I have been doing some reading. And apparently, 2019 was ‘Hot Girl Summer’, a movement sparked by US rapper Megan The Stallion aimed to encourage self-confidence, living life to the fullest, and empowerment. This was followed a few years later in 2024 by ‘Brat Summer’, a similar concept from British artist Charli XCX.
While both focus on empowering the individual, Charli XCX’s version appears to be more grounded in reality. It takes into account the fears and stresses of everyday living (questions about mortality, fertility, family heritage and so on) and pushes past them through hedonism and debauchery. I told you I’d been reading.
Brat is also greener. Her album cover, the word BRAT on a fluorescent green background, appeared everywhere last year, and at one point was even adopted by presidential candidate Kamala Harris. For all the good that did.
Well, rumor has it, 2025 is Whisky Summer. The wise old distillers in Scotland have seen the good vibes, potential for political influence, and the prospects for sizable profits that come with launching a cultural movement and tried to get in on the action.
Now, when I think whisky, I seldom think of summer. Instead, I picture an ancient wood-paneled room, it smells a little musty, like whoever first chose the interiors died a few centuries earlier, and everyone since thought it best to leave it as it is. There’s a fireplace crackling away, a set of hefty armchairs and it’s blustery outside. Mmm, yes please pour me a whisky.
However, I can assure you, that’s not the environment I currently find myself in. It’s hot, and I spent last night sleeping on the sofa in a living room with no air conditioning. There is a pleasant breeze, although when it comes, it carries with it the faint sound of distant police sirens. Whisky Summer has arrived.
Joking aside, I can see the benefits. It’s true we often do look at whisky as a serious drink for serious people. It lacks the carefree joviality that perhaps tequila enjoys. Maybe whisky does need a Brat summer, to break free from the chains it finds itself lumbered with.
The Highland Sunset could just do the trick. It’s a bright and modern take on the classic Bobby Burns. Concocted with Aberfeldy 12 and Bénédictine its hearty notes make the ideal companion to a warm sweet night, a true sundown companion. Yet alongside the sweet edge there is also a welcome freshness.
For those out of the loop, much like I was a short moment ago. Bénédictine is a French herbal liqueur developed during the 19th Century. It’s flavored with twenty-seven flowers, berries, herbs, roots, and spices, a bit like Kentucky Fried Chicken. Its creator the wine merchant Alexandre Le Grand even looks like the Colonel; there’s a statue of him in Palais Bénédictine and the resemblance is uncanny. It’s safe to say a bottle of Bénédictineunusual yet welcome addition to your bar cart.
And so, why not give Whisky Summer a go? Isn’t it time we forgot about the rules, threw off the shackles and gave something new a go. It’s summer, have a Highland Sunset. Or ten if you’re Charli XCX.
Ingredients
1.5 oz ABERFELDY 12
1.5 oz Martini & Rossi Riserva Speciale Rubino Vermouth
.75 oz Benedictine DOM
Method
Add all ingredients to a mixing glass. Add ice and stir for about 45 seconds to a minute until the cocktail is properly chilled and diluted. Strain into a Nick & Nora glass, a seldom-used and highly underrated vessel. Garnish with an expressed lemon peel.