TRAVERSE CITY — Traverse City Whiskey Co. offers a variety of warm drinks perfect for winter, including a unique hot toddy and northern coffee, according to Hospitality Director Kaydee Swanson.
The distillery, located at the still house on Fourteenth and Cass Street, serves a popular hot toddy made with barrel-aged maple syrup instead of honey. Their northern coffee features house-made bourbon cream cold foam, providing a cozy twist on a classic beverage.
Swanson highlighted the importance of balance in crafting the perfect hot toddy, emphasizing a “nice balance of acidity, sweetness from the honey, and, of course, warmth from the hot water and the bourbon.”
In addition to the hot toddy and northern coffee, the menu offers boozy hot cocoa, which Swanson described as made with triple X bourbon and cocoa topped with bourbon cream cold foam. She recalls, “I made one for a guest. We don’t have it on our menu, but he wanted a hot chocolate, so we did our triple X bourbon with hot cocoa and topped it with a bourbon cream cold foam.”
The atmosphere at Traverse City Whiskey Co. is cozy during the winter months. “A lot of our regulars like to, you know, explore our menu, take some time to experience the drinks that they might not usually order,” Swanson noted, highlighting the inviting ambiance of the distillery.
Although the company is known for its whiskey, Swanson explains, “we masquerade as a whiskey company, but we really focus on our cherries.” Traverse City Whiskey Co. produces premium cocktail cherries that are available nationwide. These cherries are featured in several of their drinks, including the old fashioned and Manhattan. Swanson stated, “One of our most popular drinks year round is our cherry sour. And then our old fashioned, of course.”
And Traverse Northern Michigan Magazine also talked with TC Whiskey Co. about the perfect way to make a hot toddy. Find that story by clicking here.