Libation Elimination at The W Hotel

A good beverage, just like any good dish, is a work of art that takes talent and skill to pull together; making sure all the right notes are hit and that the flavors really shine. Last night, six of the city's best bartenders competed in the Libation Elimination, hosted in conjunction by The W Hotel and BostonChefs.com. Throughout the evening, guests mingled and sipped tequila based concoctions and voted for which one they thought was the best.

With flavors ranging from fruity and tropical to spicy with flavors of pumpkin and cinnamon, I was torn between two drinks in particular - one from TJ White, bartender at Restaurant Dante and the other from the The W's own, Joe Black. The drink from Restaurant Dante was packed with lots of flavors from jalapenos, pineapple and then the cup was smartly lined with smoked salt and garnished with a slivered pineapple wedge. It had a smoky aroma to it and all of the flavors were so well balanced. My other favorite, and the one that ended up earning my vote, was created by the bartender at the W lounge. A refreshingly chilled ginger cocktail that tasted almost like a sweeter, grown-up version of ginger beer. It had a strong ginger flavor but a nice sweet finish.

Throughout the event, I couldn't help but be impressed by what our hometown bartenders could do with one ingredient and I enjoyed seeing things like eyedroppers full of Taza chocolate extract and microplanes for grating fresh nutmeg and cinnamon at various bartender's tables. It gave me a renewed sense of appreciation for the art of drink making.