Live jazz, belly warming whisky and delectable desserts are three things that scream to me ‘my kinda place’, and when I hear the word ‘Speakeasy’…… well you definitely have my attention. I envisage mood lighting, sipping cocktails out of vintage glasses, sophistication, style and smooth sounds of jazz. The whole idea is literally, music to my ears.
Enter The Signet Speakeasy. A pop up bar offering 12 sessions over three nights. The location a secret, only revealed a few days before the event. I love the mystery! The event held high hopes and managed to exceed expectations. Upon arriving at 524 Flinders Street on a cold Winters night, guests waited with anticipation. Above a big black ominous door the wall was simply marked SIGNET. A doorbell nestled in a gold metal panel was waiting to be pushed. Ding Dong. Eyes appeared through a peephole, the door slowly opens and we are ushered into the candlelit corridor of ‘The Signet Speakeasy’.
We are greeted by Brendan McCarron – Head of Maturing Whisky Stock at Glenmorangie who gives us a taste of what we can expect throughout the evening. Glenmorangie Signet cocktails curated by Tony at Lui Bar, paired with spectacular desserts prepared by Ben of famed Vue De Monde and to top it off, live Jazz by ‘The Corridors’.
The space is warm and inviting, earth tones, high back chairs, comfy leather couches and the sounds of a piano play softly in the background have turned this warehouse into a speakeasy straight out of the 1920’s.
We are presented with a Signet Espresso Martini. A delicious cocktail prepared using a cold drip coffee jug filled with ice, slowly decanting the rich flavours of white and dark chocolate, cold drip coffee, orange liqueur and Glenmorangie Signet whisky. It’s rich, warming and perfectly paired with a bite size Vue De monde lamington, filled with delicate chocolate mousse, coffee gel and finished with a dusting of coconut. Perfection.
Brendan takes us through the history of Signet and production at the Glenmorangie distillery in Ross-Shire, Scotland. Signet is a unique whisky oozing flavours of chocolate, espresso, spices and citrus. We are given a ‘nosing’ glass to get a feel for the whisky, lightly swilling it and using Brendan’s tip – to breath through your mouth to capture the perfect aromas of the whisky and finally, tasting. On a cold night in Melbourne, Signet is the perfect drink to warm you up from the inside out. He finishes with a Scottish toast – Slangevar – meaning, to your health. Cheers!
Our next cocktail arrives which is dark in colour and rich in aroma, a Chocolate Manhattan. It’s loaded with signet whisky, sweet vermouth, bitters and touch of dark chocolate.
From behind the scenes a mini wood fire appears and the rich smell of campfire fills the air. Further adding to the charm of the Speakeasy. Ben from Vue de monde gives us a marshmallow toasting demonstration, achieving the perfect ratio of bronzed outer layer whilst still maintaining the fluffy centre. These little balls of gooey deliciousness are loaded with flavour along with a substantial amount of booze.
Last but not least we are invited to enter the Mardarin Grove bar, collecting our final cocktail and dessert along the way. A refreshing Lui Bar house made mandarin soda, mixed with signet whisky. The cocktail pairs perfectly with the mandarin ice cream sandwich. It’s all things citrus with mandarin sorbet sandwiched between fluffy sponge cake, completed with mandarin gel and edible flowers.
The Signet Speakeasy was definitely a night to remember. I would love to see the bar as a permanent establishment in Melbourne, I truly love the feeling and emotions that only a Speakeasy can provoke, it’s like stepping back in time. I think it’s wonderful to embrace ‘the old fashioned way’ of spending a night out – listening to live music, enjoying thoughtfully curated cocktails, nibbling on tasty snacks and toasting to good health.
And to that I say to you……Slangevar 😉
Travelling Soul Sister ❤️
The Signet Speakeasy was held June 27-29. Tickets were available through eventbrite.com.au
The Signet Speakeasy event was produced by Studio Messa
Travelling Soul Sister 