The Ritz Side Car in the Bar Hemingway at the Hotel Ritz, Paris

$515
1830 Ritz Reserve cognac, Cointreau, A drop of freshly squeezed lemon
This drink is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most expensive cocktail, and features some of the oldest cognac in the world. Made from grapes that were on vines well before the phylloxera infestation of the 1860s devastated many of France's finest vineyards, the 1830 Ritz Reserve cognac provides a taste of history and can be found in only a handful of bottles. Over the past three years, the Ritz has sold approximately 60 of these drinks, so they may not last very long.
www.ritzparis.com

Magie Noir (Black Magic) at the Umbaba nightclub, London

$630
Richard Hennessy cognac, Dom Perignon vintage champagne, Créme de mure blackberry liqueur, Lemon grass, Lychees, Extract of yohimbe bark
Barman Giles Andreis devised this wonder at the request of a pair of Goldman Sachs bankers who wanted to celebrate their bonuses with something special. Although the drink now comes with a 24-karat white-gold cocktail pin, purists can order theirs the way it was originally poured on that first big night.
visit www.umbaba.com

Martini on the Rock in the Blue Bar at the Algonquin Hotel, New

$10,000
Vodka, Dry vermouth, Olive, Enormous diamond
A 1.52-carat diamond will do wonders to enliven a regular martini. This cocktail may be the only drink that must be ordered with 72 hours notice, and its price will vary depending on the precise diamond selected. The good news is that the first time the drink was served, the assessed value of the diamond was actually a few thousand dollars higher than the bar tab, so you might actually profit from ordering one.
www.algonquinhotel.com

Sapphire Martini in the Mezz at Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecti

$3,000
Bombay Sapphire gin (or the patron's choice of premium vodka), Blue curaçao, A dash of dry vermouth, Blue sugar (for the rim of the glass), Platinum-mounted diamond and sapphire earrings
What turns this cocktail from something tasty and blue into a drink that could change your life (or at least your marital status) is its sterling-silver pick crowned with a 14-karat gold accent ring. Actually, it's not even so much the pick as what the pick is holding: a pair of platinum-mounted diamond (0.8 carats) and sapphire (2.5 carats) earrings.
www.foxwoods.com

Dazzle at the Second Floor Bar in Harvey Nichols, Manchester

$51,200
Rose champagne, Strawberry liqueur, Lychee liqueur, Lemon juice, Syrup, 18-karat white-gold ring with pink tourmaline and diamond stones
This cocktail from the high-end English department store, Harvey Nichols, comes with a side of security guards who escort it safely to the table. The bar now features a special safe to guard the rings, which clients can order according to their budget -- and their desire to impress.
www.harveynichols.com

Sword Martinis at Jambu's Bar in the Raffles Resort Canouan Isla

$300
Belvedere Vodka, Dry vermouth, Lemon twist, Cactaur root
Jambu's Bar at the Raffles Resort in the Grenadines boasts a lucky 88 martinis, four of which top the price list at $300 per glass. The key ingredient in each is a customized and handmade 14-karat gold sword: The Bushido features a miniature samurai sword; the Old Glory comes with a Civil War-era replica; the Excalibur has a version of its eponymous legendary saber; and the Classic sports a regular sword. Collect them all.
www.canouan.raffles.com

The Red Ruby at Reserve, Chicago

$950
Grey Goose L'Orange vodka, Hypnotiq cognac, Orange juice, Pama, a pomegranate liqueur, A splash of Dom Perignon champagne
Pete Gugni, the manager of this nightclub in Chicago's West Loop, has assembled an impressive array of liquid delights for this cocktail. And, drawing upon his background in the jewelry business, he has hidden in their midst a one-carat, A-grade ruby.
www.reserve-chicago.com

Diamond Cocktail in the Piano Bar at the Sheraton Park Tower Hot

$4,350
Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2001 Champagne, Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac, Angostura bitters, Sugar cube, Your choice of a diamond or ruby
This price of this glittering champagne cocktail will depend on the quality of the gemstone picked to be the garnish: selecting a 0.6 carat diamond will produce a $4,350 drink, "but we could go up to $19,000 if a customer would like to choose such a gemstone" says the bar's assistant manager, Theodore Garcia. In any event, the presence of Charles Heidsieck Champagne and Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac (a blend of cognacs -- some of which are more than 125 years old -- that retails for $1,750 per bottle) guarantees that the flavor will be exceptional.
www.starwoodhotels.com/sheraton

Platinum Passion at Duvet, New York

$1,500
L'Esprit de Courvoisier, Squeeze of lemon, Syrup of passion fruit, forest berries, wildflower honey, and brown sugar, Fill with Ruinart Champagne
The Duvet restaurant in New York may be most famous for entertaining its patrons on mattresses, but its signature cocktail may also leave you flat on your back. Served in a chilled champagne flute and garnished with an orchid, the elixir is said to be a favorite of Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson.
www.duvet.com

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