America’s Most Expensive Martini Offered By Chicago Joint

I can remember being in Las Vegas with my dad back in the early 1980s when I had my first really expensive cocktail. I had hit the magical age of 21 a few months before, so dad decided that it was time that I had what he called a "real drink" of the "the good stuff." The best part of this was that he was paying for it, so I was all in on this idea.

I didn't hear what he asked the bartender for, but within a couple of minutes there were two small glasses of brown liquor sitting in front us, and the bartender was asking my dad for $120.00, which dad happily paid.

The drink turned out to be cognac, which I had never had before, and I wasn't even sure how to pronounce it to begin with ("Set me up with a cogg-nack, bartender!"). Before we had our first sips, dad's toast was "To all the good things that we will never, ever tell your mom about. You get me, boy?"

I didn't have the heart to tell him that he just wasted 60 bucks on a guy who drank cheap beer he could find on sale. It turns out that I'm not the guy who should be given expensive drinks...because I really didn't even like the stuff.

Since I'm Certainly Not, Maybe You're The Right Person To Enjoy The Most Expensive Martini In The United States, And If So, You Don't Have Far To Travel To Get One

You'll have to make the drive to 912 N. State Street in Chicago, which is where you'll find a very well-reviewed bistro called Adalina. Adalina teamed up with Marrow Fine, a jewelry purveyor with a showroom in the 9 West Walton building to announce this spectacular new martini with a spectacular price tag that makes it the most expensive martini in the United States.

$13,000.

You're probably wondering what makes a single martini, no matter how good it is, worth thirteen thousand dollars. Good question. It might be because it's not just a martini. It's a martini with a lovely gift that comes with it, according to WGNTV.com:

The new drink is a smoked heirloom tomato mezcal martini that comes paired with a 9.00 CTW (Carat Total Weight) diamond tennis necklace that features 150 diamonds in 14k gold. The new drink was created by Adalina’s award-winning hospitality professional Colin Hofer, who was named Sommelier of the Year by Michelin Guide in 2022.

According to Hofer, the drink is made with Clase Azul Mezcal from San Luis Potosi, which he said is known for its smoky and herbal notes.