Brave Spirits: Review of the Product Line

Photo: Brave Spirits

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Feeling patriotic after this holiday weekend?  Still got the urge to party as well? Consider checking out this new beverage line developed in honor of our service men and women.

The product line? Brave Spirits. Developed by David and Jennifer Fox as a tribute to those serving in the United States Coast Guard, Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, police forces and fire departments. Two dollars from every purchased bottle goes to the Brave Spirits Foundation, a charity focused on the needs of service folks and their families, and comprised of retired service folks who are well aware of the unique needs of the recipients.

How did I feel when approached to review this product line? Stoked! Of course, anytime cocktails are involved, I know I’m going to enjoy the work. But since we’re a retired military family ourselves, I thought it would be extra fun to explore this product and the philosophy behind it. So when the samples arrived, an immediate quest was launched to select which drinks we were going to mix with each spirit. Here’s the breakdown:

The “Standing Guard” Gin.

I tried this with both a standard gin and tonic drink, as well as a gimlet. Personal verdict? Comparably crisp with other brands I’ve tried over the years.  A decent gin to mix for afternoon cocktails.

The “First In” Whiskey.

Cocktail mixed? An Algonquin, made with whiskey, dry vermouth and pineapple juice. Opinion? Not bad. It didn’t overpower the drink at all, but was definitely strong enough to counteract the sweetness of the pineapple juice. Not nearly as sweet a drink as I expected. Certainly doable as a “man’s man” drink, even with the fruit juice. And yes, my husband agrees.

The “At Ease” Rum.

We tried this with a rum daisy cocktail, as well as a standard rum and cola. In a word? Buttery. I can see this rum being a good one for wintery hot drinks as well. 

The “Valor” Vodka.

I mixed this up in a simple screwdriver cocktail, and was pleased with the result. Definitely blended into the O.J. background, which is what I prefer my mixing vodkas to do.

With the exception of a few overseas –purchased juniper berries (apparently they are in shorter supply here), all of the ingredients are from right here in the United States. The spirits are manufactured here as well. So if you are worried about keeping your bucks in country to support the American economy, rest easy.  The MSRP? Twenty bucks a bottle. Not bad, and certainly comparable to other regularly available spirits.  Apparently, since this is a brand new launch, the product is only available in Pennsylvania right now, with efforts being made to go national as quickly as possible. The first thing we thought when the sample collection arrived? What a cool gift pack for military retirees.  I’m keeping my eye on this product, and hope to see it do well. If you’re in Pennsylvania, check it out! If not, consider keeping your fingers crossed for rapid growth. I know I am, and wish them well.