As the calendar turns toward Christmas and New Year’s, something familiar happens behind bars and kitchen counters across Wisconsin. Bottles of brandy move to the front. Oranges are sliced. Cherries are fished from jars. And the Brandy Old Fashioned Sweet quietly retakes its place as the unofficial drink of the season.

In New Glarus, that ritual feels especially fitting. In a town shaped by Swiss heritage, where tradition matters and supper clubs still anchor social life, brandy isn’t just a spirit. It’s part of the culture.