Noble, in Halifax, is a speakeasy in the best Prohibition-era style (minus the shady characters and illicit moonshine). After uttering the password to gain admittance, customers are served “craft cocktails” created by award-winning bartender Jenner Cormier.

There is no sign outside of Noble, and they don’t advertise. The only indication Noble is open is a cactus lamp in the window of The Middle Spoon. When it’s on, you can approach staff and say the password, a cryptic phrase such as “Why have a dog and bark yourself?”

A call is made downstairs to see if there is room in the 40-seat speakeasy. When a table opens up, staff will lead you through the kitchen and a deserted hallway to a room festooned with vintage decor.

Middle Spoon owners Ciaran and Lacey Doherty recognized that Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights were busy, so they looked to expand. The only space available was a disconnected basement room with no windows. Instead of worrying that customers would feel like they were being shunted to an overf low section, they accentuated the difference and opened Noble in December 2012.

“We aimed it at a certain type of person,” Ciaran Doherty said. “Our customers are not interested in drinking themselves drunk.”

Cormier’s cocktails, which have names like The Game Changer, Gatsby, and Jimmy Dean, are created “for people who really appreciate quality and seek it out,” Doherty said.

Adam Lardiner is a bar manager in Halifax who says he enjoys Noble because he can “pretend to be part of a secret society.” Like most bars, his business caters to a different clientele. “Anywhere else you go, they’re in a hurry to provide you with that drink you ordered,” Lardiner said. “Here, it’s properly made and the f lavour is what matters most.”

Noble relies on word of mouth to attract customers and the cachet of being Halifax’s “secret bar” to retain its loyal base. If you’re an out-of-towner planning a trip to Halifax, modest Google skills can help you arrange to have the password sent to you every Thursday.

By Ryan Van Horne