As the real heat of summer quickly approaches and we tell you about our next box—which, let’s face it, probably isn’t what you expected—we can imagine you scratching your head and wondering: Scotch in the summer, really? Well, we say: Heck, yeah! Add some seasonal fruits, like peaches and strawberries, and suddenly this spirit becomes deliciously summery.

It’s the perfect time to bring a traditionally indoor spirit out into the gorgeous sunny weather, swapping out mood lighting and a roaring fireplace for the open air and a sizzling campfire or grill.

With grapefruit and hops bitters, plus strawberries cooked with orange juice and pink peppercorns into a yummy cordial that plays off the smokiness of the Scotch, A Worn Path is perfect for sipping on that warm summer day!

This old fashioned was created by Steva Casey of The Atomic Lounge in Birmingham. Her cocktail recipes and ideas about building drinks have been published in Cosmopolitan magazine, Men’s Journal, and on CNN. She owns more bottles of Scotch than dresses.

For some behind-the-scenes tidbits from Steva on her work, Birmingham’s cocktail scene, and her cocktail, check out our interview.

In the Smoked Peach, by Kevin Diedrich of San Francisco’s Pacific Cocktail Haven, we’ve paired delicious seasonal yellow peaches, cinnamon, and honey with the tasty stone fruit notes in Scotch to make a velvety mellow sipper.

Kevin has been a bartender and mixologist at numerous impressive establishments on both coasts for the last 16 years. He was named one of San Francisco Chronicle’s “Bar Stars” (2011) and continues to contribute to the Bay Area’s thriving bar scene at P.C.H., where he curates a robust menu of cocktails, as well as spirits and beers from all over the world.

Grapefruit and lemon add a nice zing to Scotch’s smoky vanilla notes, and our house-made syrup of burnt orange peel and cardamom makes the Night Fighter by Ryan Maybee of The Rieger in Kansas City wonderfully aromatic. The element of fire is closely connected to Scotch production as the grain is dried over burning peat.

The Night Fighter nods to this and also introduces you to a crafty technique—flaming an orange zest, which adds subtle, dark caramelized notes. You’ll wave a lit wooden match a few inches below your swath of orange zest for a couple of seconds to warm the citrus oil, then give it a pinch to press out the oil, which will ignite in a quick yet impressive flash! Cue the applause.

Ryan—a lifelong bartender with wine, spirits, and mixology expertise—was named 2013 Bartender of the Year by Imbibe Magazine and one of 8 “Fabulous Innovators” by Gaz Regan’s Annual Manual for Bartenders (2011). Ryan’s creative libations have been featured in Food and Wine, Mutineer Magazine, The New Yorker, Vogue, GQ, Esquire, Vanity Fair, Bartender Magazine, and various other publications.

We hope you can’t wait to try the unexpected delights found in the Summer Scotch Box! It’s a spirit destined to be a new staple for a season of sizzling temperatures. And don’t forget: it makes a great gift for Dads (and grads!), too. 

☀️🥃🍓,
The Shaker & Spoon Team

*not vegan: honey-peach syrup