Enjoyed: Sunday, September 26, 2021

Listed on the menu: No, but the bartender was accommodating and offered various suggestions. 

Ingredients: Old Elk Wheated Bourbon (from Colorado), simple syrup, and Peychaud bitters, all stirred well with ice, then strained over more ice and garnished with an orange peel and a Luxardo cherry.

The occasion: We spent night two of our mountain getaway at the General Lewis Inn, filled with antiques and art. Every corner of the inn is charming and filled with history, but the biggest draw for us was the adjacent Jefferson Dining Room and the Thistle Lounge. We love these types of places–we can enjoy the grounds, drink, dine, and then travel only a few steps to our accommodations for the night. Indeed, we sat outdoors in the garden while we sampled several creative cocktails (in addition to my Old Fashioned), then we dined on mountain trout and homemade ravioli. We returned to the patio after our Sticky Toffee Cake dessert, and eventually climbed the stairs to the Garden Queen room and our cozy four-poster bed.

My rating: **** out of 5. The wheated bourbon added another layer of sweetness beyond the simple syrup. The Peychaud bitters added interest–a bit of candied cherry, I would say. The cocktail was smooth with no surprises.

Final thoughts: Ah, such yummy cocktails. Between the two of us, we tried three different ones, but we avoided the ones made with CBD simple syrup. The alcohol is relaxing enough, so I don’t understand the need for CBD, other than the need to be hip and trendy.