A Better Way to Drink: An Evening with Holistic Spirits at Wally’s Beverly Hills
There are liquor events that feel like trade shows—logo overload, forced smiles, and cocktails with all the charm of an open bar at a low-budget wedding. And then there are nights like this one: relaxed, thoughtful, and quietly confident, where the spirits speak for themselves and nobody’s trying too hard.
That was the energy at Wally's Beverly Hills for the Holistic Spirits cocktail pop-up—an intimate evening built around good drinks, good conversation, and a simple question: what if drinking better didn’t mean giving anything up?
It’s the same question that sparked the brand in the first place. “We never intended to start a spirits company, but we couldn’t stop thinking about why no one was making alcohol that aligned with wellness values,” says Amy Holmwood, Founder and CEO.
The Brand: Clean, Thoughtful, No Preaching
Holistic Spirits doesn’t position itself as a rebellion against alcohol—or a lecture about wellness. It’s more of an invitation. Their philosophy is straightforward: cleaner ingredients, transparency in sourcing, and spirits designed to be enjoyed without the usual baggage.
The lineup centers around Origen Vodka and Harmony Gin, both crafted with organic bases and infused with botanicals you don’t typically find listed on a back bar—things like artichoke leaf, elderberry, muscadine grape, and green tea extract. It’s not marketed as a miracle cure or a free pass, just a more considered approach to what ends up in your drink.
The takeaway? This is booze made by people who actually thought about it.
The Cocktails: Familiar, Seasonal, Dialed-In
Behind the bar, casually pouring and chatting with guests, was co-founder Woody Harrelson. No velvet rope. No theatrics. Just a genuine presence, equal parts host and fellow drinker, clearly proud of what was in the glass making a few of his favorite cocktails.
One standout cocktails was Harmony Embers, a cocktail that reads clean and intentional right from the spec. Harmony Gin lays down an herbal backbone, while Ancho Reyes Verde brings a measured green chili warmth. Grapefruit and lemon keep it bright and dry, and a touch of chili oil adds depth on the finish—subtle heat, not a stunt.
The rest of the menu followed that same philosophy: familiar flavors, thoughtfully paired, and seasonally appropriate without leaning on novelty.
Pink Detox kept things fresh and direct—Origen Vodka with watermelon, lime, and agave, bright and restrained.
Woody’s Water was the easy-drinking option, built on Origen Vodka or Harmony Gin, topped with club soda and finished with an orange garnish—light, crisp, and built for conversation.
O’ Fashioned brought the comfort: Origen Vodka, a hit of maple, orange bitters, Luxardo cherry, and an orange garnish—simple, warm, and dialed in.
The Vibe: Easy, Human, Inviting
What stood out most wasn’t just what was being poured—it was how the night felt. No sales pitch. No urgency. Just people talking about flavor, sourcing, sustainability, and how drinks fit into real life.
Woody moved through the room the way a good bartender does: present, curious, unforced. The staff at Wally’s kept things flowing smoothly, and the crowd—industry folks, regulars, and curious newcomers—felt genuinely engaged.
It was the kind of evening that reminds you why bars exist in the first place. Not just to be seen, but to connect.
Big thanks to Brando Fay and Paul Joseph, who kept everything moving effortlessly—great drinks, good timing, and the kind of bartending that never pulls focus from what’s in the glass.
Final Pour
Holistic Spirits isn’t trying to reinvent drinking culture. They’re just making a strong case for doing it a little better—without sacrificing flavor, ritual, or joy.
If this pop-up was any indication, the brand understands that the best spirits don’t shout. They invite you in, pour you something honest, and let the conversation take care of the rest.
And honestly? That’s a pretty good way to spend a night in Beverly Hills.
Thanks to our friends at Holistic Spirits for the invitation, and to the team at Wally’s for hosting a truly memorable night.
ABOUT HOLISTIC
Holistic Spirits is the radical rethink the spirits world didn’t know it needed — a plant-powered, botanically driven spirits company rooted in science, nature, and a conscience. Co-founded by wellness entrepreneur Amy Holmwood and actor-environmentalist Woody Harrelson, Holistic crafts next-generation vodka and gin infused with thoughtfully sourced botanicals like elderberry, muscadine grape, green tea, and artichoke, with zero artificial flavors, colors, or GMOs and transparent, sustainable production at every step.
It’s not just about taste — it’s about drinking better without sacrificing flavor or the planet, earning B-Corp certification and global sustainability marks along the way. Whether sipped neat, over ice, or mixed into cocktails, Holistic is for people who care what’s in their glass and why it got there.
ABOUT WALLY’S
Wally's Beverly Hills is equal parts wine shop, cocktail bar, restaurant, and neighborhood anchor, where collectors browse next to first-timers and nobody’s made to feel out of place. The bottles run deep and global, the service is sharp without hovering, and the food shows up exactly how you want it to—especially that killer pizza, definitely plan on friends waning to order “one more.” You come for a glass, maybe a bite, and suddenly the afternoon’s gone, which is kind of the point.