The Merchant Exchange is serving top-shelf whiskies and luxe lounge bar vibes in The City

JF
James
Frostick
The team behind Brisbane City’s newly minted bistro and nanobrewery Little Miss Sunshine has struck again, doubling its presence at Heritage Lanes on Ann Street with classic cocktail bar, The Merchant Exchange. Boasting a trove of some of the world’s best whiskies, fine wines and a tight menu of snacks, this slick sipping spot is sure to be a popular haunt for fans of top drops.
Since opening in early August, Little Miss Sunshine has lived up to its name. The beatific bistro and microbrewery added a jolt of radiant energy to the back half of Heritage Lanes at 80 Ann Street, brightening the building’s industrial undercroft with warm timbers, bumblebee-yellow leather booths and terrazzo stone tops. The Merchant Exchange, RMS Group’s brand-new whisky and cocktail bar, is a decidedly moodier addition to the precinct.Housed in the Brisbane Fruit and Produce Exchange building that borders Heritage Lane’s Turbot Street axis, The Merchant Exchange is the polar opposite of its pint-pouring sibling. Its classic character screamed to be used for something sleek, sophisticated and secluded – and the RMS Group was more than happy to oblige.“The Merchant Exchange was always supposed to be very different to [Little Miss Sunshine], which is great for your everyday lunch,” says Donna Di Santo of RMS Group. “This is very much where you come for something special.”Boasting an interior design scheme that harkens back to the glamorous booze parlours of yesteryear, The Merchant Exchange is richly appointed, with elegant furnishings and decor matching the classical style of the building’s rendered masonry frontage. Heritage elements – such as the original brickwork behind the mirrored back bar – is made into a feature of the venue, while a small addition to the building’s entrance has been made to add more seating and make the space more workable. Seating is divided between cushy bar stools, low-set chairs and a strip of curved leather booths

“It was about celebrating what was here before and paying tribute to that,” says Donna of The Merchant Exchange’s aesthetic inspiration. “It is all very classical decor, from the stone and the brass to the mirrors, the glass and the black leather. The deep-green feature seating, the plush curtains – everything is a celebration of heritage.”

Though a bar first and foremost, The Merchant Exchange starts its trade in the mornings. From 8:00 am, the curtains are pulled back and the coffee machine is turned on, with beans from Humanity Coffee Co. on offer alongside small sweet treats like macarons and baklava.

“We identified that this precinct has great takeaway coffee, but what it doesn’t have is somewhere really nice that you can come and have a professional business meeting – somewhere private, somewhere central,” says Donna. “So we open for coffee in the mornings and then we morph into our bar by about 11:00 am.”

As The Merchant Exchange pivots from coffee to cocktails, the venue’s trove of spirits comes into play. Whisky anchors the offering, with many of the world’s best makers represented on the amply stocked back bar. You’ll spy Scottish stalwarts Lagavulin, Talisker, Cragganmore, Glenfiddich, The Balvenie, Auchentoshan, Oban, Laphroaig and Glenmorangie, as well as bottles from choice international producers.

“The offering is tailored towards your whisky drinkers, with a great assortment,” says Donna. “We’ve got everything from English, Irish, Scottish, American, Japanese and Australian whiskies, as well as whiskies dating all the way back to 35 years old.”

Discerning drinkers or regulars can rent one of The Merchant Exchange’s whisky cabinets for a 12-month commitment. A $1000 spend goes towards filling the cabinet with your choice of high-end drop (such as a Benriach 30 Year Old Single Malt, perhaps) alongside a set of Royal Doulton crystal glassware, which is yours to enjoy every visit.

As for the rest of the imbibable offering, The Merchant Exchange also serves a sturdy selection of wines (its first-pour champagne is Veuve Clicquot) and a list of cocktails. You won’t find any wild riffs here – the bar team is executing a range of timeless classics and crowd favourites.

“Our cocktail list is a celebration of heritage,” Donna explains. “We’re not trying to write a new contemporary cocktail list – what we’ve done is we’ve celebrated those classic cocktails.”

While you won’t find a lengthy food menu at The Merchant Exchange, the RMS Group is leveraging Little Miss Sunshine’s kitchen to prepare and serve a range of small plates perfect for social snacking, from cheeseboards and arancini to crispy calamari and halloumi skewers.

The Merchant Exchange is now open from Monday to Friday – head to the Stumble Guide for operating hours and other important details.

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