KC Coffee

In 2006, you couldn’t pay me to drink whiskey, and I had to drown my coffee with cream and sugar. But now I can’t start my day without a strong cup of joe, and whiskey is my first choice when I belly up to the bar. Age has a way with all of us, doesn’t it? I found my new(er) favorite things in perfect harmony on a visit to Cherry Picker Package x Fare (601 S. Pickwick Ave., Springfield, 417-986-5800, cherrypickerpackage.com). The drink is the KC Coffee, and it’s a sophisticated mixture of Rieger’s KC Whiskey, house demerara simple syrup, house coffee, whipped heavy cream and Angostura bitters. I was in love with the idea of the coffee cocktail and with the fact I could order it at 11:15 a.m. on a Tuesday. We all deserve a stiff brunch drink now and again, right? The cocktail came out warm and is finished with a thick layer of whipped heavy cream that coats your mouth and prepares you for a stout, punchy kick of whiskey. The coffee flavor is there, but really just enough to make it socially acceptable to drink before noon. Once it cooled off, it tasted less strong—the perfect reason to order another and extend the mid-week brunch.