Drambuie’s The Premise 2011 winner

The winning bar concept for Drambuie’s The Premise 2011 competition has been decided and will now be developed into a floating pop-up bar that will be unveiled to the public on October 6.

The winning design, The Dispensary, was conceived by Matilda Swan and Simon Connett, who were inspired by Drambuie's rich history in folklore as a medicinal elixir to come up with their vision for a trendy apothecary-inspired bar. Below is their submission:

The Concept

The concept for our bar has been inspired from a particular part in Drambuie's rich folklore history. As the story goes, it was Bonnie Prince Charles Stuart's elixir, taken a few drops a day, that was created by the Royal Apothecary. The idea of an old apothecary evoked strong and vivid design qualities for us, as well as perfectly tying in with the Drambuie story; our bar will be a new dispensary wherein the Drambuie elixir can be recreated with a modern twist and dispensed once more.

We believe 'The Dispensary' will compliment the qualities of Drambuie, inherently communicating a strong connection between the product and the unique space we wish to create.

The Fit Out

We have undertaken extensive research in developing a look and feel for the bar which will not only carry on Drambuie's established classic style, but also incorporate new elements which will achieve a bold, eye-catching, unique and creative place. To do this, we wish to create a space which will cater to a large number of people, while giving the feeling of an intimate whiskey bar with intricate details and a warm inviting ambiance.

We want to source dark recylced woods, leather club chairs and old apothecary stlye cabinets, medicine drawers and shelving. The decorative aspects will include recycled chemist glass bottles, jars, scales and mortar and pestles. Linking the taste of Drambuie with the aesthetics of the bar, we want to incorporate in the drinks menus a number of whiskey cocktails, which include fresh produce such as herbs and fresh fruits. Many of these we want to grow in the bar itself, carrying on with the old apothecary style, while also offering people some new and fresh whiskey cocktails, perfect for both the cool or warmer weather on Sydney Harbour.

The overall design concept has taken inspiration from a variety of places, including the bespoke whiskey and cocktail bars in New York City and Barcelona. Thus, while the bar may have an international design quality, 'The Dispensary' will be concentrating primarily on creating a feel which reflects the style of small bars, unique to Sydney.

Demographics

Our demographic target for 'The Dispensary' is primarily 18-35 yr olds, skewed towards males. We aim to attract the 'influncers' of Sydney; those who are the first to discover and try new spots in Sydney and recommend them to friends. We will also focus on the inner city, and urban dwellers.

Overall Goals

With whiskey quickly making a resurgence in younger drinkers, now is the perfect time to create an exciting new bar and show people why Drambuie is the perfect choice to accompny them in a great night out in Sydney. We believe, 'The Dispensary' will be the perfect bar to make this happen.

Ultimately, our goal is to create a bar of superior quality which will stand out, create a loud buzz, and bring in people from all over the city looking to experience a bold, fresh new Sydney hot-spot and try the next big drink of the summer!

http://thepremise.com.au/