Question of the Day - 05 August 2006

Rodrigo Cao, originally from Argentina and now a resident of Las Vegas, won the pro event at the International Flair Bartending contest (a celebration of the skill of extreme bartending, which elevates the process of mixing a cocktail into an artform, as popularized by Tom Cruise in the movie Cocktail), taking home the first prize of $5,000. The finals, held at Club Rio on July 18, 2006, were the culmination of a grueling two-day schedule that involved mixing Sky Vanilla Tuaca Lemon Drops, Finest Call Sponsor Specials, and Madori Kamakazi cocktails (see recipes below), and saw Rodrigo emerge as the victor with a score of 334.9.

Contestants were judged by an international panel of experts for their accuracy, difficulty and flow of routine, creative flair, and showmanship, and according to Ken Hall, organizer of the event here and president of High Spirits, "Rodrigo put on what quite possibly could have been the show of his life. He had the crowd on their feet with a near flawless routine. Rodrigo combined amazing difficulty with silky smoothness to make for a beautiful performance."

Aside from the flamboyant displays put on by the competitors, the main dramatic moment of the event apparently came when one competitor broke a bottle in his hand and was so severely cut he had to be taken to hospital.

If you'd like to see Rodrigo in action, and even have him mix you a cocktail, he can currently be found working as a bartender at Kahunaville, in Treasure Island (see our "Nightspots" link, under "Visitor Info.")