The Velvet is not a cocktail you build at speed. It starts as a purée: milk stout, mezcal, apricot brandy and coconut rum, blended with stabilisers and measured in grams for accuracy. Churned with sparkling wine at the bar before serving, it arrives creamy and lightly foamed in a freezer-chilled glass. In March 2026, Australian Bartender published the full recipe. The publication covers the country’s best bars.
The base is Night Cap milk stout. Mezcal adds smoke. Apricot brandy and coconut rum bring layered fruit. Citric, malic and saline solutions, each measured in microlitres with pipettes, sharpen and balance the sweetness. Ultra-Tex 4 and xanthan gum blend through as stabilisers, producing the texture that defines the drink.
Australian Bartender described the result as “balancing malt richness with soft smoke and bright fruit.” The texture holds through the full drink.
The Velvet sits at No. 7 in a ten-cocktail menu called Textures, each drink named after a fabric. No. 2 Silk pairs gin, lychee and coconut with sparkling wine. No. 4 Fur layers rye whiskey with mirabelle plum, maple and smoked jasmine foam. No. 8 Corduroy combines scotch whisky with beeswax, pine and quince. The concept runs across the full list: a drink built around what it feels like, not just what it tastes like. Three cocktails are available non-alcoholic.
Tailor Room is on 16b Argyle Street, within Argyle Stores in the heart of The Rocks. It works as a stop after dinner at Saké Restaurant & Bar, The Cut Bar & Grill or Sahtein nearby. Private bookings are available for smaller groups.
Book a seat at Tailor Room.
As reviewed by Australian Bartender, March 2026.
*Tailor Room practises the responsible service of alcohol. Drink responsibly.
