University students return for fall semester this week, and all the move-in traffic made me think about when I first moved to Champaign-Urbana more than a decade ago. When I was new to C-U, a local took us to Black Dog and ordered some of everything from the barbecue menu and flights of whiskey, too. Inspired by this nostalgia today, I’m thirsty for Oscar’s old-fashioned at Black Dog Smoke & Ale.
Made with bourbon, simple syrup, and bitters, the barbecue joint’s old-fashioned tastes smooth and quite delicious. Oscar’s old-fashioned is great because of Black Dog’s special whiskey: a house-infused cherry and orange bourbon. That juicy flavor brings out the sweet notes of the bourbon, and the classic old-fashioned flavors of cherry and orange infused in the whiskey sparkle with the matching garnishes. The drink is named Oscar’s old-fashioned after the owner’s black dog Oscar, and Lola’s pink lemonade (made with lemon vodka and cranberry-ginger syrup) is also named after one of the owner’s black dogs. Check out the full menu, and learn why Black Dog’s owner is passionate about adopting black dogs in particular here.
Black Dog Smoke & Ale House originally opened in Urbana opened in 2009 and in 2015, they added a second location in Champaign. During the pandemic, the Urbana location closed and remains closed, but the Downtown Champaign barbecue spot is open seven days a week serving delicious barbecue with signature sauces. Black Dog has legendary burnt ends, and in my opinion, they taste best with Oscar’s old-fashioned.
Black Dog Smoke & Ale
320 N Chestnut St
Champaign
11 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily
