2 of Mexico’s top bartenders are pouring in Vegas for Cinco de Mayo

By Johnathan L. Wright Las Vegas Review-Journal

7 months ago

José Luis León of Licorería Limantour in Mexico City, the No. 7 bar in the world, is starring in a pop-up May 3 through 5, 20224, at The Vault in Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip. The pop-up, with Tequila Casa Dragones, celebrates Cinco de Mayo. (Provided to the Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Ana Herrera of Handshake Speakeasy in Mexico City, the No. 3 bar in the world, is starring in a pop-up May 3 through 5, 20224, at The Vault in Bellagio on the Las Vegas Strip. The pop-up, with Tequila Casa Dragones, celebrates Cinco de Mayo. (Provided to the Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Call it Cinco de Vault.

From Friday through Sunday, The Vault, the sub-rosa cocktail lounge in Bellagio, is celebrating Cinco de Mayo by showcasing two of the top bartenders in Mexico. The Vault is joining with Tequila Casa Dragones, the highly regarded sipping tequila, to present the pop-up.

Even in Las Vegas, a city famed for its cocktail culture, this event (open to the public) stands out. Both mixologists hail from bars ranked among the top 10 in the world for 2023 by World’s 50 Best, the global authority on bars, restaurants and other hospitality destinations.

Ana Herrera mixes at Handshake Speakeasy (No. 3 in the world), a tough-to-find spot in the buzzy Colona Juarez neighborhood in Mexico City. José Luis León mixes at Licorería Limantour (No. 7 in the world), the Mexico City bar often credited with leading the country’s cocktail evolution since debuting almost 15 years ago.

Each bartender is fashioning cocktails using Casa Dragones: two pours created for the weekend and two signature drinks from the bar menus in Mexico City. Besides demonstrations, Herrera and León will discuss their cocktail craft and trends in Mexican mixology.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for our guests to experience the finest tastes and cocktail combinations that Mexico has to offer,” said Craig Schoettler, executive director of beverage and corporate mixologist for MGM Resorts International.

Tickets to the pop-up are $125 for three cocktails and Mexican-inspired canapés such as chicharrónes with espelette and lime and birria chochoyotes (dumplings) with oxtail, queso Oaxaca and consommé. Tickets, for either the 7 or 9 p.m. session each evening, may be purchased at sevenrooms.com/reservations/belvaultspeakeasy.

Contact Johnathan L. Wright at jwright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @JLWTaste on Instagram.