Las Vegas surprised me in the best way possible.

Read more
Flying with beer? Here’s how to pack alcohol in your luggage
Learn how to do this right with this packing guide
Packing a suitcase

If you're anything like me and can’t resist picking up a few bottles of that amazing local wine or craft beer while you’re traveling, you’ve probably faced that moment of panic when it’s time to pack. Maybe you went a little overboard at a vineyard in Napa or filled half your suitcase with IPAs from a cool little brewery you stumbled upon. No judgment -- been there, done that. Honestly, local beer and wine make some of the best souvenirs (and gifts, if you don’t end up keeping them for yourself). Here's the big question, though. Can you bring alcohol on a plane?

The short answer is yes. Like with anything else in life, there are rules, and it's important to know them before you head to the airport, including how much and what you can bring. If you're flying with beer or wine, it's also essential to know how to pack the alcohol for the flight. There’s nothing worse than a bottle of red wine breaking in your suitcase and staining everything, or a broken beer bottle making your luggage smell like yeast right before a long-haul flight. With a few smart packing decisions, your beer or wine will be safely waiting for you at the baggage carousel, wherever your final destination may be.

Read more
Once nearly impossible to visit, this country could soon welcome the world
Turkmenistan just got easier to visit
Turkmenistan

For most of the world, Turkmenistan remains a mystery. Landlocked in Central Asia, it’s the second largest country in the region, yet it’s one of the least-known nations globally. Part of the reason for its obscurity? Turkmenistan has long maintained some of the strictest visa policies in the world. Independent travelers could only access the country on a transit visa, typically valid for just 3 to 7 days, or by joining a guided tour that required pre-arranged, government-approved invitations.

But that may soon change. According to The Independent, Turkmenistan has passed a new law that simplifies the visa process. Under the new system, travelers will only need to fill out an online form, eliminating the need for a formal invitation. Although President Serdar Berdymukhamedov will have the final say on the specifics (including the types of electronic visas and their validity) the new process promises to make visiting Turkmenistan far easier for travelers.

Read more