The race to excess

In our never-ending crusade to keep you up to date on all things financially excessive, we bring news of a gold-dusted cocktail priced at £800, the equivalent of US$1,556.

The concoction, called "When Louis Meets Louise," was unveiled at the Gilt Champagne Lounge at the Jumeirah Carlton Hotel in London's tony Belgravia section.

The formula: A blend of Louis XIII cognac with 1998 Cuvée Louise Blanc gets the addition of a cube of sugar cube, a dash of Angostura bitters and a sprinkling of real gold dust.

Head barman Vaibhav Rustagi told This Is London, "This is the mother of all champagne cocktails. Its key is the contrast between the bubbles and the aftertaste of the bitters and the sugar. We only use 15 milliliters of cognac in the cocktail, which is 10 less than a normal shot, because it is so strong. It would otherwise kill the taste of the champagne. The sugar keeps the champagne bubbly so you can see the gold dust swirling around for ages."

Why so pricey? The cognac costs US$1,943 a bottle, the champagne US$485. And then, there is the gold dust. Plus, you get to keep the Prima Donna Moser flutes, priced at US$485 a pair.

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