This holiday season, instead of ordering your usual light lager or spiked eggnog, check out some of these atypical offerings filled with unusual liquors served at bars and restaurants around Columbus.
Spirit: Aperol
What it is: An Italian spirit similar to Campari, with ingredients including bitter orange, gentian, rhubarb and cinchona
Where to find it: Latitude 41 in downtown Columbus
Cocktail: Boulevardier, made with Aperol, Woodford Reserve bourbon and sweet vermouth
Price: $12
Spirit: White Whiskey
What it is: Clear whiskey that has not been aged in wood like conventional whiskeys (when made illegally, it’s known as moonshine)
Where to find it: Bar Louie, with locations in the Arena District and Easton Town Center
Cocktail: Peach Lightning, made with Jim Beam Jacob’s Ghost White Whiskey, DeKuyper Peachtree schnapps, white peach puree, lemonade and cherries
Price: $10
Spirit: Mezcal
What it is: A tequila-like spirit made from aged agave plant, often with a worm at the bottom of the bottle
Where to find it: Cap City Fine Diner, with locations in Gahanna and the Grandview Heights area
Cocktail: Mezcal Margarita, made with Alban mezcal, Grand Marnier, fresh-squeezed lemon, lime juice, orange juice and agave nectar
Price: $7.95
Spirit: Chartreuse
What it is: A French liqueur made with 130 herbs, plants and flowers
Where to find it: Trattoria Roma, Grandview Heights
Cocktail: Smoking Jacket, made with Chartreuse, OYO whiskey, apple cider and black walnut bitters
Price: $9
Spirit: Fernet Branca
What it is: A bitter Italian spirit purported to contain 27 herbs from five continents
Where to find it: Mouton, Short North
Cocktail: Louisiana Purchase, made with Fernet Branca, rye whiskey, orange curacao and Byrrh vermouth
Price: $12
Nathan Rhodes is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
