I was once assigned to write a story for a cocktail publication about a new flair bartending class at Carnaval Court. Everything went great. I took the class, interviewed the instructor, and turned in the story. The only problem: This was March 2020, right before the pandemic changed everything. A class where strangers share and pass around glassware and bottles didn’t fit the “no touching” era and Caesars Entertainment postponed the class indefinitely. As far as I can tell, the story never ran. But flair bartending didn’t go away.
🍹 Don’t Call It a Comeback
“The rules and guidelines that came with COVID didn’t hurt flair bartending much at all,” according to Vegas bartender Vahe Manoukian. “The ‘no touching’ that came with COVID only affected very minimal aspects of what flair is. No high fives allowed.”
🍾 See What It's About
Manoukian is the organizer of the World Bar Flair Competition, which takes over the Luxor's HyperX Arena from morning to night on Tuesday, September 10. It’s the largest event of its kind in the world and the general public is invited to watch. Tickets are free by request.
🔥 So What is Flair Bartending Anyway?
It’s a drink and a show in one. Think of a bartender juggling and tossing bottles while preparing a cocktail and you’ll get a pretty good idea of what flair bartending, extreme bartending, or simply “flair” is all about. Bonus points if fire makes an appearance or if the drink is poured into multiple glasses at the same time. A newer phenomenon — craft flair — is a more subtle version of the art form, featuring sleight-of-hand, spoon tricks, and that kind of stuff, coinciding with the recent wave of speakeasy-style cocktail lounges.
Tom, foolery. (Touchstone Pictures/Getty)
🍸 What’s the Story Behind Flair?
Ambitious cocktail presentations have been around in one form or another since spirits first flowed from a bottle into a glass. The phenomenon exploded in the ‘80s, thanks to the popularity of T.G.I. Friday’s (as the chain’s bartenders competed against each other in flair competitions) and the 1988 Tom Cruise movie “Cocktail.” “It’s not something you learn on the job,” Manoukian says about perfecting flair skills. “You have to love what you do to practice at home for hours on end.”
🎰 Where’s the Flair in Vegas?
Fuel Bar at the Grand Bazaar Shops, Carnaval Court at Harrah’s, and various bars at Fremont Street resorts like The D, Circa, and Golden Gate feature flair bartending. Some of the best from these places will be in the Luxor competition. Fuel Bar is the exception. Manoukian is a bartender there and wants to avoid the appearance of conflicting interests 👍
