New York’s Death & Co has cut the ribbon on its first branch outside of the USA – right here in Melbourne. It’s great news for anyone who appreciates a well-made cocktail, and even better news for anyone who enjoys taking that drink in a dimly lit, velvet-lined room.
And they’ve called on a familiar name, drinks personality Cara Devine, to oversee the Australian operation. Together with the team behind the bar, Devine is serving up the classics Death & Co is known for along with Australian-accented riffs on your favourites – including a Gimlet that brings together Four Pillars Navy strength gin and pandan that she thinks could very well be the next big drink of the summer.
Here’s Devine now with the holy trinity of orders for when you next visit Death & Co in Melbourne.
Oaxaca Old Fashioned
I probably have to begin at the start here and say it needs to be one of the Death & Co Classics – the Oaxaca Old Fashioned.
It may not seem revolutionary now that Margaritas are everyone and your mum’s favourite drink, and most good bars will have a selection of artisanal mezcal for the bartenders to wax lyrical about, but back when Phil Ward put it on the Death & Co menu in 2007 most people were pretty sceptical of tequila and hadn’t even heard of mezcal – he probably has some small claim to helping agave spirits reach the popularity they enjoy today.
It speaks to the simple Death & Co approach of grounding in the classic cocktails such as Old Fashioneds, Sours and Martinis but putting their own twist on them to surprise and delight; it has stood them in good stead for close to 20 years now. The Melbourne version is true to the classic, using agave syrup for a little sweetness and to enhance the flavour of the spirits, but using local Convict bitters instead of Angostura which add a little Australiana element through pepperberry and roasted wattleseed – it works so well with the spice and warmth of the mezcal.
The Phantom Tollbooth
The Phantom Tollbooth from our Zero Proof offering is such an elegant non-alcoholic option, it’s a real winner for me. It’s a spin on an Airmail, and uses non-alcoholic dark and white rum, balanced with a little lime juice and cinnamon-bark syrup, and topped up with Melbourne’s own NON 1 salted raspberry and chamomile wine alternative. Light and bright but complex, it totally hits the spot sans alcohol.
While the Death & Co brand is known for (often pretty boozy) cocktails, we want the Melbourne location to be enjoyed by all, whether you’re not drinking or just fancy a beer or wine. I’m really proud of the wine selection; there’s something for everyone, from classic Chablis by the glass to a fun skinsy zibibbo/riesling/vermentino blend from Doom Juice in the Riverland. And the food from chef Paul Turner is excellent. Cocktails will always be front and centre but that’s not all there is to enjoy here.
The Buko Gimlet
This is a tough one, three isn’t enough! But I probably have to go the Buko Gimlet; I can see it becoming a best seller. It merges the flavours of the Filipino buko pandan dessert with those of a classic gin Gimlet – what’s not to like? I love that this comes from a Death & Co USA menu but they were already using Four Pillars Navy Strength over there because the finger lime flavour works so well in it. In Melbourne, we’ve also added a little splash of coconut rum from my favourite Australian rum distillery, Husk, which has a lovely grassy note on the finish that keeps you coming back for more.
Death & Co, 87 Flinders Ln, Melbourne, open 4pm-1am seven days a week, deathandcompanymelbourne.com.au, @deathandcompanyaus