I was so pleased to hear that the W’s Living Room Bar is featuring a new set of cocktails showcasing pear and other summery flavors.  I was easily pear-suaded to come in and try some of the new options, and made my way into the W with a new friend.  We settled into one of the comfy banquettes next to the small water feature, made friends with our waitress, and began our tasting adventure.

The first drink I tried was the new signature drinks for TLRB, A State of Bliss (Ketel One Citron vodka, cucumber, fresh mint, gimme syrup).  It had a familiar taste to it, and was so incredibly refreshing that I almost wished that we’d decided to sit on the patio … and then I remembered that it was around 102 out.

Next came the Ultimat Summer Blast (Ultimat vodka, fresh kiwi, Asian pear, St. Germain Liqueur, prosecco) was a bit less refreshing, but still is a great summer drink.  I’m not a huge fan of prosecco, so this wasn’t my favorite of the night, but I wouldn’t NOT drink it again.  I really loved the simple garnish — it almost looked like a cupcake with a tiny decoration on top.

Asian “Pear” Suasion (Absolute Pear vodka, Mathilde Pear liqueur, gomme syrup, fresh Asian pear, prosecco) was another cocktail that passed across the table.  The pear puree lent a nice texture to the cocktail and made it a bit interesting.  Since I’ve always been a fan of pear vodka, I enjoyed this little diddy, too. 

To finish the tasting session, I capped the evening off with a few sweet sips of the Nuts About the W (Stoli Vanilla vodka, Godiva White and Godiva Dark liqueurs, Frangelico, walnuts).  Let’s talk about this slice of heaven … if you’re a fan of dessert drinks, this is your new go-to.  It is plenty rich and not too heavy.

In the process of trying all of these great drinks, we opted to try a couple of food options — the mushroom flatbread and the cheese tray.  The flatbread was incredible — I did my best so be a gracious friend and allow my cohort to have the last piece, but unfortunately I wasn’t generous enough to let her have the last piece (sorry, Josie!).  The cheese tray (pictured above), was very simple (no honey or other fanciness), but it came with olives, nuts, and plenty of crackers.  It really hit the spot.

The TLRB’s other new drink features are:

Cucumber Mint Cooler – Belvedere Vodka, fresh cucumber, mint leaves, gomme syrup, sparkling water
Georgia Woodford Peach – Woodford Reserve, peach purée, Orange Bitters, splash of sprite
Hendrick’s Experience – Hendrick’s Gin, St. Germain Liqueur, cucumber, fresh lemon juice
Raspberry Serrano Paloma – Patron Silver Tequila, fresh raspberries, grapefruit juice, Serrano pepper
Strawberry Basil Mojito – Bacardi Rum, fresh strawberries, basil leaves, fresh lime juice, sparkling water
W Peach Martini – Ciroc Peach Vodka, peach purée, topped with Proseco

Things to know:

• The new drinks are available through September (the State of Bliss is always on the menu)
• The Living Room bar is open seven days a week
• The W offers complimentary valet parking if you’re going to TLRB
• The food is delicious
• TLRB has live music each Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday
• Thursdays are Havana Nights (a complimentary hand-rolled cigar when you purchase drink flights of premium Scotch or rum, mojitos are $10)