The 10 Most Expensive Cocktails In The World (Slideshow)
10. Mai Tai — $1,036
The Merchant Hotel, Belfast
For £750 euros (or about $1036), you can enjoy possibly the most expensive drink on all of the Emerald Isle. The Merchant Hotel in Belfast serves up its notorious cocktail, made with the same ingredients as the first-ever Mai Tai, with the original recipe as made by Trader Vic in 1944. The drink is made with two ounces of 17-year-old J. Wray & Nephew Rum — only 24 bottles of the rum exist — shaved ice, juice of a fresh lime, half of an ounce of Holland DeKuyper orange curaçao and French Garnier orgeat syrup, and finished with a quarter-ounce of Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup and a sprig of fresh mint.
9. Bon Fire — $1,037
Skyview Bar, Burj Al Arab Hotel, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
As the name suggests, this drink has some heat, perhaps in a tribute to its desert setting.
Havana Maximo aged Cuban rum is blazed and combined with smoke essence, and bitters. In addition, the drink's fragrance is enhanced with kaffir lime leaves and orange zest. Dried fruits and brown sugar sweeten the deal. All this and views of the Dubai skyline make the cocktail amost worth it — but at 3,810 AED? Not really.
8. Ritz-Paris Sidecar — $1,670
Bar Hemingway, Hotel Ritz-Paris, France
The Hotel Ritz-Paris is famous for its decadent parties and its clientele, including Ernest Hemingway. In a bar named after the famous drinker/writer, you can taste the world's most expensive Sidecar, which first made its appearance on the bar scene in the 1920s. The Ritz version is made with a champagne Cognac from between 1830-1870 and is rumored to have been kept safe by Nazi soldiers during the occupation. As of last year, this classic will cost you around $1,670.
7. Ménage a Trois — $3,000
Tryst Nightclub, Wynn Hotel, Las Vegas
Are you looking for a "Ménage a Trois" in Las Vegas? Well, this one will cost you $3,000, and that doesn't include the tip. But hold on, it's not what you're thinking. Tryst Nightclub at the Wynn Hotel serves up the Ménage a Trois, a cocktail made with Cristal Rosé, Hennessy Ellipse, and Grand Marnier Cent Cinquantenaire. To top it off, it's served with 23-karat gold flakes and liquid gold syrup, and a nine-point diamond-studded golden straw.
7. Sapphire Martini — $3,000
Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecticut
Most drinks that make the top 10 fit into one of two categories — they are either made with rare fine liquors or they come with a diamond relish. The Sapphire martini is a twist on the latter. The signature drink of the resort (made with Bombay Sapphire gin, dry vermouth, and orange liqueur) would only set you back a twenty and change, but drop a pair of sapphire earrings into your glass, and voilà!
5. Diamond Cocktail — $4,350
Sheraton Park Hotel, London
Continuing with the bling is the Sheraton's 5-star London property that serves an intense concoction: a blend of cognacs that fetch about $1000 per bottle and Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2001 Champagne, plus a real diamond. Once you order the drink, you can choose your stone — and even swap it out for a ruby, if you prefer.
4. Salvatore’s Legacy — $9,230
Playboy Club, London
"With this drink, I wish to be written within the pages of history," writes award-winning mixologist Salvatore "The Maestro" Calabrese of his namesake. And indeed he did, using some of the oldest bottles around such as 1788 Clos de Griffier Vieux Cognac, Dubb orange curaçao from the late 1860s, and 1770 Kummel Liqueur, the cocktail earned a Guinness World Record. And at £5,500.00 — or about $9,230 — it deserves the honor.
3. Diamond Is Forever Martini — $10,000
Uncorked, New York
Some bars just throw a carat into your cocktail and call it a day, but others, like Uncorked's owner Andy Goetz make every drink a one-of-a-kind. This isn't just a drink you're buying, as the gemstone at the bottom of your vodka martini is a custom-made engagement ring, created by Andy Goetz himself. You'll have to place your order 73 hours ahead, after a consultation with the jeweler, giving you plenty of time to change your order should you get cold feet.
2. Winston — $12,040
Club 23, Melbourne, Australia
On February 7, 2013, Joel Heffernan of Club 23 set a new Guinness World Record for the most expensive cocktail with his Winston, named, of course, for Winston Churchill. In addition to two $6,000 shots of Croizet Cognac from 1858, you'll find opulent additions such as Grand Marnier Quintessence and Chartreuse V.E.P in your glass. But do call ahead; it takes two days to make The Winston.
1. The Diamond is Forever Martini — $17,600
The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo
Plot twist! Though the Australian Winston is officially recognized as the world's most expensive, the Ritz-Carlton Tokyo's Diamond Is Forever Martini holds the distinction of the costliest cocktail on our list, at 1,800,000 Yen — that's nearly $18,000. The drink is chilled Grey Goose vodka with a hint of fresh lime juice, stirred or shaken. What puts this drink over the top? A "crystal clear" cut, one-carat diamond resting at the bottom of the glass. Plus, this drink comes with live music: A band will serenade you with "Diamond Is Forever" as you enjoy the decadent cocktail.