Brock Schulte oversees the cocktailing at newcomer The Monarch Cocktail Bar & Lounge, which positions itself as “a social setting for the cocktail curious and drinks connoisseur.” Photograph by Aaron Leimkuehler #cocktails #negroni #KC

Schulte says Monarch’s most popular winter cocktail is the “Brocksop Cider,” a drink featuring Earl Grey-infused J. Rieger & Co. Vodka, Big O ginger liqueur from St. Louis, Louisburg Apple Cider, and Becherovka, an anise liqueur from the Czech Republic. “What this does is nicely blend all of the flavors together,” Schulte commented. Photograph by Aaron Leimkuehler #cocktails #negroni #KC

"I'm happy that I get to travel around the world and come back to Kansas City," Manica says, "but there wasn't anything here like the high-end bars of London or Moscow. So I decided to open one myself." See page 20 Photograph by Aaron Leimkuehler #design #cocktails #negroni

"At the helm of this ultra-glam watering hole is bar manager Brock Schulte, who’s credited as a major influence on the city’s cocktail culture scene." Photograph by Aaron Leimkuehler #design #cocktails #negroni