Eau De Vie

"One of Sydney 's most celebrated cocktail bars has that speakeasy style down—dapper mixologists, glass cabinets, jazzy sound track, moody lighting—but it also delivers on the libations front. Expect inventive riffs on classic negronis, smoky mescal concoctions infused with tea and bitters and of-the-moment cocktails like a Kentucky-inspired "kick-starter" with bacon bourbon. There's also a small bar menu and a comprehensive, verging-on-scholarly whiskey list."

"One of Sydney 's most celebrated cocktail bars has that speakeasy style down—dapper mixologists, glass cabinets, jazzy sound track, moody lighting—but it also delivers on the libations front. Expect inventive riffs on classic negronis, smoky mescal concoctions infused with tea and bitters and of-the-moment cocktails like a Kentucky-inspired "kick-starter" with bacon bourbon. There's also a small bar menu and a comprehensive, verging-on-scholarly whiskey list."

"Eau de Vie isn't considered Australia's best cocktail bar for nothing. Housed in the back room of the sleek Kirketon boutique hotel, this award-winning Prohibition-style bar is most famous for its inventive and insanely theatrical libations, the type that are shrouded in clouds of eucalyptus and wood smoke, served over frozen river rocks, topped with saffron mousse, chilled with liquid nitrogen, and occasionally set on fire. There are more than 50 drinks to try, each one more innovative than the last." - Kris Fordham, Laura Dannen Redman