Enjoyed: Monday, August 9, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Cold Brew Old Fashioned, but just for this evening. We were lucky that our stay at the hotel coincided with a pool party sponsored by Mr. Black Spirits, so the featured cocktails all used this coffee liqueur.

Ingredients: Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, George Dickel Rye, Orange Bitters, and a sprig of thyme.

The occasion: For our final night of our week in Nashville, we chose The Dive Motel, known as the Key Motel in its prime in the 1950s/60s, and now renovated to be a fun boutique hotel with a cool pool and a bar full of retro furniture and decorations. We stayed in the Lady Jayne room, complete with a furry pink headboard, pictures of unicorns, a disco ball suspended above the bed, and piped-in music on demand. (Guests can choose from 4 themes: sex; drugs; rock and roll; and sleep.) If you ask, I will tell you about the Not Suitable For Work items in the mini bar. We were by far the oldest guests there that night, but we didn’t care. We giggled, a lot.

My rating: **** out of 5. I love the taste of coffee, and I love Old Fashioneds, but I never would have thought to put the two together. Points to Mr. Black for providing ingenious as well as more traditional choices, such as Breakfast Pina Colada (which I also sampled), Frozen Mango Margarita Negra, Espresso Martini, and White Russian. Normally, I would have given this drink three stars, but I elevated the ranking to four for two reasons: all the cocktails were FREE and we drank them while cooling off in the pool. A memorable afternoon, indeed.

Final thoughts: We could easily get accustomed to free cocktails in the pool. Sigh. Vacations are nice.

Enjoyed: Saturday, August 7, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Epice Old Fashioned

Ingredients: Old Forester bourbon, vanilla, cinnamon, bitters, orange peel

The occasion: Jenn agreed to show me around Nashville some more, while the men went to watch the qualification races for the next day’s Music City Grand Prix. Although the afternoon was very hot, Jenn and I ducked into the air-conditioned shops of the charming 12 South neighborhood, where I found some fun souvenirs for myself. We then had a tasty lunch (green salad with goat cheese, dried apricots, almonds, and fig vinaigrette) followed by Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream. Jenn later drove us to a favorite brewery in her neighborhood. I am tickled that she didn’t mind spending so much time with me!

My rating: *** out of 5. The cocktail was fine, and the bourbon was a quality one, but I was disappointed, since I was hoping for a creative, more “ethnic” spin on this drink, since we were at a Lebanese restaurant. I did catch a few small bursts of cinnamon as the end note of my initial sips, but I wanted a more steady flavor of cinnamon, perhaps, or maybe of vanilla, as stated on the menu.

Final thoughts: Although 12 South is full of tourists, the neighborhood is cute and worthy of inclusion in every single issue of Southern Living magazine.

Enjoyed: Thursday, August 5, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Classic Old Fashioned

Ingredients: 2 ounces Corsair Triple Smoke American Single Malt Whiskey, 1/4 ounce demerara sugar, 2 dashes Angostura bitters, 2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters, one large ice cube, orange peel

The occasion: Oldest Son is now living and working in Nashville. Corsair is his favorite local producer of spirits, so naturally he drove us to the taproom, located in the old Marathon automobile factory. Husband especially enjoyed the historic and industrial atmosphere.

My rating: ***** out of 5. The bartender offered me the exact recipe that he used to make the cocktail, and explained that the whiskey is pot-distilled in small batches with three individually smoked malts (they use cherrywood from Wisconsin, beechwood from Germany, and peat from Scotland). The smokiness was pleasing, but not overwhelming, and rich cherry flavors still came through. My first smell and first sip reminded me of an Islay scotch. And the glass (yes, a real glass!) was way cool.

Final thoughts: Oldest Son is a wise man who knows his whiskey and knows how to please his parents.

Enjoyed: Thursday, August 5, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Man in Black, the closest cocktail to an Old Fashioned that I found on the bar menu

Ingredients: Jack Daniel’s, Jack Daniel’s Honey, Simple Syrup, Lemonade, Club Soda

The occasion: This was our first full day in Nashville, and our first trip to Lower Broadway, which is full of honky-tonks with live country music. We decided on this bar, adjacent to the Johnny Cash Museum, in hopes of hearing more “classic” country music, and indeed, the band there was playing covers that we recognized, such as music by the Charlie Daniels Band.

My rating: ** out of 5. Admittedly, this drink was not labeled as an Old Fashioned per se, but the basics were there, namely whiskey, sweetness, and citrus. We sat at the bar, indoors, but the drink was served in a plastic cup anyhow. (I suspect this is standard practice in a honky-tonk.) The drink wasn’t unpleasant, but it lacked subtlety. This was a guzzle-it-fast-and-get-drunk-quick type of drink. (Again, I suspect this is standard practice in a honky-tonk.)

Final thoughts: What would Johnny drink? This Man in Black cocktail was definitely much too weak for my tastes, and I wonder if Johnny would approve of its name. Maybe I should have ordered a straight shot of whiskey, because it burns, burns, burns…

Enjoyed: Sunday, July 11, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as Seasonal Old Fashioned.

Ingredients: Ragged Branch Wheated Bourbon, hibiscus and orange blossom syrup, tart cherry lime bitters, and a lime zest.

The occasion: A casual celebration of the retirement of our friend, MC.

My rating: ***** out of 5. The tart bitters played well with the syrup and added interest to an already superior bourbon.

Final thoughts: This IS a whiskey distillery, after all, and the master distiller at Ragged Branch once served in the same capacity at Maker’s Mark (love that distillery! great memories!), so anything less than a well-thought-out Old Fashioned would have been disappointing. And the mountain views from the terrace of Ragged Branch can’t be beat!