Kindred Spirits: The Story of Second Sight

The first time I met Carus, he told me about a New Orleans-style jazz parade funeral he planned to throw for a goldfish. 

At that moment, I knew I needed this dude in my life any way he’d have me. Almost a decade later, he remains one of my favorite people, a business mentor in every sense of the word, and the owner of a distillery unlike any other. 

When I decided to begin this Frankly Friday journal, no name came to mind quicker than Second Sight Spirits. Their business is living proof that the good guys get to win every once in a while. If you’ve never made the trek to his spot in the thriving metropolis of Ludlow, let me give you a little taste of what you can expect.

Everything about Second Sight flips the distillery world on its head. Instead of stuffy white hairs parsing through tasting notes, you get Carus giving you your fortune and showing you the mechanics of the still they built with the help of some savvy Facebook Marketplace deals. Instead of leaning on some pseudo-important dead white guy in their lineage, Second Sight Spirits has passed on the past and harnessed their energy toward shaping fortunes of the future. 

Co-owners Carus and Rick have made their bones in the realm of unconventionality, specifically in the entertainment capital of the world: Vegas. The tandem had a hand in the set design for both The Beatles and Elvis Presley shows. If you’re looking to take notes on becoming entertainers, you can do a whole lot worse than The Lads and The King.

After their time in Sin City, the prodigal sons returned to the bluegrass state with their technical wheels turning and their sights set on the spirit world. The stars aligned, and they got to work creating an artisan distilling experience where they could craft homegrown spirits in a way that had never been attempted. 

They came to bat with their Oak Eye Bourbon, a spirit that is essentially Kentucky in a glass, and a lineup of rums with more heavy hitters than the ‘27 Yankees. Beyond having some of the best small-batch spirits ever distilled, their fully customized cocktail lounge literally feels out of this world. Complete with a bartop lined with 8,000 Chinese feng shui coins and a stage set for acts of all kinds, every inch of the space was designed to make your eyes light up.

The thing that stands out above all else at Second Sight is the characters that fill the space. From the warm friendliness that meets you upon every entry to their complete and total willingness to throw the weirdest ideas of all time at the wall and see them through. These guys are a true inspiration to me, and working to help them tell their fantastic story has been a dream.

If you ever find yourself on the bourbon trail or passing through the thriving metropolis, stop by and join the fun for a great time and a brighter future.