Aspen hotel taps Death & Co. creators for new restaurant and rooftop bar
Venerable cocktail bar Death & Co. , which started in New York City before expanding to Los Angeles, Denver and Washington, D.C., has earned a reputation for its artfully crafted drinks that honor the history of bartending while infusing originality into recipes.
And soon, local fans of the brand will be able to try a new concept from its ownership group, Gin & Luck — if they’re willing to drive to a scenic Colorado mountain town.
The MOLLIE Aspen, a new boutique hotel slated to open in mid-December, tapped Gin & Luck to be the food and beverage operator for its onsite restaurant and bar, a lobby cafe, and rooftop terrace that features a plunge pool.
The food and drink offerings will not be carbon copies of Death & Co., but Gin & Luck CEO David Kaplan said they will maintain the same spirit people have come to expect from the company. Death & Co. has routinely earned accolades as one of the best and most influential bars in the country. The Denver location inside the Ramble Hotel landed on the inaugural list of the top 50 bars in North America last year.
“This is not Death & Co. Aspen, as much fun as that may be one day,” Kaplan said. “Our aspiration for this is to be a truly exceptional cocktail and dining establishment for Pitkin County.”
The MOLLIE hotel features 68 rooms and a chic, minimalist design that brings the outdoors inside with warm wood accents, a neutral color palette and lots of natural light. Kaplan and his team aim to distill the vibe of the physical space thoughtfully into menu items to create a “warm experience,” Kaplan said – bites and drinks that evoke the sensations of being cozily surrounded by stone, ceramic and wood.
For example, a White River Spritz cocktail that blends Alsatian white wine, Blanche Armagnac, elderflower, suze, and seltzer. Or a Summit Sour featuring locally-made Woody Creek bourbon, stone pine, raspberry, lemon juice, and egg white.
Dishes will spotlight seasonal local ingredients with nods to mountainside classics from other alpine regions. Much of the menu is still being finalized, guests can expect items like Wurst Bites (bratwurst and kielbasa with roasted cabbage and horseradish mustard) and lamb meatballs (Colorado lamb with soft polenta, a stout reduction and winter herbs).
The MOLLIE Aspen marks Gin & Luck’s fifth concept it operates behind Death & Co.’s four locations. The company plans to open a slew of new hotel bars in the next couple years under its newly founded group, Midnight Auteur Hotels.
