Think it’s all about the coolest cocktails when the drinks experts hit the town? Their orders might surprise you.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. Your favourite bartender who’s always waxing lyrical about how much they lovvvvve Martinis? Chances are it’s not actually their favourite drink. For that, you need to dig a little deeper and you might just learn they have some unexpected guilty pleasures. You’re not likely to find these secret sips plastered over socials, but it doesn’t make them any less tasty. I’m talking tacky, I’m talking cream, I’m talking disco.
Because I firmly believe that bartenders are the most in-the-know drinkers, I wanted to ask my favourite Melbourne drinks experts for their guilty-pleasure drink orders. I chat to Kayla Reid from Whisky & Alement, Dom Xavier from Hands Down, Yao Wong of The Elysian and Goodwater, and Kitty Gardner from Caretaker’s Cottage.
Guilty pleasures: Brandy Alexander and Grasshopper
Tending bar at Melbourne institution Whisky & Alement, Kayla (pictured above, top) lives many people’s dreams with access to one of the world’s greatest selection of whiskies. You’d assume she must live and breathe malt and grain, but life is all about balance.
On Kayla’s time off, you may catch her in one of her other favourite cocktail bars, indulging in something a little richer. “Creamy drinks are the ultimate guilty pleasure for me. We’re talking Grasshoppers [pictured] and Brandy Alexanders,” she says. “These aren’t the drinks you’re going to be smashing all night – well, maybe you are, I’m not judging – but they’re more of an after-dinner treat or nightcap.”
With more than a decade’s experience in cocktails, Kayla has a few tips on how to nail your next indulgence. “I love to go with the split base of white and dark cacao for a Brandy Alexander to give some more complexity, and serving a Grasshopper over crushed ice can be very refreshing!”
2. Dominic Xavier, Hands Down
Guilty pleasure: Pastis
If you’ve not been to Dom’s new Fitzroy venue Hands Down (don’t sweat, it’s only just opened), it’s a beacon of modern hospitality, warm sound and lighting, and a very smart and considered drinks menu. Oh, and there’s dancing. Lots of dancing.
For Dom (pictured above, top left), his guilty pleasure is pastis, the anise-flavoured spirit from France. “It’s stiff but refreshing, and it’s minimal liquid intake compared to beer, yet somehow also sessionable. The perfect drink!” he says. I suppose it makes sense to steer away from complicated cocktails and more into a spirit mixer if your destination is the dancefloor.
As well as being a perfect partner for a boogie, pastis also complements the best types of food, be that near, “at the counter of Napier Quarter”, or far – “at the Calanques in Marseille with a jambon-beurre in hand”.
If you’d like to discover the world of pastis, Dom has a serving suggestion. “I prefer mine with two ice cubes and still water. The beauty in the serve is you can find what works best for you – it’s very forgiving!”
Click image to shop
Guilty pleasure: Long Island Iced Tea
Yao is the bartender’s bartender; co-founder of whisky staples The Elysian & Goodwater. With almost 20 years in the industry, Yao (picutred above, bottom right) is one of the most accomplished professionals I know, with a wealth of knowledge of not just all types of whisk(e)y, but also alcohol and bars in general. So, surely his guilty pleasure will be something refined, upper-class and sophisticated, right?
Well, *checks notes*, it’s the Long Island Iced Tea. I knew I liked Yao from the moment I met him, but it’s only now I really know why.
“It’s a legendary drink that originated in the ’70s, stemming from a competition to create a new drink using triple sec. The outcome is a concoction of five different white alcohols, citrus and cola, and it’s as universally loved as it is loathed.” I love it. I like to think we’ve all been through a Long Island Iced Tea phase and Yao is proudly still living his truth.
Yao is also big into food, so what’s his favourite pairing with a LIIT? “Something sinful like Buffalo wings or American barbecue,” he says. And his tip for perfection? “Understanding the sweet and sour balance of this drink can make it dangerously quaffable – I tend to veer towards the slightly sweeter side, adjusted with a bit of sugar syrup.”
Guilty pleasure: White Russian
Kitty is co-creative lead and head of drinks production at Caretaker’s Cottage, one of Australia’s most awarded cocktail bars, so she knows her way around good drinks. If I’m taking tips from anyone, it’ll be Kitty (pictured above, bottom left), so, what’s she saving for herself and leaving off the Caretaker’s menu?
“The White Russian walked so all these in-vogue specialty coffees could run. Mont Blanc, anyone?” she says. Kitty was introduced to this iconic creamy cocktail through her husband. “Years before we got together, we worked at a cocktail bar in Edinburgh where he made me one. He told me the secret was adding 25mL of vanilla syrup.” Also the secret to relationship success, it would seem.
Despite it traditionally being a straightforward three-ingredient cocktail, Kitty has a few pointers. “Make sure you have plenty of ice in your glass. Stir down your vodka and coffee liqueur until properly cold. Fresh cream is a winner, obviously, and shake it up in a jar with a touch of sugar and a few drops of vanilla essence. This will ensure the cream is thick enough and will float on top of your drink. And if you own a fine grater or microplane, zest a little orange peel over the top for a bright aromatic lift.”
