12 Jolly Holiday Pop-Up Bars You Need to Visit on the Carols & Barrels Trail
Your holidays sparkle and shine when you make Christmas memories along Tennessee Whiskey Trail’s Carols & Barrels Holiday Pop-Up Bar Trail. Each festive stop will make your spirits bright with themed decor, cocktails and special events (holiday karaoke, anyone?). Check out all the details for each stop below in the Smokies, Nashville and Memphis, and download your special Christmas pop-up bar passport to ignite your holiday spirit!
Christmas Pop-Up Bars in the Smokies
Old Forge Distillery – Pigeon Forge
Among the twinkling lights, holiday displays and festivals in the Great Smoky Mountains, step in a Whiskey Wonderland at Old Forge Distillery in Pigeon Forge. Warm up next to glowing fireplaces, dance to nostalgic holiday tunes on the record player and enjoy festive cocktails like S’more Shine. It’s the perfect place to enjoy the magic of a Smoky Mountain Christmas.
Sugarlands Distilling Company – Gatlinburg
Experience a Mountain Moonshine Christmas at Sugarlands Distilling Company in Gatlinburg, full of classic decorations like snowmen, nutcrackers and twinkling lights. Even Moonshine Santa will visit Sugarlands on select days. Savor a bright and sparkly taste of the season with the signature Candy Cane cocktail featuring Peppermint Stick Moonshine, lemon-lime soda and a splash of grenadine. Shine as brightly as a Christmas star on stage by belting your favorite carols and songs during the Holiday Karaoke Night.
Old Tennessee Distillery – Kodak
Feel like you’ve stepped into a cozy Norman Rockwell painting at Old Tennessee Distillery’s Rockwellian Christmas pop-up bar. Find comfort and joy with those you love in the vintage-inspired holiday experience full of traditional and timeless decorations, including an eye-catching and photo-worthy sleigh filled with Old Tennessee spirits like whiskey, vodka, moonshine and bourbon. Cheers to the season with Santa’s Spirit, a decadent cocktail of chocolate and peppermint garnished with a snowy slope of whipped cream, sprinkles and a peppermint stick.
Christmas Pop-Up Bars in and near Downtown Nashville
Peg Leg Porker
Feel right at home in a rustic mountain lodge when Peg Leg Porker Spirits is transformed into a winter pop-up bar, Hickory Holidays. Twinkle lights and candles, evergreen garlands with pinecones and buffalo plaid adorn every corner. Gather with your friends to snap a photo by the fire and sip a holiday cocktail like the Ugly Sweater Smash served in special holiday glassware with Peg Leg Porker Bourbon, orange juice, pomegranate juice, honey syrup, orange soda and garnished with an orange wheel. Try the new Peg Leg Porker Spirits Vodka in the Candy Cane Cabin cocktail, a bright and sparkly sip of cranberry juice, peppermint syrup and garnished with a peppermint rim and rosemary sprig.
6th & Peabody
Your snowy escape in downtown Nashville is found this holiday season at Ole Smoky 6th & Peabody. Catch up with friends and loved ones under sparkly larger-than-life snowflakes and lit up ornaments. This snowy moonshine pop-up bar has seasonal cheer like Mulled Magic hot chocolate spiked with your choice of Ole Smoky Moonshine like Mountain Java, Shinenog, Salty Caramel or Butter Pecan. Toast the season with friends with the fun holiday shooter, Winter Wish with Ole Smoky Sour Razzin’berry Moonshine, White Lightnin’ Moonshine, lemonade and Coconut Red Bull.
Old Forge Distillery Broadway
Celebrate a spirited 12 Days of Christmas at Old Forge Distillery at Assembly Food Hall, located on bustling Broadway in downtown Nashville. “12 Drams of Christmas” invites you and friends to unwrap one of 12 hidden gift boxes. Inside, there’s a cocktail inspired by the song’s eight verses. Don’t miss Day 8’s cocktail, A Milk & Cookies Martini fashioned after “Eight Maids a-Milking” that has Old Forge Oatmeal Cookie Moonshine, vodka and vanilla ice cream liqueur with a cinnamon sugar rim.
Far Better Distillery
Party in a technicolor holiday dream at Far Better Distillery’s Technicolor Tinseltown in downtown Nashville. Holiday sparkle is in ample supply with multicolor trees, baubles, disco balls, snowflakes and more. Fill your camera roll with all the photo-worthy moments. Enjoy the signature cocktail, Tinseltini, a citrusy, cranberry martini made with Far Better Gin and topped with edible glitter. For an indulgent holiday treat, sip the Mo’Cocoa Joe Ho Ho! featuring Mo’Cocoa Joe Liqueur, heavy cream and peppermint. Or, try the Freeze Balls, a fun cocktail that comes in a Christmas ornament filled with either Frozen Gin and Ginger Lemonade or Frozen Whiskey Lemonade.
Corsair Distillery
What’s this? What’s this? Corsair Distillery is transformed into “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” full of holiday decor with a slight Halloween twist. Jack Skellington’s Christmastown will warm even the Pumpkin King’s bones. Sip frightfully good holiday cocktails like the signature Jack’s Lump of Coal mixed with Triple Smoke Whiskey, toasted marshmallow, chocolate bitters, tobacco and leather bitters, and activated charcoal. You can even let Oogie Boogie decide which cocktail you try by taking a chance with Oogie’s Dice Roll.
Nelson’s Greenbrier Distillery
You’ll feel at home for the holidays at Nelson’s Green Brier’s holiday pop-up bar. Enjoy themed cocktails like Santa Baby made with Nelson Brothers Reserve Bourbon, Nelson Brothers Rye, lemon, lime, spiced cranberry and falernum. Sip the rich Chocolate Martini featuring Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey, chocolate hazelnut liqueur, vanilla syrup, coffee concentrate, chocolate bitters and saline topped with shaved chocolate and a coffee bean.
Stable Reserve Distillery
Follow the holiday chimes of Bells on Cocktails Ring holiday pop-up bar at Stable Reserve Distillery in downtown Franklin, about 21 miles south near downtown Nashville. Marvel at the towering bells and stunning lights while sipping the signature Gingerbread Espresso Martini. It’s a delightful mix of Bourbon Coffee Cream Liqueur, vodka, fresh-pulled espresso and house-made gingerbread syrup, adorned with a gingerbread cookie. Spirits are bright with The Banana Clause cocktail with bourbon and bananas foster as well as Clause Goes to Cabo, a tropical holiday sip of cinnamon-infused bourbon, horchata, cream and tiki bitters.
Leiper’s Fork Distillery
Rudolph runs a different route this year in Leiper’s Fork, a quaint town 29 miles south of downtown Nashville. Bootlegger’s Christmas Run at Leiper’s Fork Distillery is a lively, bootlegger-style holiday pop-up bar. You’ll snap plenty of holiday photos beside the vintage trucks, copper stills, tires reimagined into festive holiday decor and colorful Christmas lights. Celebrate the resourceful and wild spirit of Tennessee whiskey’s past. Sip themed cocktails hot or iced like the Spiced Cherry Mule featuring Leiper’s Fork Distillery’s Bottled in Bond Bourbon with cherry, ginger, cane sugar and holiday spices like cinnamon, Allspice and cardamom.
Memphis Christmas Pop-Up Bar
Old Dominick Distillery
Celebrate the holidays Memphis-style at Old Dominick’s Blue Christmas pop-up bar, adorned with tinsel, stunning blue holiday decor everywhere you look, themed photo ops, live music and festive cocktails. Warm up with the signature Hot Toddy which includes Old Dominick’s Memphis Toddy and 901 Bourbon with a dash of lemon and honey. Toast to the holiday season with the Tennessee Cordial made with Tennessee whiskey, cherry syrup, sweet cream and chocolate bitters.
Soak up the magic of the Christmas season at these holiday pop-up bars on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail. Start planning your merry weekend or week-long getaway today.
