Oliver’s Holiday Treats on the Knoxville Peppermint Trail

Here at Oliver Royale, being a part of the Knoxville community is one of our biggest honors. The culture of this town is beautiful, and we love how everyone comes together as one, especially in the downtown area.

Knoxville is the perfect balance between economic growth, while still supporting local businesses and events. Since there’s such a huge focus on supporting each other, businesses in downtown Knoxville have built up a strong sense of community. We’re all in this together -- and that often means celebrating together, too.

Our sense of community is most obvious around this time of year when we get to participate in what is becoming a Knoxville holiday tradition: the Peppermint Trail. This is the fourth year that we’ve been a stop on the Peppermint Trail, and we have more and more fun with it every year.

Following the Peppermint Trail is easy (and beautiful). You just follow the peppermints along the sidewalks of downtown Knoxville to find all the holiday specials at local bars, restaurants, and coffee shops. Storefront windows are decorated with Christmas lights, garland is strung up in the trees, and there’s even more bustle around our Market Square area than usual.

Of course, we’ve added a few special beverages to the Peppermint Trail, which you can join us for up until Jan. 5.

At Royale, we developed the “Blitzen” -- peppermint-infused Wheatley vodka, cream, espresso, cacao liqueur, and vanilla peppermint syrup.

And at our speakeasy bar, the Peter Kern Library offers the “Thurman Merman.” This Stinger variation combines cognac, Branca Menta, and house-made peppermint syrup for a cocktail where sweet, earthy, and boozy collide.

If you’re looking for a dessert cocktail to finish off your meal at Royale, or you’re looking for a sweet nightcap on a cozy sofa at our speakeasy, the Blitzen and Thurman Merman are the perfect cocktails to add into your holiday festivities this year. And don’t forget to include a few other stops on the Peppermint Trail, if you want to make a whole evening of it.

You can find more info on the Peppermint Trail HERE. Other holiday events around Market Square are also listed HERE.