If Tim Burton decided to open a distillery, I imagine it might look something like Underworld Distillery. Or perhaps if there was a hidden speakeasy inside The Haunted Mansion ride at Disneyland, this would be it.
The motif is a bit grim, but I don’t think it’s haunted.
The rum distillery is dark and dim, with old-school furniture offering cozy places to sit in a makeshift living room, while a skull motif is perhaps a fun play on the pirates’ connection to rum. The decor of the bar is rooted in Greek Mythology, and it illustrates and honors the underworld.
The staffers dress in vests and ties, and they’re always happy to suggest a cocktail, although the black book of cocktails is robust. Think 1864 meets Death & Taxes.
The venture started when Robert Anderson, a journeyman electrician, started making essential oils, using the knowledge he obtained while getting his herbalist certification. A friend told him he could use his tills to make spirits, too, so he decided to give it a try.
Encouragement from friends and those in the industry led Anderson to found Underworld Distillery.
In addition to three kinds of rum, Underworld also makes two whiskies, a gin and a vodka. Part of the recipes include using different barrel types to create a range of flavors. Each spirit creates the base for a selection of moody cocktails, from the dessert-in-a-glass chocolate Manhattan to the Suffering Soul, which uses bone dry gin, brandy, cardamom lime cordial, angostura bitters and ginger beer before it’s garnished with an orange wheel and mint sprig.
Each drink is a work of art rather than a couple of ingredients haphazardly thrown together. And if the bar manager isn’t busy, he may be able to whip up a custom drink—just ask.
The cocktails range from deep and bold, like the Rum & Smoke featuring saffron syrup, cinnamon and flamed orange, to light and refreshing, like Persephone’s Descent, with flavors of pomegranate and hibiscus-rose with a black sugar rim.
If you aren’t afraid of a little kick, taste the products in their truest form with a spirit flight featuring three to five one-ounce pours of Underworld’s custom spirits. You can choose what to sip or let your server be your guide.
In addition to the open living room space, there’s a more private room tucked away where small groups can gather. And the bar does more than just serve drinks. Sporadic events bring comedy and game nights to the Underworld, so there are plenty of opportunities to socialize and meet new friends, feeding into Anderson’s philosophy that the cyclic nature of life depicted in mythology creates lessons about appreciating life.
A Cards Against Humanity Tournament will be held from 6-8 p.m. on Dec. 16. For $25, participants will get two cocktails, two shots and two hours of card play. The winner will take home a bottle of Underworld booze.
On Dec. 29, the year ends with a comedy night. The doors open at 4 p.m., but the laughs start at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12.
