WARNING: Contents and glass may be spicier than appear.

It’s one thing to break out the nutmeg and clove for your holiday spiciness needs, but the Border Solstice at Palazzo’s Fusion Bar takes the idea in a whole new tongue-on-fire direction.

Putting a twist on their on-the-casino-floor watering holes, Palazzo changed its cocktail lounge into Laguna Champagne Bar, and its center bar into the Fusion Bar — a Latin-inspired mixology haunt that comes complete with island, salsa and other Latin tunes piped directly down to sipping patrons.

The Border Solstice brings a lot of Latin flair to more traditional holiday ingredients. Yes, you’ve got your pumpkin puree, honey and an egg white foam on top dusted with cinnamon — but the heart of the Solstice is in its chipotle-infused simple syrup and reposado tequila.

Shaken and strained up in a wine glass, the Solstice is a deep orange time bomb. The chipotle syrup jumps immediately with a lot of heat, leaving the cinnamon and pumpkin flavors to linger underneath. But just when you think you’ve found a balance there, the tequila finishes with a kick.

It’s a complex drink with a lot of depth that comes at you in waves — but the chipotle builds and builds on your tongue until you might think about going for a water chaser. Or a fire extinguisher. Holiday cocktails don’t usually come this challenging or this interesting, but strange bedfellows definitely get it done in this one.

If you swing by the Palazzo tonight, the holiday display will be unveiled at the waterfall at 5 p.m., with a giant polar bear topiary and an Ice King and Queen pouring 225,000 cranberries into the water feature — plus free cupcakes, hot chocolate and other beverages. A portion of proceeds from Ecke Ranch poinsettia sales will benefit Polar Bear International, which is dedicated to polar bear conservation and getting them acting gigs in those adorable Coca-Cola commercials. We assume.

Source: Daily Fiasco