This suave modern-day speakeasy (it's hidden in an alley and down a staircase, so don't get flustered if you don't actually find it on Clarence Street) is a temple of brown liquor. In fact, there are so many whiskeys and bourbons behind the bar that the bartenders have to use a rolling ladder to get to many of them. But when they do, ah, they make magic! These may well be the most talented mixologists in town. But they're a friendly bunch, happy to patiently walk customers through the many choices. They also dress the part of the old-fashioned barkeep, with many sporting dapper mustaches, and all are adorned with '20s-era caps. It sounds twee, I know, but it adds immensely to the ambiance. But my favorite throwback here is one that's accidental: Because this is a basement bar, cellphone reception is nil, so people actually talk with one another. And that makes this one of the best places in Sydney to actually meet locals.