Colonel, you can keep your fried chicken recipe, we’re on a mission to figure out what’s in the simple syrup at the bar in the new Montelucia Resort & Spa. The proprietary blend was created by Francesco Lafranconi – the kind of bartender who restores your faith in humanity, one drink at a time. You see, Lafranconi has a long history of creating cocktails—for the grappa bar at the Intercontinental San Francisco and as director of mixology for distribution giant Southern Wine and Spirits (this is his day job). But for Montelucia, he didn’t create a “signature drink,” as seems to be the trend. Rather, he created a secret ingredient (we know there’s figs in it, and probably agave nectar, maybe a little star anise, but beyond that, we’re clueless) that literally transforms most cocktails here into works of art. Or as Lafranconi calls them: “liquid memories.”

 

Montelucia opens on Election Day, and the main bar looks promising, not only from a design standpoint but from a staff standpoint, too. Sad to say, Lafranconi’s suave Italian accent won’t be filling in the voids between martini shaking and champagne corking, because he lives in Vegas. But he seems to have done a fine job teaching the bartenders here how to respect the art of cocktailing, understand the ingredients, and, unfortunately, keep that simple syrup recipe top secret.