Discover the treasures inside The Vault in Las Vegas

Bellagio has a tasty secret, one you’ll want to seek out. On the casino floor, you’ll have to find the right pit of gaming tables—off to the side you’ll see an alcove with a gilded door and a small placard with a “V” on it. This is the entrance to The Vault, a world of cocktail ingenuity and experience—an intimate lounge that oozes chic decor, but the vibes are relaxed and welcoming.

“The Vault is this hidden oasis amongst the lively hustle of the casino floor,” says Craig Schoettler, executive director of beverage and corporate mixologist at MGM Resorts International. “We like to think if it as our living room; you’re coming in to our house and we’re throwing a cocktail party for our friends. While the finishes (and) the glassware is very nice, we want to show our personality and everybody to enjoy the experience and provide a memorable experience that’s not snooty, that’s not stuffy.”

This year, The Vault welcomes some special friends to its house in the form of a guest series called Liquid Legends, a mix of notable bartenders, writers and historians who helped define the modern cocktail culture. Each series is a two-night event and welcomes a guest to share stories and knowledge, interact with visitors and create a special cocktail menu using The Vault’s vast inventory of spirits, some rare and vintage. This week (March 5-6) welcomes Robert Simonson, author of multiple books on spirits and cocktail culture and longtime New York Times contributor.

“We want it to be fun, we don’t want it to be a seminar or class where you have to sit and take notes,” Schoettler says. “All the personalities that we have coming are very different and different styles. … You can try their own creations on the menu for rest of the month. They’ll entertain, walk around, meet people and share knowledge of cocktails.”

If you can’t make it to one of the series, stop in anyway for the Vault’s regular menu with cocktail creations that you’ll be talking about long after your Vegas vacation ends—in other words, lasting memories.

We suggest beginning with the Heritage 100 margarita. MGM Resorts International partnered with Fuenteseca to create a blend of nine different aged tequilas equaling 100 years. The exclusive centennial blend anejo tequila is mixed with agave nectar, orange and a spritz of mezcal essence for a smoky aroma and then the rim is dipped in worm salt, which adds an umami flavor.

The Passion’s Serenade is our favorite, a true experiential cocktail. It’s blended with a house-made toasted sesame-infused chocolate rum, passion fruit, vanilla, mint and coconut milk frozen to the side of the glass and topped with a Fresno chili. Each sip, as the coconut milk melts and the chili seeps, is a new flavor—genius! “I call it an evolving cocktail, your first sip is different than your last sip,” Schoettler says.

For a little fun-and-cheeky-meets-top-shelf-flavors, order the Zeus. The spirit-forward cocktail is a blend of Yamazaki 12 Year Japanese whiskey, demerara, Amontillado sherry and Angostura bitters, served alongside A5 wagyu beef tartare with truffle aioli and bone marrow crumble stuffed into bone marrow. It’s a dog with its bone! It’s an Intagrammable moment and another experiential cocktail where you sip and bite, sip and bite to bring the flavors out in each creation.

“The Vault is very special—it’s an outlet where we can push the envelope a little further than we can in other venues,” Schoettler says. “… If you’re a cocktail enthusiast, this is the place I would recommend during your Vegas visit.”

Insider’s Tips

• To make a reservation or to find out more about The Vault, check its Instagram @thevaultbellagio.

• Don’t miss out on the food menu, too, with divine bites like caviar service, pretzel bread with sherry and honey, nigiri including bluefin tuna, A5 wagyu and hamachi, lobster rolls, mini potato croissants, truffle fries, mini Cubano sandwiches and a gold bar dessert made of passion fruit and chocolate.

• “This would be the room that has vintage spirits—we call it ‘liquid history’,” Schoettler says. “For example, we have Bacardi from the 1930s that was made in the Bahamas, which Bacardi now is made in Puerto Rico, so now you’re tasting what it was like if you were around in the 1930s. We give you the modern and vintage side by side so you can taste the difference.”

Bellagio, 702.693.7111. bellagio.mgmresorts.com

Feel like a true Vegas insider with the free Vegas2Go app! Discover the best of Las Vegas—right at your fingertips. From must-try restaurants and top shows to nightlife, attractions, and offers, Vegas2Go puts the city’s hottest experiences in the palm of your hand. Download for free on either the Apple Store or Google Play Store today.