Through a doorway off Flinders Lane and you’ll find yourself in another moment in time – one where the cocktails tell stories, and the bartenders pour with purpose. Mill Place Merchants has unveiled its newest menu, The Line-Up, a love letter to three of history’s boldest bartenders: Harry MacElhone, Charles H. Baker Jr., and Victor Bergeron Jr.
The MacElhone era
Kicking off in 1908, the Yokohama is MacElhone’s original classic – a gin and vodka fusion that’s lifted with grenadine and orange juice. Then there’s the Sir Walter Cocktail (1927), where MacElhone leans into golden-era indulgence, featuring rum, cognac, curacao, grenadine, and lemon.
The Charles H. Baker Jr journey
Enter Charles H. Baker Jr., the bartender who turned his global adventures into cocktails. His Remember the Maine (1960s) showcases rye, bourbon, vermouth, cherry heering, and absinthe, while his Birds of Paradise Gin Fizz (1939) goes the other way with gin, lime, raspberry syrup, rose, orange blossom, and soda.
The Victor Bergeron Jr period
Finally, we arrive at Victor Bergeron Jr, His El Diablo (1946) delivers a hit of tequila reposado, crème de cassis, lime, and ginger beer –then there’s the Port Light (1960s), a Caribbean-inspired creation with rum, curacao, lime, and orgeat, a curated tropical escape in a glass.
Housed in an 1840s building, Mill Place Merchants preserves the prohibition-era aesthetic by paying homage to legends that came before us, in the form of menus and atmosphere. Charcuterie boards, chicken liver pâté, and pork & pistachio terrine join the line up beside the new cocktails for a timeless experience.