Page 13 of Bourbon and Lies

Laney

I was toointerested in the Foxx Bourbon Distillery to hang back. Sleep would happen eventually. The universe somehow managed to drop me at the epicenter of one of the world's largest distributors and most respected bourbon brands. It isn’t my first choice as a drink, but I’ve poured plenty of variations of whiskey in my lifetime. When someone asked for bourbon, if they knew a thing or two, they’d always request Foxx. Sometimes if they were cheap, they’d opt for another brand, but anyone who asked for rocks or neat always went with a Foxx label.

Instead of hopping into her muscle car, we walked along a stone walkway for about half a mile and ended up in front of the Foxx Bourbon Distillery. The entryway reminded me of the wineries in New York along the Finger Lakes. I did a wedding there last summer that was a “small elopement” ceremony of just under six-hundred close family and friends. That couple almost didn’t make it when they argued for months about which vineyard would be the best for their vows. The West Coast wasknown for its vineyards and the way they were presented, but New Yorkers could only show off to as many people as possible if it was drivable. The Finger Lakes had won them over.

I feel warm here, beyond just the humidity. There’s no pretension or sense of unwelcomed exclusivity. The beautifully curated landscaping ranged from perfectly rounded green shrubbery to wispy cherry blossom trees. Greenery with pops of color is what framed the massive oak double doors. It was quite simply…lovely.

At the top of the entryway was the Foxx Bourbon logo, the black metal bent and molded into the letterFwith the profile of a fox head woven around it. It was grandiose and so different from the other side of the property, where the main house and cottage sat. This was for tourists.

The sound of cars driving over gravel and chatter from groups of people sitting along the patio along the perimeter greeted us. As soon as we walked closer, the air smelled sweeter and tangier.

“It smells so good here.”

She closes her eyes and breathes in. “It’s a combination of corn, malted barley, and rye that ferments when it's combined with yeast. Aside from making bourbon, it makes the air smell like you’re being bathed in sugar.” Holding out her tongue, she swipes at the air as her voice rasps, “Delish.”

Just as she starts to say something more, a deep voice comes from behind us, startling me. I clutch my chest and close my eyes briefly. It’s the first time a man’s voice has made me feel jumpy. One of the consequences I hadn’t realized I would need to deal with from coming face to face with a monster and living to remember it.

“The mash bill. It’s always stronger the closer you get to the distillery.”

He has a smile that pulls at shallow dimples and crinkles the corners of bright blue eyes. His brown hair is a little longer, and while he doesn’t look like an exact replica, I know this has got to be the other Foxx brother. The same confidence and gait. All his features are distracting on their own, but add in the square jawline, and the Foxx men were all living up to their name.

“Laney, this is my bestest friend on the planet, Lincoln Foxx,” Hadley says, smiling and wrapping her arm around him as she stands on her tiptoes.

Holding out his hand, he says, “My grandfather, Griz, told me all about the pretty new stranger staying in the studio. Thought that might be you.”

Hadley opens her mouth wide. “Linc, are you flirting?” She points to me. “That was flirting, right?”

I can’t help but smile and nod yes.

Lincoln drops the smile and gives her a sarcastic blank face when he tells her, “I hate you. And I’m welcoming your friend. Don’t be a dick, Hadley Jean.”

I shake his hand back, smiling at both of them. “It’s nice to meet you. Your whole family has been really welcoming. Thank you.”

They look at each other before Lincoln says, “Then you haven’t met all of us yet.”

The cowboy.

But before I can correct the assumption, Lincoln starts walking with us. “Can I tag onto your tour, Hads?”

Hadley gives him a knowing smile. And the way that his neck tints pink just above the neckline of his t-shirt, I think Lincoln isn’t one to tag onto tours of his own distillery.

We follow him past the main entrance, where groups of people wait for their tours to start. “Laney, have you ever been to a distillery?”

Lincoln’s face lights up as his smile lines crease and dimples tilt when I tell him, “This is my first. I’ve done a lot of vineyard tours and breweries, but never a distillery.”

He claps his hands together and rubs his palms like he’s about to unleash the ultimate entertainment. He’s so much lighter than both of his brothers. “There’s a helluva lot of fun in bourbon, but at the core of all of it is simple chemistry.” He begins explaining the science behind it—where fermentation and ratios are what set bourbons apart at their core. He touts about the things that the Foxx brand does differently than all the rest. “Our ratio of corn to rye and barely is higher, which makes us sweeter. No matter what, in order to qualify as a true bourbon, one of the rules is that the mash bill needs to be 51% corn or higher.”

He's charming. A natural presenter and captivating storyteller. There’s no mistaking he loves what he does and is good at his job.

“So, Laney with no last name, how long are you planning to be in Fiasco?” he asks, just as we enter into a more industrial-looking space. “My brother was pretty vague, whether you were moving here or just visiting. Just that you’d be here for a while and to give you space until you started working.”

“Nice job on that space, Linc,” Hadley says, leaning into his side.

I knew the questions would come. I just wish I had thought through how I would answer. Without letting too much silence linger around the question, I settle on, “I’ll be here for a while,” shrugging. “I’m entering my ‘don’t overthink it’ era,” I add with a bright smile. “So we’ll see.”

Hadley chimes in, “I like that. I overthink everything. Usually, after I’ve already done it.”

“So, ask-for-forgiveness kind of girl?”

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