The Basement, 24 Fitzmaurice St, Wagga Wagga NSW
@barolivette
Last September, Nick King and Anna Wealands opened Olivette, a unique speakeasy in regional NSW that channels the glitz and glamour of the 1920s while celebrating their mutual love for whisky, cocktails, and genuine hospitality.
Cities often claim to have the best cocktail bars, so it’s refreshing when great drinking spots (beyond the local RSL) pop up in regional areas. For those unfamiliar, Wagga Wagga is the biggest inland city in NSW. It sits beside the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina District, boasting wide, leafy streets and historic architecture. The town offers a tasty food and wine scene, and now, it’s got a basement speakeasy adding to its charm.
Hidden below Wagga’s busy streets, Olivette shines not only for its top-notch dining and drinking experience but also for its strong commitment to sustainability and local ingredients. Nick and Anna aim to establish Olivette as a go-to spot in the region’s culinary scene, blending regional charm with big-city sophistication.
Hidden below Wagga’s busy streets, Olivette shines not only for its top-notch dining and drinking experience but also for its strong commitment to sustainability and local ingredients. Nick and Anna aim to establish Olivette as a go-to spot in the region’s culinary scene, blending regional charm with big-city sophistication.
At the core of Olivette’s philosophy is a dedication to using and celebrating local produce, evident in their vast cocktail menu featuring over 30 creative drinks made with house-made ingredients. From carefully crafted syrups to unique flavours like fermented tepache and fun touches like frozen praline marshmallows, each cocktail showcases the team’s effort to minimize waste and maximize flavour. Plus, Olivette boasts an impressive collection of over 260 whiskies, demonstrating their love for this fine spirit and their commitment to providing an unmatched drinking experience.
Nick and Anna’s passion for pushing mixology boundaries shines in signature creations like the “3 Mile Limit,” a cocktail that embodies their sustainable and creative approach. This standout drink takes a holistic ‘nose-to-tail’ approach, utilizing every part of the pineapple to create a blend of textures and flavours. With rum infused with charred pineapple flesh, roasted macadamia nuts, and pineapple skin steeped in demerara sugar for a rich syrup, Olivette showcases a dedication to sustainability and innovation that goes beyond the usual cocktail experience.
By championing local ingredients, leveraging their extensive whisky selection, and redefining sustainable mixology, Olivette emerges as a leader in the industry.
Through their inventive cocktails, commitment to sustainability, and dedication to providing an unmatched guest experience, Nick and Anna have not just created a speakeasy destination but have set a new standard for conscious consumption and superior hospitality that’s sure to impress guests and industry peers alike.
Last Boy Scout
“This cocktail transports its consumer to the edge of a roaring campfire, in the heart of a wild pine forest. The whisky has been infused with brown butter and homemade shortbread to mimic the biscuit layer of a smore. We then infuse cocchi torino with two types of raw cacao giving the drink a rich chocolatey finish. This combination of our s’more garnish, Laphroaig mist and tree trunk serving board give the ultimate boy scout experience…adult edition.” – Cameron Esson
50ml Butter Biscuit Infused Bourbon
25ml In-house Chocolate Amaro
4 dashes Sour Cherry Bitters
4 dashes Black Walnut Bitters
Laphroaig Mist
Garnish: Olivette’s Frozen S’more
Method:
Into a mixing glass add the butter biscuit whisky, chocolate amaro and the bitters. Fill the glass to the top with good-quality ice and stir down well until cold and thoroughly mixed. The correct dilution has been reached when the mixture tastes smooth and well-balanced. Strain into an old fashioned glass with ghost ice and serve immediately. As served tableside, spray the finished cocktail with Laphroaig mist to bring the guests’ imagination to the edge of a campfire. We garnish this luxurious libation with our secret frozen inverted s’more. A homemade marshmallow, stuffed with chocolate praline and then frozen and flamed at the table. The ultimate sensory heightened nibble to enjoy alongside.