Who | Alex Velez
Where | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
Current Bar | Allegiant Stadium, Guillermo del Toro Cabinet of Curiosities and The Lock Speakeasy at Horseshoe Casino
Past Bar(s) | Lost Spirits Distillery
Favourite Spirit | Rum
Favourite Juice | Yuzu
Favourite Classic Cocktail | Rum Old Fashioned
First Classic Cocktail you ever had | Melon Ball
Favourite Part of the Job | The guests
Favourite After Work Drink | Rum water
Favourite bar in the world | Any bar in NOLA
Best known for | Netflix Drink Masters
Favourite “at work” memory | Meeting The Rolling Stones, and many other favorite artists and collaborating with some.
What’s the most popular cocktail in your city? Sex on the Beach
Favourite thing about your city | It is 24hrs
Who is your favourite fictional bartender? Sam (Cheers)
What was the last photo that you took? Judging a cocktail competition
Where is one place that you have never been but would like to travel to? Maldives
Any claims to fame?
I was featured on Netflix as part of Drink Masters
Awards & Competitions:
• 2018 Bacardi Legacy USA Finalist (West Coast)(Arizona, Puerto Rico) 2013 Fireball cocktail competition (1st place)(San Francisco)
• 2013 Bacardi Legacy (3rd place)(San Francisco)
• 2012 World Class Diageo (Finalist)(Santa Fe)
• 2012, 2013 ST. Germain Can Can Classic, (finalist)(Santa Fe)
• 2012 Travel Channel Best of The Road Cocktail competition, (1st place)(Santa Fe)
• 2012 Beefeater Cocktail Competition Las Vegas (3rd place)(Las Vegas)
• 2012 Silver Coyote cocktail shoot out, (1st place)(Santa Fe)
• 2012 Russian Standard Vodka emotion in a cocktail glass competition (1st)
• 2012 PAMA Professionals (2nd place)(Santa Fe)
• 2012 Rioja Pour Genius cocktail competition, (3rd place)(Santa Fe)
• 2012 Campari Year of the Negroni Competition, (Finalist)(New York)
• 2011 Bowls Around the world regional (finalist)(Santa Fe)
• 2011 Bar Wars Finalist Santa Fe edition, (finalist)(Santa Fe)
• 2010 Gran Gala cocktail competition (1st place)(Santa Fe)
• 2009 Domaine de Canton Bartender of the year Award (finalist)(Las Vegas, Los Angeles, St. Maarten)
2009 Las Vegas Best Bartender (Bluie Award, Tasting panel magazine)
• 2009 Suntory Midori Cocktail Competition (4th place)(San Francisco)
• 2009 Marie Brizard Cocktail Competition (peoples choice award)(Las Vegas)
• 2009 Las Vegas Pizza Cocktail Competition (3rd place)(Las Vegas)
• 2009 Grand Marnier Mixology Summit (finalist)(Aspen Co)
• 2008 Grand Marnier Mixology Summit (finalist) (Aspen Co)
• 2008 Bombay sapphire Most Inspired Bartender Competition (2nd place)(Las Vegas)
• 2008 Beverage Arts Challenge Travel & Leisure Magazine (2nd place)(Las Vegas, Los Angeles)
• 2008 Drink for the office cocktail competition Oval (3rd) (Las Vegas)
• 2008 Conde Nast Traveler Magazine cocktail competition (2nd place)(Las Vegas)
• 1997/99/’02 Finlandia World Cup (finalist, 3rd, 1st ) ( Puerto Rico).
Additional Industry Experience:
2013 – 2018 ADI (American Distill Institute) – Spirits Judge 2008-2010 WSWA (Wine & Spirits Wholesales of America) – Spirits Judge
2008 – Bar Smarts Graduate (Las Vegas)
2014 – Presenter/Moderator Worlds of Flavor Conference CIA Institute Greystone Napa California.
2008/2010/2013 – Presenter/ Moderator Tales Of The Cocktail (New Orleans)
2012 Vermouth Specialist – Vermouth Academy (New Orleans) Aspiring Bar Chef July 2008.(Las Vegas)
2009 – Bluies Award recipient Best Bartender Bartender Las Vegas
Mixologist/flair bartender for the 2009 Latin Grammys Las Vegas
Mixologist/flair bartender Epicurian Festival Caesar’s Palace Hotel & Casino, November 2006.
Mixologist/flair bartender Taste of Nations Navy Pier Chicago, August 2006.
Metromix’s Bartender of the Month, Chicago, IL, February 2006. Flair bartender Maxim Magazine’s 25th Silver Anniversary Party Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chicago, June 2005.
Certified Master of the Absolut Vodka Academy, November 1999
Aperitivo or Digestivo? Aperitivo
Sparkling or Flat? Flat
Paper Plane or Penicillin? Peni
Sherry or Vermouth? Sherry
Are you available for freelance gigs? Yes
Find them: Instagram
