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| - I'm torn by AZ 88. On the one hand they have a great and inventive menu and a broad selection of liquors, but on the other hand I am unimpressed by some of their cocktails.
Their martinis are HUGE. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Yeah, everyone loves a generous drink, but on the other hand, when you're drunk after two cocktails, it's a bit much. Plus, their martinis, despite being big and highly intoxicating, are a watered down. The martini I ordered was shaken, not stirred. There's a reason Bond was wrong: shaking melts too much ice and waters down the martini - shaking works with some drinks, but not a martini. Yes, I was feeling quite the buzz from my massive cocktail, but considering it was served to me in the volumetric equivalent of a fish bowl, that's not surprising.
However, despite watery martinis that compensate for lack of flavor by sheer volume, I must give credit where it's due: the bar is VERY well stocked with high-quality, exotic ingredients. They even age whiskey in their own barrels.
In sum: a good bar that needs direction from the discerning drinker. They have all of the building blocks for the best cocktails in the valley, but you'll need to direct the barkeep quite a bit to make sure you get something to live up to the potential.
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