When Hyatt Regency Atlanta reopened Polaris, its legendary rotating restaurant and lounge,the goal of the mixology program was to celebrate "the golden age of spirits" by serving the likes of gimlets, rickeys and tonics in a menagerie of vintage glassware. One favorite isthe Campers Hootch, which features bacon-infused bourbon crafted specially for Polaris, apple- and blueberry-infused maple syrup and torched marshmallows served in a classicyet slightly quirky Mason jar. "The Campers Hootch was created to evoke the smoky flavors and spirit of camping and enjoyingthe outdoors," says Beverage Manager Mehdi Natanzi. "We wanted glassware thatwas homemade and familiar, so the Mason Jar was perfect." Highball & Harvest at The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes also looked back in time for inspiration for its cocktail program. Summerlin's Smash takes its name from Robert Summerlin,a local celebrity more than 100 years ago known for lavish parties. The drink is a somewhattra-ditional "smash" with rum as its base, and Food and Beverage Director Brian McHugh chose a footed crystal gobletwith a hand-cut diamond pattern to serve it. Although the glass looks delicate, McHugh says in nine weeks of using the glass he has only lostthree - much lowerthan his average loss for stemware. "When you have really well-made crystal, many times it's actually more dense than glass," he notes.
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