Javelle Taft
Death & Co. | New York
February 2023
Ask Javelle Taft what his favorite thing about creating new cocktails is, and you’ll likely get an answer you might not expect: drawing up build cards and costing out every ingredient down to the milliliter. Taft previously had a career as an accountant—crunching numbers is in his DNA. After working in numerous restaurants and bars throughout Connecticut as a side gig, Taft found he loved working behind the bar. In 2017, he decided to pursue a career in bartending full-time, moving to New York City and taking a barback position at Death & Co. In 2018, Taft left Death & Co. and began splitting his time between Nitecap and Dutch Kills, building on his foundation by methodically learning the classics, the importance of ice and dilution, and how to work with intention. It was there that Taft began his cocktail journey. Under the mentorship of Bartender Lauren Corriveau, he immersed himself into the intricacies of creating drinks, as well as the hospitality behind serving them.
The following year, he rejoined the team at Death & Co., working his way up to head bartender in 2021. There, Taft not only takes great pride in having the opportunity to educate and train the next generation of bartenders, but he also crafts thoughtful, high-concept beverages for the bar’s famously extensive library of cocktails. Taft adds a signature twist on classic cocktails, like his Necromancer—a negroni variation with mezcal, apple eau de vie, and Cardamaro.
