Towering Inferno

The Pinnacle Club occupies the 38th-floor space that housed the swanky Petroleum Club back in Denver's go-go oil days, and not only does it give a feel for the past, but it provides phenomenal views of the Front Range -- all 360 degrees, if you want to walk around and press your nose to the windows. But the glass you may want to focus on is the one in your hands, because the Pinnacle Club bar now offers a Martini Personality test designed to match you with your ideal cocktail. The quiz questions range from where the martini was invented to where you would like to watch the sun rise: Paris, Hawaii or New Zealand. According to my martini profile, I am a late bloomer who has lots of original artwork and enjoys unconventional dates. Yep, that's me! But then, my quiet vegetarian friend's test results revealed that he likes rare steaks and is the life of the party. So while my personality test urged me toward the Front Range Martini ($10.25), a concoction of Belvedere Cytrus vodka, Midori, dry vermouth and a squeeze of fresh lemon and lime that was bright green and tasted like a melted citrus Jolly Rancher, I quickly dumped it for a Towering Inferno ($11), made of Belvedere Cytrus, Cinnamon Schnapps, Apple Pucker and a splash of cranberry, with crushed dehydrated strawberries along the rim. This martini's Jolly Rancher flavor was fire, and the drink certainly lit up my evening. The movie tagline for The Towering Infernowarned that one tiny spark led to a night of blazing suspense; fortunately, this particular night didn't end in a disaster, nor did it end with me watching a sunrise in Maui. But the view from the Pinnacle Club was almost as good.