The newest addition to an already trendy, exciting hospitality strip most definitely understood the assignment. When it comes to up-and-coming suburbs in Melbourne, none are more exciting than Northcote. Its edgy Melbourne hipster vibes are exactly what Melbournians are looking for on a night out these days, and the new Distiller bar is your new go-to hangout for Friday night after-work drinks, date night and everything in between.
Walking into the Distiller bar, we instantly knew that it was something special. The space is stunning. High ceilings with exposed beams instantly make it feel spacious, with an industrial design aspect that is right on trend. The main dining area is accentuated by a large fireplace that gives the room a feeling of cosiness that you don’t want to leave.
Any great bar, however, is nothing if the drinks aren’t good, and fortunately for the Distiller bar, they shone. What really sets this place apart from your run-of-the-mill bar is that it not only offers a place to drink, but an experience. The venue was opened in collaboration with Australian distillers Grainshaker Vodka and NED Whisky, and offers masterclasses in taste testing, cocktail making and distilling and fermentation processes.
We were lucky enough to partake in a vodka tasting class and were struck by how knowledgeable and friendly the staff leading it were. Ruby Lewis, the resident mixologist and distiller, was more than happy to impart her wisdom on the on the processes behind vodka distilling, and was able to answer any question that we had about the products Grainshaker had to offer.
For me, the pink grapefruit infused vodka was a standout. It brought an exciting, fruity sourness to the spirit to set it apart from anything else I’d seen on the market. Don’t be fooled though, it is still vodka. My advice – don’t drive if you’ll be attending the masterclass. The samples may look small when lined up, but after 4 or 5 shots they certainly still pack a punch.
As someone who exclusively drinks wine or vodka mixers, the whiskey portion of the evening was something I went in feeling indifferent about. I had my partner with me to sample the drinks and tell me his thoughts, but I wasn’t expecting to have much to say myself. However, I was very pleasantly surprised. There to talk us through our tasting was NED Whisky’s head distiller, Dean Lesley. The whisky was smooth and easy to drink (which I have never found to be the case for me with brown liquor) and Dean was extremely friendly and knew his products inside and out, encouraging questions and answering them so passionately that you could tell he takes enormous pride in his work. For us, the standout whiskys from the range were the signature NED Australian Whisky and the Ingenuity bottle from the Wanted series. We bought a couple of bottles to take home and enjoy a glass or two after a long day’s work.
Overall, the Distiller bar offers a night out with a little extra something. You don’t just come to eat and drink, but to learn and meet people. It’s an experience that I thoroughly enjoyed and cannot wait to go back and do again.
The Distiller is open from5pm until late Wednesday to Friday and 12 noon until late on the weekends.
For more info, please visit www.thedistiller.com.au
