We Took a Dallas Bartender to The Mansion to Try Their $75 Cocktail

When I asked Gabe Sanchez if he'd be willing to go to The Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek to try one of their $75 Elf on the Top Shelf cocktails, his first response was, "Do they have a dress code?" His two East Dallas bars, Saint Valentine and the recently reprised Black Swan Saloon, are both dark and casual cocktail lounges with a sheen of gloss, where worn-out Vans or red bottoms work.

Sitting at a small table inside The Mansion Bar, the lady in her 70s sitting next to us — wearing red leather pants and gold heels — didn't mind Sanchez's Beastie Boys hoodie and black Deep Ellum Swan cap. Game knows game.
The Rosewood Mansion is a Dallas landmark — from its lauded restaurant, which has mainlined chefs into the dining scene for decades, to the elegant and private Library Room. The Mansion Bar is rich with plush red banquette seating, wood paneling and fireplace in the center. Golden ramekins on each table have only perfect, unbroken pecan halves. No pieces here. Each is perfectly coated in a delightful spice that is not too sweet nor too spicy.

Anyone can visit the bar anytime; just tell the valet to keep your Mazda nearby, and they gladly will (although not as close as a G-Wagon). The cheapest room starts around $850 a night, but most accommodations push $2,000.

"Clientele matters," Sanchez says when asked about why someone would offer a $75 cocktail. "Someone here is accustomed to nice things and likely has a point of reference."

Sanchez is actually all for this high-end offering. After looking through the four special cocktails he says, "Those are all baller." But still, why? Why would someone want to make or buy such a frivolous thing? He talks about the journey of discovering liquors: when a client at one of his bars asks about something new or high-end, uncovering gems can be an expedition of sorts.

Stephen Wheeler, the manager at The Mansion Bar, is responsible for the menu. He said the goal was to offer an elevated, new cocktail experience while showcasing some of the Maniosn's rare spirit offerings.

Rare indeed.

The Evergreen Elixir, the first cocktail on the menu, is made with Macklowe Gold Whiskey, a 10-cask-only batch, aged for 45 months. It retails for about $260 for a 700 ML bottle. When we asked to see the bottle, the bartender reached into a back cabinet, presumably where the pricey bottles are stashed. It's half empty (or full) showing we're not the only ones imbibing.

Macklowe, branded as a luxury, high-end elixir, is a relatively new boutique American distillery whose founder wants it to be the Ferrari of whiskeys. At The Mansion, before investing in the whole bottle, you can get a taste. Then perhaps track down one of Macklowe's more exclusive bottles, which costs as much as a room at The Mansion. A journey indeed.
The Evergreen cocktail is topped off with Cap Corse Rouge, an aperitif from the French island of Corsica made from "exotic spices, walnuts and quinine bark." A splash of vermouth adds a soft herbal touch. The cocktail is served in a crystal glass with an impeccably clear block of ice capped with pressed fern — yes, pressed fern. It's the "Evergreen Elixir" after all.

Sanchez points out that it's a nice pour — probably 3 ounces of liquor, whereas a standard pour is 1.5. The drink is balanced, and the temperature is perfect (chilled). After sitting for a bit, the fern opens to release an herbaceous scent. The large block of ice helps to keep the cocktail cold for a long sip but never lets it get watered down.

"Someone who drinks really nice whiskey — a bourbon or scotch fan — if they didn't like this, they're doing it wrong," Sanchez says.

Wheeler says he wanted this to be the perfect pre-dinner drink by a fireplace (if the weather allows it, which is a strange challenge for Dallas right now).

"By incorporating a Corsican aperitif and a Spanish vermouth, the bittersweet notes are cloying with the drier Macklowe whiskey and makes for a wonderful interpretation of the classic Boulevardier," Wheeler says. 

We tried only one of the four Elf on the Top Shelf offerings, and it was indeed a journey. Perhaps it ruined us. Might need to find a nice lady in red leather pants to befriend to try more interpretations of a Boulevardier. What a fun way to make new friends.