Overview
Experience impeccable taste in fashion and cocktails, as a special collaboration sees menswear designer Christian Kimber and Carlton's Bar Bellamy team up with Woodford Reserve on an imaginative drinks lineup. Launching the Most Fashionable Old Fashioned cocktail collection during the Melbourne Fashion Festival, this chic meeting of the minds sees the classic Old Fashioned cocktail given a spruce up.
With a duo of inventive twists to sip on, Kimber's uncompromising approach to craftsmanship is the ideal pairing with Bar Bellamy's award-winning creativity. Once you add Woodford Reserve's fruit-forward whisky — produced in the bluegrass fields of Kentucky — to the mix, the results speak for themselves. This brace of cocktails shaped by Australian style plays on classic and contemporary blends to offer an original drinking experience.
First up, the Amber Stitch reflects Australia's fondness for nonchalant tailoring, fusing Woodford Reserve with a fragrant corn silk tea and an earthy corn stock alongside wattleseed and citrus soda. With more than a few warm summer nights ahead, this long take on an Old Fashioned is ideal for cooling off, with complex floral flavours rounded out with a flourish of beetroot paint and bitters.
Next, the Silken Sprig takes a more adventurous approach, with mountain marigold leaf-infused Woodford Reserve, low-waste pineapple syrup, Zucca Rabarbaro amaro, calendula and toasted milk powder. Topped with a sweet treat, a nostalgic caramelised milk chocolate and malt cream adorns this cocktail before a light dusting of pepperberry and rosella salt levels up the sophistication and style.
"Effortless style relies on incredibly thoughtful design – applying classic craftsmanship to concepts that deliver a sense of ease and modernity. That's what we set out to achieve with my favourite cocktail, the Old Fashioned. It was a pleasure working with Woodford Reserve and Bar Bellamy to come up with two drinks that reflect my design philosophy and aesthetic, blending the smoothest and beautifully crafted whiskey with uniquely local ingredients to celebrate both craftsmanship and Australian taste in a very contemporary way," says Kimber.
With Melbourne Fashion Festival happening from now until March 8, you'll find these cocktails served at the Woodford Reserve Fashion Bar in the Royal Exhibition Building. Meanwhile, you'll also find them served exclusively at Bar Bellamy from March 3-8. With these Old Fashioned cocktails made like never before, it's your chance to explore fashion, heritage and sumptuous flavours in a pair of beverages.
The Most Fashionable Old Fashioned cocktail collection is available at the Woodford Reserve Fashion Bar at the Royal Exhibition Building until March 8, and at Bar Bellamy from March 3-8. Head to the website for more information.