A Whisky Bar for the Discerning Bon Vivant Headed by Greg Sanderson, Eau de Vie is one whiskey bar in Melbourne that takes you back to the much forgotten 1920’s prohibition era in America. Once you enter the bar, you can find your way to one of the shared high tables, low banquette or better still go for a more cosy and intimate booth in the bar. Being in Eau de Vie gives you this unique feeling like there’s a possibility that Jay Gatsby would sit next to you at some point. Eau de Vie owes its name to the large collection of exclusive and rare whiskeys lying in the bottle lockers. With over 30 different whiskeys comprising of Scottish Speyside, Highlands, Lowlands, and Islay malts, you can rest assured that you’d get what best suits your taste. If you’re not a fan of Scottish whiskey, you can decide to try out any of their American, Irish, Swedish or Japanese whiskeys. What is on the Whisky Menu? Eau de Vie has six special whiskey selections on their menu that can fit into every whiskey drinker’s need—whether it’s a first-timer or an experienced whiskey drinker with a raspy taste. The six various whiskey selections are: Light & Fresh Fun & Fruity Salt & Sea Spray Spice & Everything Nice Rich & Sweet Big & Bold Matching the Six Whisky Selections with Your Taste If you are a new or light whiskey drinker, then you may like to go for the whiskeys under the “Light & Fresh” selection. The “Fun & Fruity” selection is a great option for whiskey drinkers that love the feel of natural fruity flavours. If you’re a whiskey drinker with a flair for taste adventure, then you might like the “Salt & Sea Spray” whiskey selection. You can only enjoy the “Spice & Everything Nice” whiskey selection if you can stand hot and spicy flavours in your drink. If you’re a sweet tooth, then the “Rich & Sweet” whiskey selection may be the perfect choice for you. The “Big & Bold” whiskey selection is for whiskey drinkers that enjoy downing whiskeys with complex flavours and remarkable long finish. Different Strokes for Different Folks: Our Top 3 Best To make your selection easy, we’ve decided to discuss our preferred whiskey amongst the six selections. By this, you’d be able to know which particular whiskey you prefer. Auchentoshan 12yo: Light & Fresh Whisky Selection The Auchentoshan 12yo is our most preferred whiskey choice in the light & fresh selection for many reasons. One key reason is the fact that it’s distilled three times in a pot still before it gets diluted to barrel strength and stored in barrels. Unlike most Scotch Whiskeys, the Auchentoshan comes off the still at 81.5 percent instead of the regular value of 60 percent. Tasting Notes Nose: The aroma of this whiskey is pretty similar to brandy. When you bring the drink close to your nose, you’ll perceive the toasted almonds, grape, vanilla, and apple seeds. Also, you might perceive a bit of dried fruit and nuts. Taste: At the first sip, you’d notice the lightly sweet taste of the dram. By the second sip, the richness of dram becomes denser and a slightly earthy malt taste hits your mouth with a small dose of vanilla. Finish: At the after taste, you’d get a warm and satisfactory flavor of the malt hanging in your mouth. By this time, you can virtually taste the apple seeds and vanilla in your mouth which is oddly long. Glenmorangie 18yo: Fun & Fruity Most of the bartenders in Eau de Vie love to serve this whiskey to fresh and new customers. The Glenmorangie is one whiskey that hardly needs an introduction. The single malt speaks for itself. Even though it’s a finished scotch, the whiskey is principally aged in American oak barrels. One feature that makes this whiskey stand out is its extra smoothness and sweetness. Tasting Notes Nose: You’d notice honey, buttery, and saucy caramel aroma as you bring it close to your nose, which doesn’t overpower the ginger soda, orange zest, and lemon zest that hits your nose as you let your glass sit. Taste: The sweet fruity aroma instantly connects to your palate and you’ll get a balance of buttery dark chocolate notes, a little bit of peppery spice, vanilla sweetness and caramel warmth. Finish: After your second sip from the glass, you get this fine steak experience, that makes you feel like you finished a large chunk of spicy steak. Also, you get this butterscotch after taste that blows various flavors smoothly. Ardbeg Kelpie: Big & Bold Whisky We give kudos to Eau de Vie for adding this one to their list of whiskey drinks. Ardberg is a big-time name in the whiskey industry. Thus, we’re not surprised that they produced a whiskey like the Ardbeg Kelpie; which is a great choice for experienced whiskey drinkers with a strong taste. Using Virgin Black Sea oak casks has been an important reason why the Ardberg Kelpie has a lot of depth. Tasting Notes Nose: Bringing the glass close to your nose, will send some powerful and intertwined aromas—like smoked fish, dark chocolate, hints of seaweed, a sharp herbal note, and oak spices—that send deep waves to your sixth sense. Taste: A peppery spice feel hits your mouth immediately you take the first sip. It’s then followed by a crescendo of rich flavours like Turkish coffee, smoky bacon, Treacle toffee, and a ton of dark chocolate that never overshadow themselves. Finish: You’d experience a long-intense aftertaste of almost hidden flavours of rich toffee, clove, and tar. The Bottom Line The way you know what fits your body is the same way to determine what truly works for you when it comes to choosing the perfect whiskey. By all ramifications, the Eau de Vie bar in Melbourne is a great place for a whiskey lover at heart.