Enjoyed: Saturday, October 16, 2021

Listed on the menu: Yes, as “Plum Old Fashioned”

Ingredients: Iron Shoe single barrel whiskey, plum, plum bitters, orange ice cube.

The occasion: This was my last night of my visit to my family in Indiana, and I had an early flight out of South Bend the next morning, so my sister and I stayed at a hotel in Niles, Michigan, just 15 minutes away from the airport. We ventured into downtown Niles for cocktails and supper. 

My rating: **** out of 5. I am assuming the “plum” ingredient was a plum syrup, and this added a raisin-like flavor to the drink, so making it sweeter than a typical Old Fashioned. Even though Michigan is renowned for its cherries, there was not a single cherry to be found (gasp!) in this version of the drink. I remember picking plums once, in an orchard in Michigan, so I suspect the plums used were a local product.

Final thoughts: I have had my share of Michigan-made fruit wines (I liked them better when I was younger), but I don’t recall ever sampling whiskey made in Michigan. I ordered a shot to drink alongside the cocktail, and I was impressed with the smoothness and with the punch it packed. I took home a box of their macarons, made with the house spirits, and those were delicious, too.