From the Federation style exterior, a Crown Street passer-by might not expect to find a high-end cocktail bar within this Sydney institution. But The Clock, as bar manager and cocktail connoisseur Glynn told Urban Village, is full of surprises.
From the innovative cocktails, to whisky that’s aged at sea, to a wine list that favours boutique Australian vineyards over the big names, there’s a story behind every drink – and Glynn knows every one.
Glynn grew up in a small town an hour out of London called Milton Keynes. The opening of the town’s first cocktail bar was Glynn’s first sip of what would become a lifelong passion.
“It was the first time I actually paid attention to what I was drinking,” recalled Glynn. “All the bartenders were so passionate about the history behind each drink. I quit my job and got one as a glassy then and there.”
Fast forward and Glynn is the bar manager at The Clock, and has been for four years. One need only glance at the venue’s ever-changing drink list, the London inspired interiors and the overall atmosphere of the place to guess that one of the main men behind it is a real veteran of the trade.
The Clock really is a drinker’s playground. Every part of the venue offers a different experience and atmosphere to the customer. There’s the Balcony Bar serving up mainly gin and cocktails, the Courtyard, the quintessentially Sydney Street Bar, and the London-inspired Whisky Room, serving over two hundred different expressions.
A particularly obscure bottle is the Jefferson’s ‘Ocean Aged at Sea’ bourbon that is literally aged on The Ocean, a deep sea monitoring ship that sails around the world.
“Normally whiskies are aged in a warehouse, but these whiskies are sloshing around in the barrel with the sea air permeating,” said Glynn. “They say every journey imparts a different flavour.” Just one story out of thousands to be uncovered behind the bar.
The Clock’s carefully curated drinks list is served by bar staff that sees the value in a story and ensures that each drink is its own unique experience.
