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6AM City In-house

Introducing... bourbon aged in space 🥃

Local distillery to age bourbon in outer space
A creative rendering of the Mystic Galactic bourbon bottle.
A creative rendering of the Mystic Galactic bourbon bottle. | Photo by StemBrite Studio
Talk about reaching new heights. Durham-based Mystic Farm & Distillery plans to launch bourbon whiskey into outer space — and they’re setting up a mission control center in Raleigh.

The Mystic crew intends to establish a command hub at NC State’s Centennial Campus in late 2023, where the spaceship and barrels will be monitored 24 hours a day.

If all goes to plan, five barrels of 45% wheat bourbon whiskey will be launched into low Earth orbit in January 2024. The intergalactic bourbon will age for one year before it returns to Earth and is recovered off the coast of NC. There will be enough whiskey for ~1,500 bottles of Mystic Galactic — the first commercial product manufactured in space.

Soon, interested buyers will be able to reserve a 750-ml bottle of the rare whiskey for $75,000. It will come with a 50-ml sample, a piece of the barrel it was aged in, two tasting glasses, and a special bottle opener.

The bottles have already generated a lot of interest. “We’ve gotten emails from people asking if there’s a limit on how many they can buy,” Mystic co-owner Jonathan Blitz told RALtoday.

So what will it taste like? “That’s the $75,000 question,” Blitz said. “Nobody knows — this has never been done before. I am as interested in tasting it as anybody else.”
Flowers Plantation

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Tuesday, Jan. 24
  • Trivia Night | Tuesday, Jan. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Riparian Provision Co., 1408 S. Saunders St., Raleigh | Free | Choose to play solo or as a team; no sign up is required.
  • Coffee, Cocktails, and Karaoke | Tuesday, Jan. 24 | 7-10 p.m. | Sir Walter Coffee, 145 E. Davie St., Raleigh | Free | Enjoy drink specials while you sing your favorite tunes during Sir Walter’s first karaoke night of 2023.
  • Best of Raleigh | Tuesday, Jan. 24 | 7:30 p.m. | Goodnights Comedy Club, 401 Woodburn Rd., Raleigh | $20-$28 | See comedians including Jordan Huggins, Helen Wildy, and Brandy Brown perform stand-up live.
Wednesday, Jan. 25
  • S’more Square Social Hour | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Moore Square Park, 201 S. Blount St., Raleigh | Free | Roast a s’more over a fire pit and enjoy winter activities.
  • Whiskey Wednesdays | Wednesday, Jan. 25 | 4-6 p.m. | Alley Twenty Six, 1000 Brookside Dr., Ste. 119, Raleigh | $6 | The team is pouring Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey.
Thursday, Jan. 26
  • Hammered Trivia | Thursday, Jan. 26 | 7 p.m. | Raleigh Brewing Company, 3709 Neil St., Raleigh | Free | Test your knowledge with eight rounds of trivia.
Friday, Jan. 27
  • San Jose Sharks vs. Carolina Hurricanes | Friday, Jan. 27 | 7 p.m. | PNC Arena, 1400 Edwards Mill Rd., Raleigh | $25-$334 | Cheer on the Canes at home.
  • North Carolina Opera presents Don Giovanni | Friday, Jan. 27 + Sunday, Jan. 29 | Times vary | Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts, 2 E. South St., Raleigh | $23-$116 | Mozart’s masterpiece depicts one of the most memorable characters in all opera, Don Juan.
Plan Ahead
  • Willard Wine Dinner: Louis Roederer Champagne | Thursday, Feb. 16 | 6:30 p.m. | The Willard, 9 Glenwood Ave., Raleigh | $155 | Enjoy a four-course meal paired with at least five different champagnes from the French house of Louis Roederer.
We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
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Nourished Life Wellness

7 secrets to know about hiring a financial advisor 👀
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SmartAsset is a hassle-free way to find vetted financial advisers in your area. | Photo by SmartAsset
Life should be a balance of adventure and relaxation — not finances. Enter: Working with a financial advisor. But choosing the wrong one could potentially wreak havoc on your retirement and investments.

Check out these seven secrets comfortable retirees know about hiring one, so you can get back to the balance that matters most.

Pro tip: For simplicity, try this free tool to get matched with up to three vetted financial advisors serving your area.*
GET YOUR FREE MATCHES

Weather
  • 56º | Sunny | 6% chance of rain ☀️
Announced
  • Fleetwood Mac star Stevie Nicks is coming to PNC Arena on Friday, May 12. Tickets go on sale to the public this Friday, Jan. 27 at 10 a.m. 🎶
Opening
  • Tap Yard — a family- and dog-friendly bar and community space — has softly launched just outside of downtown. The new spot at 1610 Automotive Way will feature 16 craft beers on tap, yard games in a one-acre beer garden, and local art. Bonus: The bar hosts a free pancake brunch every Sunday at 12 p.m. 🥞
Community
  • The annual Arbor Day Festival is on Saturday, March 25 at John Chavis Memorial Park. The festival celebrates the benefits of trees with activities like trivia and crafts, food trucks, live music, and free tree seedlings. Vendor and exhibitor applications are due on Friday, Feb. 3. 🌳
Arts
  • Holly Springs artist Heather Eck is the first artist in residence at Blush Cowork in Cary. The opening for Heather’s new exhibit “Making a Way” is this Thursday, Jan. 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 201 Shannon Oaks Circle. The collection represents affirmation and conscious shifting into a new way of being.
Eat
  • Sarah Shepherd of Heights House Hotel and Raleigh chef Liz Grandchamp are collaborating to host monthly pop-up dinner parties at the Heights House. The first Supper Club on Monday, Feb. 13 will have a Sicilian-inspired, four-course menu with available wine pairings. Make a reservation for $95 per person.
Try This
  • An excuse to buy chocolate? Say less. Videri Chocolate Factory has hidden eight golden tickets in random Videri chocolate bars. Each is redeemable for special prizes, including a $1,100 gift card to Videri. Learn more. 🍫


Sports
  • The NC State Icepack club hockey team will play against UNC during an outdoor hockey game on Monday, Feb. 20. The Frozen Finley game will be held at Carter-Finley Stadium, the week after the NHL Stadium Series game and Canes Fan Fest.
Ranked
  • Digital travel publication Far & Wide ranked Raleigh No. 1 on its list of the Most Livable Cities in the US. The City of Oaks topped the list (beating Charlotte at No. 2) based on factors like cost of living, bar scene, museums, and outdoor activities. 👏
Home
  • Did you know poor air quality in your home can make you sick? Raleigh-based Air Experts shares 10 ways to improve your home’s air quality — and help you breathe easier in 2023.*
Trending
  • The Internet’s most popular cup is back in stock. The Stanley Quencher is beloved for its comfortable handle, large straw, ability to fit in your car’s cup holder, and how it keeps water cold for 11 hours. Plus, the popular 40 ounce size means all day hydration. 💧*
Number
  • 4 million. The number of subscribers to Morning Brew, a free daily newsletter that covers the latest in business, finance, and tech. Morning Brew is 100% free and takes just five minutes to read (and thanks to its witty, fun tone, you’ll want to open it every morning).*
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Trinity Academy

Enter to party like a VIP in ’23 🎉
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Enter to win celeb status all year. | Image by 6AM City
Want to live it up like a superstar all year? We’re teaming up with Sports & Social Cary and PBR Cowboy Bar Cary to give away an ultimate VIP prize package, valued at $2,000.

One lucky winner of the 2023 Party like a VIP Giveaway will get:
  • Two VIP passes to all events hosted at Sports & Social Cary + PBR Cowboy Bar Cary in 2023.
  • Complimentary food, beverage, day-of giveaways + more
  • Access to events that include: VIP Grand Opening Party, Big Game Bash, Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, Halloween, New Year’s Eve + more.
To enter, head over to our Instagram (@RALtoday) now until Thursday, Feb. 2 at noon + follow the instructions. One winner will be chosen at random and announced on Friday, Feb. 3. 🎉 *
ENTER TO WIN
6AM City In-house
THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Anne.

Editor’s pick: If you’re catching a film at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, don’t forget to stop by Little Blue Bakehouse before or after the movie — it’s right next door. I can’t stop thinking about the Sunny Bakes chocolate chip cookie dough cake I tried the other week. 🍰

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? We highlighted 33 of Raleigh’s best parks.
Connect with us.

Editorial: Cat George, Anne Tate, Erin McPherson, Emily Shea, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Dayten Rose, Sarah Leonhardt, Katie Smith | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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