Enjoyed: Thursday, October 17, 2024.

Listed on the menu: No. The bartender asked for my preference in spirits, and I asked for a whiskey that was locally crafted.

Ingredients: Rock Town La Harpe Low Rye Arkansas Straight Bourbon Whiskey, simple syrup, bitters, cherries.

The occasion: Our next stop after Memphis was Hot Springs, for three reasons: neither of us had ever been to Arkansas and we wanted to check it off our list; we wanted to visit Hot Springs National Park; and in the mid-twentieth century, Hot Springs was a favored spot of gangsters, gamblers, and celebrities. So, we absolutely needed to get drinks at The Ohio Club, Arkansas’s oldest bar and a former speakeasy and casino. The bar was a favorite of bad guys (like Al Capone, Bugsy Segel, Bugs Moran, and Lucky Luciano) and of many Major League Ball players (like Babe Ruth) who were in Hot Springs for spring training. Al Jolson and Mae West, among others, performed there. Of course we were intrigued!

My rating: **** out of 5. The bourbon’s composition was 75% Arkansas corn, so the sweetness stood out. The cocktail met my expectations and fueIed my imagination. I really enjoyed drinking at the beautiful bar with a mahogany mantel (hand-carved in the late 1880s) which included three horse heads and a topless female torso. I felt the history all around me, and that made the drink go down even easier.

Final thoughts: Besides the great cocktails (Husband had The Al Capone, with Templeton Rye, Grand Marnier, bitters, and soda), we found other delights in Hot Springs. Husband drove a side-by-side through a hilly and rugged adventure park; we hiked on a lovely mountain trail; we sampled beers made with actual water from the hot springs; we dined at the iconic Arlington Hotel; and we splurged on a private hot water soak and couple massage at the historic Quapaw Bathhouse. And naturally, we drank the famous water, which was surprisingly delicious.