Member-only story
It’s summertime, and we’ve just been through a whole pandemic (that isn’t over yet). We’re collectively coming out of a year that will be forever remembered in history books, one where so many of us were denied the joy, pleasure, leisure, and companionship we need and deserve. A year has passed. Now I’m fully vaccinated and ready to set down this heavy bag of emotions. I’m ready to have the best summer ever, on my own terms, with new boundaries for self-care and self-protection fully in place. I’m ready to celebrate and be creative and get back to all those things I’ve been missing out on — the joy, the pleasure, the leisure, the companionship. I’m ready for a happy hour ritual that sets a clear boundary between a time for responsibility and purposeful relaxation. I’m ready to enjoy a brown spirit summer. Are you ready to join me?
Brown spirits are typically aged in wooden casks (that’s where the color comes from), and they can include whiskey, bourbon, brandy, and dark rum. What’s a brown spirit summer? Like the liquor itself, it’s a season that’s warming to the spirit and meant to be enjoyed languorously. It’s mature, decadent, and richly deserved. You can enjoy it with a gathering or alone in a ritual meant to represent the end of a day well done — intentional decompression. Something slowly sippable that can be enjoyed neat or on the rocks or with your mixer of choice.
Lately, bourbon has been a favorite for me, and I’ve discovered some varieties I really like. If you want to have a brown spirit summer for real, allow me to recommend some bottles for your bar cart:
Here’s to having the best summer ever, on purpose, because we deserve it. Cheers!
Angel’s Envy
This Kentucky-made bourbon is finished in port wine barrels and has notes of toasted nuts, vanilla, and maple. If you like a sweeter spirit, Angel’s Envy is lovely served neat or on the rocks.
