How the Ritz-Carlton Created the Best Place to Ski In for a Drink at Lake Tahoe
Editor’s note: Ski season at Lake Tahoe officially ended on Sunday, but this creative concept is sure to come back and we look forward to learning about how it evolves over the summer…
photo credit Mike Donaldson/The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
What better way to end a day on the slopes than with a last run to a small cabin in the woods serving the finest whiskeys? That’s just what skiers found in the “drinking village,” new this ski season in the Backyard at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe.
Changing Themes
Mike Donaldson, food and beverage manager at The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, is the mastermind behind the cabin and the “drinking village,” which includes a pop-up Champagne and caviar cart, and a beer cart. “We created a little Alpine village with bars and places to eat where people could spread out and use that whole area and feel socially distanced, but have a fun experience as well,” says Donaldson. The cabin debuted as a Whiskey Cabin in December, changed to a Tequila Cabin in February, and flipped back to the Whiskey Cabin in March for the remainder of the ski season, which has been extended through April 18. Labels found in the cabin include Pappy Van Winkle, Weller and Blanton’s, “whiskeys you typically wouldn’t find in a cabin on the side of a mountain,” according to Donaldson.
Upgrading the Resort Cocktail Program
Behind the bar photo credit Mike Donaldson/The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
In addition to pours of fine whiskeys, Donaldson created an elevated cocktail program for the cabin. Of the whiskey-forward cocktails, he says the most popular is the Manhattan Drift, which he says is a spin-off of a Manhattan using Japanese whiskey and “some other interesting ingredients.” Other cocktails on the menu are a play on words, like the On the Slopes Islay, a Scotch-based cocktail to “bring Scotland to the ski slopes.”
“Sometimes, in mountain towns, you have cocktails that feel like they came out of a ‘90s ski movie, just a little behind the times,” Donaldson explains. “I wanted to do something a little more elevated. Our guests are coming from the [San Francisco] Bay area, and from all over the world. They’re well-traveled, and I made it a point to elevate the resort’s cocktail program. “You can get something you would see at a downtown San Francisco bar, as opposed to on the side of a mountain,” he adds.
Cool Hospitality
As far as guests’ response, Donaldson says, “People love it. I think it’s kind of a bit of surprise to them to stumble upon this little cabin and they have all of these rare whiskeys and pretty complex craft cocktails that you don’t typically find in a ski resort setting.”
“I love seeing peoples’ faces light up when they realize they can warm up with a glass full of rare whiskey from our little cabin in the woods,” adds TJ McGrath, the Whiskey Cabin’s bartender. When asked if the cabin will return for next year’s ski season, Donaldson says that its success is a key indicator that it will. “I think it’s a function of, we were forced out into the outdoors and we realize people prefer it,” he says. “Everyone’s in ski gear already, they don’t want to come inside; they want to hang out and enjoy the views.”
Cocktail Recipes
Manhattan Drift
Whiskey Drift photo credit Mike Donaldson/The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
2 oz. Hibiki Japanese Harmony Whisky
1/2 oz. Bonal
1/4 oz. Rothman & Winter Peach In the Drift
3/4 oz. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
2 dashes chocolate bitters
Measure all ingredients into a mixing glass; stir for 20 rotations. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a togarashi-spiced chocolate tuile.
On the Slopes Islay
1/4 oz. Laphroaig Whiskey
3/4 oz. Rothman & Winter Crème de Violette
1 oz. Yellow Chartreuse
3/4 oz. lime juice
1/2 oz. grapefruit juice
Measure all ingredients into mixing tin; shake vigorously for 10 to 15 seconds. Double strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass.
I’ll Buy Your Cappuccino
I’ll Buy Your Cappuccino photo credit Mike Donaldson/The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe
1oz. Knob Creek Rye
3/4 oz. Amaro Nonino
3/4 oz. Cocchi Vermouth di Torino
1/2 oz. St. George Bruto Americano
3/4 oz. lemon juice
2 dashes orange bitters
4 oz. hot water
3/4 oz. Frey Ranch Honey Syrup (2:1)
dehydrated orange slice
Measure first 6 ingredients, through orange bitters, into a large ceramic mug and stir to combine. Add hot water and honey, stirring until combined. Garnish with a dehydrated orange slice.