On the Cocktails episode of Throwdown, Flay found himself pitted against Tobin Ellis, Vegas bartender extraordinaire. It was one of those challenges where Flay shouldn't have stood a chance but thanks to a consult with cocktail guru Dale Degroff, Flay was able to come up with a rum-based cocktail took the prize. With sweet chunks of pineapple, herbal notes from basil and mint, a spicy ginger syrup, and rich float of coconut cream, The Thowndown Cocktail won the judges over. I mixed up a pitcher of these Throwdown!-inspired cocktails at home—it only took one sip to figure out why Flay was the winner of this challenge. The mix was sweet and tropical, but with enough bright and sour notes to keep it from being cloying. More