This Is What I Drink: 82

Rio Rita Bloody Mary (Austin, Texas)

There aren't many alcoholic beverages that are acceptable to drink during the morning or early afternoon, but the Bloody Mary is one of them. For that reason, and the fact that it has an extremely unique taste, the Bloody Mary is probably one of my favorite cocktails. Anyway, this particular Bloody Mary had been hyped by my brother for a couple days as probably the best he had ever had. That's always a pretty bold statement no matter what you're talking about, but I was pleasantly surprised that he was absolutely correct. This is an incredible drink. As with all Bloody Marys, it all starts with that tomato juice concoction. This one is made all the better by the fact that you can ask for habanero infused vodka to go along with it. It creates this perfect, very spicy and salty version of the drink. Everything else tastes so interesting that you tend to forget you are even drinking something with alcohol in it. The added bonus is all the edible non-beverage friends that come along for the party. Pickled okra, pickled banana peppers, olives, a lime wedge, and the classic celery garnish create an appetizing meal in itself. It also gives you the chance to take a break from the drink if the spice gets to be too much. The only downside here is the hefty $11 price tag (it's an extra $2 for that infused vodka.) It probably goes down as the single most expensive drink I've purchased at a bar. That said, I have no regrets. You pay for that kind of quality sometimes.