One of the world’s most renowned and influential cocktail bars, Death & Co, opens in Melbourne today, in partnership with Australian Venue Co (AVC).
Since its establishment in 2006 in New York, Death & Co has opened US venues in Denver, Los Angeles and Washington D.C. It was announced mid-year that the cocktail bar brand had partnered with AVC to bring Australian outposts to Melbourne and Brisbane.
The first of those two bars open today, 14 November, with the launch of Death & Co Melbourne. Located at 87 Flinders Lane, the bar spans two levels, the Ground Floor Bar and the Cellar Bar.
“Taking Death & Co outside the U.S. for the first time is a huge milestone for us, and there was never a question about who we wanted to do it with,” says David Kaplan, founder and co-owner.
“Our relationship with AVC goes back years – from working with Ben Hehir in New York to our three-city tour across Australia in 2020 – and this feels like the natural next chapter. Melbourne and Brisbane are two of the most dynamic cocktail cities in the world, and we’re proud to be doing this alongside a group we deeply admire.”
AVC CEO Paul Waterson was also thrilled to partner with the famed bar brand.
“Death & Co is recognised worldwide as one of the best bar brands in the world, the team are at the forefront of the cocktail industry. Australian Venue Co is proud and excited to be a part of taking Death & Co international for the first time.
“Melbourne’s Flinders Lane is a natural first location and Brisbane will be opening soon after beneath the iconic Regatta Hotel. Each bar will capture the essence of Death & Co, but with a local accent.”
Signature cocktails
At Death & Co Melbourne guest can sample a wide variety of cocktails that have been developed across the different US bars, including:
- Telegraph (By Tyson Buhler, Death & Co Denver, 2018) – Four Pillars Dry Gin, highlighting Australian native Eucalyptus – Inspired by its namesake gin Martini variation, this chilled serve combines pear, eucalyptus, pine and juniper, evoking an alpine fruit orchard in a glass.
- Sound & Fury (By Tyson Buhler, Death & Co NYC, 2015) – El Jimador Blanco, Ancho Reyes, raspberry, red bell pepper, lime – Playing off the unusual but delicious pairing of raspberry and red capsicum, this smoky riff on the Margarita balances ancho chillies and tequila with bright bursts of raspberry and the red capsicum flavours.
- Buko Gimlet (By Matthew Belanger, Death & Co LA, 2019) Four Pillars Navy Gin, Cachaça, coconut, lime, pandan – A refreshing spin on the classic gimlet, reimaging the Filipino dessert, buko pandan in cocktail form. Aromatic gin distilled with finger limes forms the base, layered with herbaceous cachaça, coconut liqueur, coconut water, and pandan syrup.
The cocktail menu also features Death & Co’s globally recognised signature cocktails, including the Naked & Famous and Oaxaca Old Fashioned, served with the precision and flair that earned the brand its place among the world’s best bars.
Guests can also let the bartenders find a cocktail to suit their mood with Dealer’s Choice. Conversation between the bartender and the guest is core to the Death & Co experience. Through a few questions, the bartender will decipher what type of cocktail the guest is in the mood for and delve into two decades of Death & Co cocktails and classics to select a drink specifically catered to them.
