As bar manager of Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row Scottsdale, Mimi Haber sees all types—from the most country of cowboys to the most glamorous of Scottsdale.
Since Whiskey Row’s second location, on Mill Avenue, just opened, we decided to stop by the original Old Town hotspot and ask Haber a few questions about her experiences behind the bar.
The Entertainer!: Tell me about the oddest drink request you’ve gotten.
Haber: The oddest drink request I’ve ever gotten was a “broken down golf cart with a salted rim.” Not only was it a shot mix I’d never heard of, but the salted rim as the antagonist to the icing on [the]cake.
What is your number on pet peeve when working?
[My] number one pet peeve when working is a messy well. Call it Type A personally but there is something to be said for always knowing where your bottles, rags and tins are; and not having a mess of glassware and spilled drinks for your customers to walk into.
What is your go-to drink when you’re at a bar other than your own?
My go-to drink has to be a well-made and crafted Old Fashioned. There is something to be said about a cocktail with so much history behind [it], as well as the simplicity of its ingredients. It creates a beautiful medley of flavors.
What does ordering a Scotch, neat say about a person?
A neat Scotch drinker speaks “maturity and well-developed palate” to me. There is an understanding of flavor profiles that comes with a perfectly crafted Scotch. Allowing those complexities to speak for themselves alone does say a lot about the drinker.
What do you like about this drink, the Fiery Bulleit?
What I like about the Fiery Bulleit is the blend of earthy, sweet and a little hint of spicy. I’m not a fan of overly sweetened cocktails and I feel like this cocktail really blends all of the elements together. The basil mixed with the jalapeño and then the spiced flavors from the Bulleit Rye pair very well together. It’s a great cocktail and something a little different than the norm. It’s incredibly refreshing and has a little bit of effervescence.
MAKE YOUR OWN
FIERY BULLEIT
1 ½ oz. Bulleit Rye
¾ oz. fresh lemon juice
¾ oz. agave nectar
Muddled jalapeño and basil
Gosling’s Ginger Beer to top off
Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, 4420 N. Saddlebag Trail, Scottsdale, 480.945.4200, 640 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe, 480.794.1477, dierkswhiskeyrow.com
