Holy Sinners, Batman! Russ‘s intensely cinematic trailer for his upcoming album, Wild, takes a page from Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan’s hit vampire saga, putting Russ on two sides of the frame as he reveals the project’s long-awaited release date.
Directed by Justice Silvera, the “short film” opens with Russ lying in a cage in a jungle like a Vietnam P.O.W. Upon waking up, he panics at his newfound surroundings, eventually finding a key a few feet outside the cage — just close enough to tease him with the possibility of freedom, but too far away for him to actually get his hands on.
Fortunately, he receives some timely assistance from… himself. A second Russ emerges from the jungle and offers the caged version a way out. The rapper(s) then limp off into the forest to an unknown — but probably much more optimistic — fate. Considering the visuals for Russ’s previously released materials for Wild, including a mysterious teaser and a post-traumatic video for “Pent Up In A Penthouse,” it’s clear that the theme of the album will be a sort of inner release, stemming from his recent focus on his mental health.
You can watch the trailer for Wild above.
Wild is due on June 27. You can find more info here.
June 7 and 8 will mark the return of the BET Experience Fan Fest to Los Angeles, with its usual festive lineup of concerts and activities — including, as usual, a celebrity basketball game in which today’s biggest stars get to show off their hoop skills.
This year’s BETX Celebrity Basketball Game participants have been announced, with Anthony Hamilton Jr., BlakeIANA, BossMan Dlow, Carter the Body, Cordae, Darryl Vega, DeVon Franklin, G-Herbo, Hunxho, Jabari Banks, K Camp, Kalan.FrFr, Kemoy Martin, Mario, Pardison Fontaine, Rapsody, Rob49, Rome Flynn, Skilla Baby, Theo Barns, Zoe Spencer, and Zillionaire Doe all playing in the game.
Meanwhile, the teams will be coached by some veterans of both hoops and hip-hop, with Flau’jae, Matt Barnes, Offset, and Ty Young patrolling the sidelines. Bow Wow will host, assisted by audience correspondent Lola Brooke, and announcer MC Lyte.
BETX Fan Fest will also feature the return and reimagining of the network’s beloved music video countdown show, 106 & Park, celebrating its 25th anniversary with a livestream. There will also be karaoke, Freestyle Saturday rap battles, and a reunion special with some of the original hosts.
The following Monday will be the premiere for the BET Awards, hosted by Kevin Hart for the second year in a row. You can find more info here.
The 2025 American Music Awards are going down live from Fontainebleau Las Vegas on May 26 (Memorial Day) at 8 p.m. ET. Ahead of the big holiday weekend, we’re learning more about what the show will look like: Today (May 21), the list of this year’s presenters was revealed.
Familiar faces who will be either presenting or participating during this year’s show in one way or another (as Billboard notes) are Alix Earle, Cara Delevingne, Ciara, Dan + Shay, Dylan Efron, Jordan Chiles, Kai Cenat, Megan Moroney, Nikki Glaser, Shaboozey, Tiffany Haddish, and Wayne Brady.
Meanwhile, the group of performers was announced recently: Benson Boone will sing “Mystical Magical,” Blake Shelton will play a song from his album For Recreational Use Only, Gloria Estefan will give her first AMAs performance in over 30 years, Gwen Stefani is doing a medley in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of her album Love.Angel.Music.Baby, Reneé Rapp will make her live award show performance debut, and Lainey Wilson will offer a performance before heading out on the US leg of her tour.
Host Jennifer Lopez is also set to take the stage, and so are special award recipients Janet Jackson (receiving just the third-ever Icon Award in AMAs history) and Rod Stewart (Lifetime Achievement Award).
You might not be ready for summer yet, but Netflix is loading up with bingeworthy content for when the sweltering season launches in June. So, if you are finished with last month’s supply of brand new series, get ready to tune in for return seasons of established streaming successes. Those include Squid Game‘s final outing after the franchise spawned a reality series, and because dads want to watch TV too, one of the great 1980s action stars will be back with both action and laughs in equal measure.
Here’s everything coming to Netflix in June:
Squid Game: Season 3 (Netflix series 6/27)
Nobody ever accused this of being a light and breezy watch, but nonetheless, this show launched as a streaming juggernaut and continued its run before going out (probably) on top with this third outing. The story will pick up with Gi-hun in a truly terrible place after losing his closest friend. He will put forth a plan to end the game, but the Front Man has other designs, and the game is only growing more perilous for those who have survived until now. Will this series end with closure or even more despair? You gotta tune in to find out.
FUBAR: Season 2 (Netflix series 6/12)
In merry contrast to the above (heavy) selection, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s contribution to the Dad TV phenomenon is also back with him reprising his CIA operative who got yanked back from the verge of retirement. This season, Luke (Arnold) and Emma (Monica Barbaro) are working to prevent global mayhem that a terrorist is threatening to unleash upon humanity. Carrie-Anne Moss joins this season as a former love interest of Luke and a villain, and man, I hope she drags Arnold’s character hard.
Netflix
The Waterfront (Netflix series 6/19)
Shows about dysfunctional wealthy families rarely miss with viewership, and this series hails from Dawson’s Creek creator Kevin Williamson, who also wrote this high drama about a North Carolina fishing dynasty (the Buckleys) who working to keep their legacy above water. Starring Holt McCallany, Maria Bello, Melissa Benoist, Jake Weary, and Topher Grace, this show will be about “a bunch of people who make mistakes. They do some bad things and then they get in deeper and deeper and deeper,” according to Williamson while speaking with Netflix. It must be noted that although this show was inspired by true events, the characters and events within are fictional.
Avail. TBA The Great Indian Kapil Show: Season 3 Rana Naidu: Season 2
Avail. 6/1 The American
Barbarian
Bee Movie
The Birds
The Blues Brothers
The Devil’s Own
Dune (1984) The Equalizer
Family Plot
Focus
Frenzy
The Great Outdoors
Hitchcock
Hop
The Legend of Zorro
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Neighbors
Now You See Me
Now You See Me 2
The Nutty Professor
Pokémon The Series: XY
Pokémon The Series: XY: XY: Kalos Quest
Pokémon The Series: XY: XYZ
Rear Window
The Theory of Everything
The Town
U-571
Us
Vertigo
Avail. 6/3 Sara – Woman in the Shadows
Avail. 6/4 Criminal Code: Season 2 Eva Lasting: Season 3 Power Moves with Shaquille O’Neal
Avail. 6/5 Barracuda Queens: Season 2 Ginny & Georgia: Season 3 Tires: Season 2
Avail. 6/6 K.O.
Mercy For None
TYLER PERRY’S STRAW
The Survivors
Avail. 6/7 Boys on the Side
Piece by Piece
Avail. 6/9 The Creature Cases: Chapter 5
Avail. 6/10 Families Like Ours
Trainwreck: The Astroworld Tragedy
Avail. 6/11 Aniela
Cheers to Life
Cocaine Air: Smugglers at 30,000 Ft.
Our Times
Titan: The OceanGate Disaster
Avail. 6/12 The Fairly OddParents: A New Wish: Season 2 FUBAR: Season 2
Avail. 6/13 Kings of Jo’Burg: Season 3 Too Hot to Handle: Spain
Avail. 6/14 Grey’s Anatomy: Season 21
Avail. 6/16 The Last Witch Hunter
Avail. 6/17 Justin Willman: Magic Lover
Kaulitz & Kaulitz: Season 2 Scandal: Seasons 1-7 Trainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem
Avail. 6/18 AMERICA’S SWEETHEARTS: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Season 2 Rosario Tijeras (Mexico): Season 4 Somebody Feed Phil: Season 8 YOLANTHE
Avail. 6/27 Pokémon Horizons: Season 2—The Search for Laqua Part 3 Squid Game: Season 3
And it’s your last chance to stream these titles:
Leaving 6/1 Batman Begins
Beginners
Burlesque
Closer
Cult of Chucky
Daddy Day Care
The Dark Knight
The Dark Knight Rises
Den of Thieves
From Prada to Nada
GoodFellas
Ma
Magic Mike XXL
Pride & Prejudice
Ted
Ted 2
Two Weeks Notice
Leaving 6/11 Gran Turismo: Based on a True Story
Trap
Leaving 6/14 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire
Leaving 6/16 The Equalizer: Seasons 1-3 Won’t You Be My Neighbor?
It’s time for a new Reneé Rapp era: Today (May 21), Rapp announced Bite Me, a new album, and accompanied that news by dropping a video for the new grungy pop single “Leave Me Alone.”
A statement on the album reads, Bite Me encourages listeners to embrace every facet of their personality, the chaotic and the confident, and to be authentically, unapologetically themselves. It’s a raw, unfiltered, and vulnerable album about self-acceptance in its truest form, and like Rapp herself, creates a community for unfiltered self-expression.”
“23 to 24 has been such a massive difference for me. It’s about this […] and to this point, a reflection on my 23rd year specifically. […] It was so bad, and I thought 22 was insane for me. […]
It was really about finding an outlet. I remember just feeling so overwhelmed and thinking I needed to do something with all this negative energy. So, I sat down in a corner, closed my eyes for about 10 minutes, and just let the thoughts flow. It was like a form of mental escape, a way to process everything without having to vocalize it directly. […]
I think the rawness of those emotions adds a layer of authenticity to my music. It’s like, in that moment of vulnerability, I can tap into something deeper and more genuine. The song I ended up writing that day captured exactly what I was feeling — the frustration, the sadness, everything. It turned out to be one of my most honest pieces.”
Watch the “Leave Me Alone” video above.
Reneé Rapp’s Bite Me Album Cover Artwork
Interscope
Bite Me is out 8/1 via Interscope. Find more information here.
The NBA playoffs are nearly at their climax, and the Eastern Conference Finals are home to an epic matchup between the New York Knicks and the Indiana Pacers. Let’s drink.
The rivalry between the two teams is a bitter one, as they have faced off eight times in the playoffs, resulting in five wins for the Pacers vs. only three for the Knicks. That said, the Big Apple squad has won two of their three matchups against Indiana in the Eastern Conference Finals, and this year’s clash promises to be yet another instant classic with both teams upsetting higher seeds to make it to the penultimate stage of the playoffs.
Hudson Whiskey is one of New York’s most prominent whiskey brands, thanks to its brightly colored marketing campaign, which can be seen throughout the city on billboards and the broadside of buildings. This expression, its oldest age-stated bourbon, is made from a mash bill of 95% corn and 5% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma profile for this bourbon begins with cornbread, dilute honey, hazelnuts, and peppercorns. There’s also a salted butter note, which adds a bit of depth, though the primary aroma is that of the grain-forward corn notes.
Palate: On the palate, those grain-forward notes become much more assertive. The flavor of cornbread and black pepper lay claim to the center of the palate, while black pepper spice, youthful oak, and dilute honey notes float on the edges of the tongue. The mouthfeel is austere and lean.
Finish: The finish on this one is brief and leans into the youthful oak notes while some dilute honey and black pepper spice provide a bit of flourish before it gently recedes from the palate.
Bottom Line:
Hudson Whiskey is most successful with its range of rye, but this more recent addition to its lineup truly bolsters its bourbon bona fides. While the youth is quite evident, as the grain-forward nosing and flavor notes dominate, leaving little room for more nuanced accents, this whiskey does show some promise. Despite that, it belongs comfortably in the “underdog” seed of this particular ranking.
14. Hard Truth Sweet Mash Bottled In Bond Wheated Bourbon
Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Wheated Bottled in Bond Bourbon, made from 69% Corn, 19% Wheat, and 12% Malted barley, is the fledgling distillery’s first wheated bourbon expression. Though Hard Truth only laid down its first barrels of bourbon in 2018, the Indiana distillery has been gaining ground in the past two years among internet-savvy whiskey aficionados, primarily thanks to its rye.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes kick off with vanilla frosting, sugar cookies, pink peppercorn, and dilute butterscotch. It’s a well-balanced, albeit not particularly expressive set of aromas that works increasingly well after several swirls of the glass.
Palate: On the palate, Hard Truth’s inaugural bottled in bond bourbon displays some restrained caramel apple notes to complement a backbone of youthful oak, honeyed wheat toast, black pepper, and fresh hazelnuts. The flavors are fairly mild, but harmonious, and it rewards repeat sips as each taste helps you appreciate the depth of each layer of flavor.
Finish: The finish is brief, and closes with a final kick of black pepper spice and honeyed wheat toast before receding from the palate with slightly sweeter flavors like caramel and sugar cookies.
Bottom Line:
While Hard Truth’s flagship bourbon is a bit burlier and more robust, something typical bourbon drinkers can sink their teeth into, this Bottled in Bond version offers a bit more finesse. What comes with that lighter touch is a bit more nuance, with a wider array of flavors adding to your overall enjoyment. This is a softer, more approachable Indiana bourbon, but one that definitely lives up to the state’s high standards.
13. William Dalton Bottled In Bond Wheated Bourbon
Spirits of French Lick, so-named because it’s roughly 3 minutes from its more famous sister town, is doing a ton of interesting things. Case in point: this straight bourbon whiskey, which uses a mash bill of 70% corn, 20% wheat, and 10% 2-row Caramel malt. One of this expression’s defining characteristics is that it uses both the brand’s “house” yeast and a second brandy yeast. Furthermore, this bourbon relies partially on malolactic fermentation and is 100% double pot distilled. With a barrel entry proof of 105, after maturation, this bourbon is bottled without chill filtration. It’s all that attention to detail that makes this one so unique.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, William Dalton opens with orange blossom, eucalyptus, white flowers, and caramel. It’s a pretty light aroma profile that rewards repeat nosings with deeper accents like sage, peppercorn, and gentle oak tones.
Palate: Once on the palate, this whiskey becomes a bit more expressive as the caramel from the aroma bouquet takes center stage, bringing along accents of black tea, potting soil, clover honey, and sage. At midpalate, some of those earthy tones are tempered as honeysuckle and candied orange peel notes emerge more assertively.
Finish: On the succinct finish, this whiskey closes with a flourish of mint, black pepper, semi-bitter plum skin, and nutmeg.
Bottom Line:
Atypical production practices yield an atypical whiskey, as William Dalton Bottled In Bond eschews some of the funkier notes associated with pot still distillation and wheated bourbon, taking things in an altogether different direction. Despite the unexpected flavors present in this one, it’s a fun and most importantly, balanced ride that’s worth the price.
Taconic Distillery, established in 2014 and located in Stanfordville, New York, is one of the state’s lesser-known bourbon producers, but they’re not short on high-quality output. This Dutchess Reserve Bourbon is aged for a minimum of five years and distilled from a mash bill of 70% corn, 25% rye, and 5% barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, this whiskey begins with some coconut milk, light cocoa, corn pudding, and honey. It’s a decidedly sweet aroma profile with subtle accents of black pepper spice, nutmeg, and vanilla.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey packs more punch than its nosing notes. Brown sugar, buttered croissants, and faint cherry notes form the base while vanilla frosting, cinnamon, and a splash of cocoa round things out.
Finish: The finish is pretty brief here, but it’s full of the coconut notes from the nose, as well as some cacao nibs and coffee bean notes.
Bottom Line:
Taconic Distillery may not be as well-known as its peers in the big city, but it’s still got several eye-catching expressions. This Dutchess Reserve Bourbon is a prime example of what the distillery can do. Believe me, it’s a winner — especially for the price.
Fort Hamilton, the young distillery nestled in Brooklyn, New York, has been putting out some really cool whiskeys for a while now, but naturally, it’s the single-barrel bourbon that’s piqued American whiskey enthusiasts’ interest. Age stated at 4 years old; this particular bottling comes from barrel #5.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes open with corn pudding, cinnamon, honey, and youthful oak, which is indicative of this whiskey’s age while also defying it by coalescing in a rich, aromatic harmony.
Palate: On the palate, this whiskey brings a ton of almonds, clove, cinnamon, and cedar. It’s a light and sprightly sip that easily rolls over the tongue and delivers a mix of classic, youthful bourbon notes with rich, well-developed flavors more commonly associated with older juice.
Finish: The finish is fairly brief but full of allspice, fresh pears, and apple notes, making you smack your lips and dive in for a second sip as quickly as you can.
Bottom Line:
Fort Hamilton has some incredibly cool ryes that put them on the radar for us in the first place, but after trying this single-barrel bourbon, we knew that its take on America’s Native Spirit belonged on this list. This small outfit in Industry City, Brooklyn, is making waves in the Big Apple and it definitely deserves an even bigger stage.
10. Hillrock Double Cask Solera Aged Bottled in Bond Bourbon
Hill Rock’s Double Cask Bottled In Bond Bourbon, the brand’s latest expression, follows the track of all their flagship products on the production side and goes the extra step of sticking to the bottled-in-bond regulations. After aging in both #3 char and #4 char new American oak casks for over five years, the liquid is bottled and sent to market.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is surprisingly lively and full of aromas like roses, cherries, clove, vanilla, and ginger snaps, with cucumber and watermelon rind notes emerging over time.
Palate: On the palate, it begins grain forward before some lush caramel, cucumber/watermelon rind, and the flavor of rosewater gently washes away the grain notes. The texture is unremarkable, which is perfectly fine because that places all of your attention on the lovely, light bouquet of flavors.
Finish: The finish is full of black pepper, potting soil, and watermelon rind, with a touch of caramel and white pepper entering the fray before tapering off.
Bottom Line:
This is a surprisingly vibrant and summery bourbon with the fresh melon and cucumber notes serving to brighten the overall experience in a way that will leave you smiling between sips, nodding your head in agreement with a question you never knew you asked. Hillrock has another winner, in the form of its fantastic Solera Aged Bourbon, but I wanted to give particular shine to this precocious bottled-in-bond bourbon because it’s the brand’s most surprising delicious release.
9. Smokeye Hill Barrel Proof Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This expression is a critically acclaimed blue corn whiskey from Smokeye Hill, which is based in Arizona, but employs whiskey that was contract distilled by MGP in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Uncut and unfiltered, this bourbon was matured for a minimum of 5 years before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of peanut butter, dried mango, and wheat bread are immediately evident on the nose. After a quick swirl of the glass, I’m also picking up cinnamon red hots and a touch of fresh bananas and vanilla wafers as well. It’s not a particularly expressive nose, but it’s well-integrated and inviting while hiding the brunt of the burn.
Palate: It opens with a fairly slick mouthfeel, and it has some nice chocolate and bananas on the palate with robust oak, tobacco leaves, and lush Madagascan vanilla tones backing them up. The flavors here are impressively creamy, though it should be said that the density is surprisingly austere despite its fairly rich flavor profile.
Finish: The lingering finish is full of flavorful sweet leather, semi-bitter dark chocolate, and vanilla pods.
Bottom Line:
Smokeye Hill isn’t the first brand to introduce a blue corn bourbon, but it’s undoubtedly been the most successful. Balancing the atypical flavors found in blue corn bourbon at such a high proof has resulted in some prominent award wins for this exciting expression that seemingly came out of nowhere. Smokeye Hill’s Barrel Proof Bourbon is definitely a bottle that you should add to your shopping list ASAP.
8. Hazelbaker Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled in Bond Aged 7 Years
For this new, age-stated bottled-in-bond product, PCS Distilling kept things simple. They opted to take some of their best barrels, sourced from Indiana and matured in a bonded warehouse, and blend them together after seven years of aging.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Is there a Milky Way in my glass? The aroma of chocolate, caramel, and nougat greets the nose at first, with some accenting notes of brown sugar and robust oak rounding things out.
Palate: Brown sugar and milk chocolate splash across the tip of the tongue for a highly sweet introduction to this bourbon. The milk chocolate persists at midpalate as the rich texture of this bourbon brings touches of mocha, sweet oak, and cherry leather.
Finish: The lengthy finish reiterates all of the aforementioned flavor notes, which continue to blossom, showcasing their impressive richness minutes after your final sip.
Bottom Line:
This bourbon remains consistent from the nose to the palate, delivering a milk chocolate candy bar in a glass. While PCS Distilling has developed a strong reputation for its finished iterations, this by-the-books bottled-in-bond offering shows exactly why they’ve been so successful: they’ve figured out how to select some delicious, high-quality straight whiskey to be the backbone of everything they do.
New York has no shortage of promising distilleries right now, and Finger Lakes Distilling, located upstate, is certainly among them. Featuring a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% hard red winter wheat, and 10% malted barley and aged for a full four years under the Bottled in Bond standards, McKenzie Bourbon is proof positive that the north New York region may soon be known for its whiskey as much as its wine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Caramel-coated melon kicks things off, an unexpected duo that prepares your senses for the journey you’re about to take. From that auspicious start, you’ll also find milk chocolate, marshmallow fluff, lemon zest, and dried cranberries hanging in the air above the glass.
Palate: Again, milk chocolate holds significant space on the palate, and it’s joined by more red berries – this time more akin to semi-sweet raspberries – while lemon tartness and savory pecan flavors soon follow.
Finish: The medium-bodied texture allows plenty of runway for a surprisingly lengthy finish that crescendos with mellow baking spices and gently undulates away, leaving custard and almond extract in its wake.
Bottom Line:
This wheated bourbon is flat-out amazing, capable of besting better-known whiskeys in its subset in blind tastings, and even more impressive than Finger Lake Distilling’s award-winning rye. McKenzie Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a surprisingly well-rounded whiskey that utilizes an atypical grain recipe and subjects it to the Bottled in Bond standards to satisfying results.
Newtown, Indiana, is home to Old 55 Distillery, which is deploying proprietary enzymes and producing both a wheated bourbon as well as some truly magnificent, albeit extremely limited, 100% sweet corn bourbon. Cask strength is where their sweet corn bourbon shines brightest, as it showcases all of that unsprayed, organic sweet corn in all its glory.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s an earthy aroma reminiscent of tree bark that is quickly supplanted by gobs of sumptuously sweet corn pudding, melon, white peach, and overripe apricot.
Palate: On the palate, the viscousness of the liquid is immediately remarkable, which lays the foundation for corn pudding, blackberries, vanilla ice cream, and cinnamon bark to coat your tongue in nearly equal measure.
Finish: On the finish, you’ll find the kick of cinnamon bark, cola nut, and jammy blackberry sweetness kissing you goodbye after every sip.
Bottom Line:
Producing 100% sweet corn bourbon is not only more labor-intensive but it’s also costly — which goes to explain the high sticker price for Old 55 100% Sweet Corn Bourbon, but the results are so damn worth it. Not only is this one of the more unique bourbons on the market from a production standpoint, but it also demonstrates the potential of bourbon as a category when the cost is thrown to the wind and talented distillers focus on one straightforward goal: flavor.
Penelope’s recently launched Estate Collection took a ton of people by surprise in 2024. The lineup currently features an 11-year-old wheat whiskey, a ten-year age-stated single-barrel series, and this 9-year-old straight bourbon blend, all of which come directly from the premium stock of Penelope’s parent company, Ross & Squibb/MGP in Indiana.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This gives me serious Cracker Jack vibes, as the aroma of caramel corn and peanuts joins an intriguing Luden’s cherry cough drop note and a bit of cotton candy for an enticing blend that’s taking me to the ball game. Allspice emerges, and the oak becomes more prominent the longer you allow this to sit in the glass.
Palate: The tame nosing notes prove to be the perfect primer for the demure but decadent flavors found on the palate. This is incredibly rich bourbon with Manuka honey, Tahitian vanilla, bits of bright red cherries, and nougat flavors gently detonating at midpalate. The proof is as restrained as the nose suggested, making this one a pleasure to mine for more flavor as it meets you halfway.
Finish: The finish is on the shorter end of being medium-length, but it so gently recedes from your palate that you’ll go searching for more flavors to unlock long after your final sip. What a treat.
Bottom Line:
The keyword when it comes to Penelope’s Private Select Estate Collection Bourbon is finesse. Never is this whiskey heavy-handed or anxious to show how elegant it is, but rather, it slowly unfurls to reveal a depth of incredibly impressive flavor that you’ll want to appreciate at length. Taking your time with each sip of this outstanding whiskey is well worth it, and you’ll surely love how well it performs for less than $100.
Starlight’s Mizunara Finished Bourbon begins with straight bourbon barrels that were initially set to go into their premium “Family Reserve” lineup that was subsequently finished in rare Mizunara oak casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: After nosing this one blind, there were notes of nutmeg, hazelnut, faint mocha, and oak spice that came wafting out of the glass. Candied ginger and orange pith also come through with a gentle cinnamon dusting.
Palate: On the palate, there are plenty of bright cherry notes that go with some cedar, cinnamon, and buttercream that sadly fades a bit quickly.
Finish: The finish is marked by the oak spice and bright cherry notes, but the quick dissipation of vanilla and buttercream makes it seem shorter than it should be. Bottom Line:
Starlight’s excellence in the realm of finishing bourbon is again on full display here as they employ rare Mizunara oak to elevate their already outstanding base liquid. While several more experimental finished whiskies are coming out of the Borden, Indiana, distillery, this is certainly chief among them.
While many people are rightfully watching Ross & Squibb/MGP as Indiana’s volume leader in whiskey sales, this scrappy craft distillery is upending plenty of bigger names in the industry with stellar, award-winning releases like this one.
Widow Jane’s brand-new Black Opal expression is the new pinnacle of the Red Hook, New York distillery’s range. By painstakingly marrying bourbons that were aged for at least 20 years (some of those barrels likely coming from parent company Heaven Hill), Head Blender Sienna Jevremov came up with the final blend, which was then subjected to further maturation in expensive Mizunara oak casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of Tahitian Vanilla, Frankincense smoke, dried apricot, and rose hip stand out from the brand’s nosing notes, but I’d add toasted coconut, the burnt sugar of crème brulée, and dense oak tones to that medley.
Palate: Again, the brand notes are spot on with walnut, black strap molasses, crème brulée, and poached plum flavors combined with fainter flavors like sage and brown butter. There’s a creamy nuttiness along with sweet oak providing a base layer for those more far-flung flavors to blossom, and the texture is smooth and viscous, coating the palate and clinging to the back of the teeth.
Finish: The honey introduces some honey and chocolate ganache as well as some cooked apple notes for a medium-length send-off that will leave you marveling at the proof point as the flavors maintain great structure down to the last drop along with ample richness that you’ll want to savor long after every sip.
Bottom Line:
With only 5,000 bottles available worldwide, this rare expression will sell out quickly. It’s worth finding before it’s all gone, as it features exceptionally aged bourbon blended by one of the industry’s most underrated teams, utilizing well-vetted stock. Unlike some hyper-aged expressions, which are slapped together with whatever barrels a brand can scrounge up, Widow Jane has been fielding some of the best-sourced bourbons since its inception. With their highest age-stated release ever, they’ve also made their biggest splash, producing their best whiskey yet.
Launched late last year, the latest edition of Remus Gatsby Reserve Bourbon is a 15-year-old expression from the Ross & Squibb Distillery, previously known exclusively as MGP in Indiana. This premium expression blends two mash bills: 75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley; and 60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley. The final result is one delicious bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is really lively on this whiskey, despite its age, and full of orange peels, cocktail cherries, cheesecake, and leather. The oak presence is really sweet, and after a few swirls in the glass, this one also picks up other notes like date syrup, vanilla frosting, and toasted coconuts.
Palate: On the palate, the whiskey is leaner than the decadent aroma profile seemed to indicate, but the flavors are definitely there in full force. The cherries and leather hit the palate at first, with mature oak and vanilla extract softening those sweet notes as a bit of cola nut, burnt pie crust, and tobacco leaves add additional balance and nuance.
Finish: The medium-length finish on this whiskey defies expectations yet again, ending a bit stronger than it started with a final layer of cherry-topped cheesecake, orange pith, and dense oak tones closing things out.
Bottom Line:
If this whiskey gets a bad rap, it’s only because overzealous bourbon enthusiasts have a tendency to pine for more proof, even when it isn’t actually the best idea on the table. Let’s put the ‘more proof = more flavor’ debate to bed, especially on the heels of this rich bourbon’s recent well-deserved Double Gold Medal win. It’s just more proof that Indiana’s biggest bourbon-producing outfit deserves praise on the biggest stage.
Kings County is New York City’s oldest distillery, and all that experience is brought to full bear with their Barrel Strength Bourbon. For their premier, undiluted offering, the brand uses some of their oldest barrels, which are aged between 4 and 7 years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Green grape skin and brown sugar are striking at first, but wait…there’s more. Enter the custard with lemon zest, black pepper, nutmeg, Brazil nuts, and honey to add to the depth.
Palate: The flavor of corn pudding, honey, and golden raisins splash across the palate, adding surprising levity to the dense and dark liquid in the glass. It coats your palate at once and beckons the back of your tastebuds to explore more as each sip slowly dissipates.
Finish: The finish is incredibly long-lasting, and it’s there that you’ll find more baking spices and barrel char to corral those sweeter top notes.
Bottom Line:
It’s well-known by now that Kings County produces bourbon that can punch above its weight on the national scene. If more people were to try the best of their bourbon — and these barrel-strength releases are definitely the best of their bourbon — next to some of Indiana and Kentucky’s heavyweights, it would be more well-known that Kings County can hold its own on any stage, and at any price point.
Hopefully, its placement on this list and a shiny new medal from the San Francisco World Spirits Competition make it clear that this New York bourbon is on a championship level.
If exploring Southeast Asia has always been on your list, Singapore should be at the top. The country is known for its phenomenal food and street culinary adventures, but you can also discover unique history and architecture along the way, and even a booming nightlife.
If you’re visiting Singapore for the first time and don’t know where to start, here are a few of our suggestions to make the most out of your time in the city.
Southeast Asia is an area I have always wanted to explore, but being a little worried about language barriers, I decided to do a cruise solo through Holland America, starting in Hong Kong, and sailing through the Philippines, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, and ending in Singapore.
When I realized the cruise did not include a lot to do in Singapore, with just a few sightseeing options on the way to the airport, I decided to extend my stay for a couple days. It’s a far flight from New York, and I wanted to really make it worthwhile and see what Singapore has to offer.
Photo by Jessica Kelly
PART I — Where To Stay
Pan Pacific Orchard
Photo by Jessica Kelly
There are so many hotels in Singapore, the amount of choices can honestly be overwhelming. Of course you can take into account where you want to stay based on things you want to accomplish during your time in the city, but since the spots I wanted to hit were scattered, I prioritized the amenities like a beautiful pool with a view.
This was definitely something important to me, especially for a city where its “cold season” is generally still in the 90s. The Pan Pacific Orchard offers another level of luxury, especially in the room I chose, which was the Beach Club Loft.
The two story suite had a sprawling, comfortable bed, a rainfall shower, a second floor loft with a seating area to relax in, floor to ceiling windows to let in natural light during the day, and private access to the pool whenever you needed to cool off. The hotel even offers a package that you can purchase to give you some extra amenities like daily laundry service, breakfast, afternoon tea, and more. If you know me, you know I love a good pool, so that private access to the pool right out of my room was enough for me to recommend this hotel, let alone the other extraordinary amenities offered. I was blown away!
Amenities:
Direct access to the swimming pool
Loft-style mezzanine with a sofa couch
Pillow menu with hypoallergenic options
400-thread count cotton linen
Floor-to-ceiling windows
Energy efficient air-conditioning with intelligent technology
Bedside control for lightings
IT Concierge
Turndown service upon request
Room Rate: Rooms start around $250 (the loft I mentioned starts around $575 and is worth the splurge)
If you’re looking to indulge in some delicious Mediterranean cuisine, the restaurant inside the Pan Pacific Orchard offers fresh, creative dishes. They focus on ceviche among other light, fresh dishes like hokkaido scallop carpaccio with a light citrus dressing, grapefruit, and macadamia nuts.
I highly recommend the tender black cod with green peas, salsa verde, and asparagus, or perfectly cooked beef tenderloin.
With over 100 hawker centers, not to mention various food courts and delicious restaurants, it’s extremely difficult to choose where to eat in Singapore. I highly recommend, if you’re feeling overwhelmed, signing up for a food tour. They have a wide variety of tours based on different neighborhoods, night markets, street food, Michelin star restaurants, and anything else you’re interested in.
While exploring with Monster Day Tours, our group was able to try a variety of dishes, in addition to checking out the city. We stopped to see the light show at the Marina Hotel and went to a few different hawker centers to try some traditional dishes, and local specialties like century eggs (only if you want to). Our tour guide, Darius, was engaging and handled all of the food sampling, so we could sit and relax.
There’s a lot of foods that you should try while you’re in Singapore, and chicken and rice is definitely one of them. Now before you stick your nose up at this like I did, yes I am aware it sounds incredibly simple, but it’s a dish that they’re known for. The chicken is poached and the fat and juices run all throughout the rice. It was served hot with a flavorful sauce and quite delicious. Side note, a way of saving a table at the hawker centers is just by putting a pack of tissues on the table. There aren’t any napkins readily available, so people bring their own tissues with them as napkins, and will set them on an entire table to save it.
Jane’s Tours is a great way to dive into different neighborhoods throughout Singapore. I met with my guide, Elaine, for a 2-hour neighborhood tour called the Tiong Bahru Art Deco Treasures Walking Tour. We walked around the Tiong Bahru to check out some of the pre-and postwar architecture, the residential neighborhoods, local shops, and restaurants, and ended at a hawker center to try some local food. Be sure to stop at Cat Socrates for jewelry, art, home goods, and more, in addition to Yeni Draws for her beautiful art. After my tour of the Tiong Bahru area, I took an Uber to Joi Chiat (a tour of Joo Chiat & The Peranakans: Pastel Shophouses & Rainbow Tiles is also available).
Explore the Joo Chiat neighborhood
Joo Chiat is covered in murals with blocks of local boutique shops, restaurants, and cafés. The Peranakan Houses along Koon Seng Road are the ideal pastel backdrop for photos. Check out the merchant market on the weekends in the neighborhood after grabbing a latte and a chocolate mochi donut from Kōhī Roastery & Coffee Bar (283 Joo Chiat Rd, Singapore 427535). Explore the shops like Crane Living (Joo Chiat) for home goods and decor, or A Vintage Tale to find hidden gems to spice up your wardrobe.
With so many tours available, it can be difficult to choose between a wide variety of highly rated companies. KF Seetoh at Makansutra focuses on sightseeing and squeezing the most out of seeing the hawker centers and markets throughout Singapore. If you’re a foodie, his tours are phenomenal and he’s considered a street food expert.
If you’re interested in food and street art, Singapore has plenty of both. The Everyday Tour Company is ideal for showing around some of the best neighborhoods to try local cuisine and see street murals that might’ve remained unseen if you didn’t know where to look. We started at the Little India Tekka Market to try a variety of tropical fruits, including jackfruit. We tasted Briyani with masala fish, Appam with local sugar and coconut milk, Masala Dosa, and Indian sweets. We stopped to taste Bwa kwa (aka Singapore ‘jerky’) heading to the Chinatown complex to eat steamed rice cakes, carrot cake, sugarcane juice, and so much more, ending at a café for a cup of coffee and a slice of Singapore Chiffon Pandan Cake.
Exploring in and around the waterfront in Singapore is definitely a must while in the city. Snap some pictures of Merlion by Lim Nang Seng at the waterfront. Don’t forget to grab a sweet treat from the local hawker center before watching across the way to the Marina Bay Sands Singapore for their famous light show.
Very well-known in Singapore is the Gardens by the Bay, more specifically the supertrees. Visitors can see other areas like the flower fantasy section, the observatory, and the skyway for an additional price, but seeing the supertree grove is actually free if you’re just looking to come for the light show and watch from the ground. The shows are at 7:45pm and 8.45pm daily (check their website or call for up-to-date information, as this can potentially change) and they’re often changing the theme of the show. Tickets for sale for other areas like flower fantasy (generally $20), the observatory ($14), the skyway ($14).
On the way to exploring Chinatown, stop into this local bookstore. Grassroots is great for picking up books, postcards, local art, pins, and more. From there, walk about 10 minutes to get to Chinatown and search for some of Yip Yew Chong’s murals while shopping for souvenirs and snacks.
PART IV — Clubs and Nightlife
Photo by Jessica Kelly
Mama Diam
Mama Diam is a fun one! It’s a local speakeasy and when you walk inside, it immediately looks like a corner bodega. Open up the magazine wall, and you’ll be escorted into a bar full of energy and creative cocktails. Their food is incredible, as well, so if you’re looking for bar snacks you can order the chili soft shell crab bao buns or the corn ribs to have with your Nasi Lemak cocktail with sake, cucumber, coconut, and pandan or the OG Kopi with whisky, banana, and cold brew.
ATLAS
If you’re looking for a 1920s atmosphere with occasional live performances and delicious cocktails, Atlas is the ideal spot. This is definitely a martini type bar, with an upscale vibe where you can soak up your surroundings.
Lou Shang 楼上
Within the same area as Mama Diam is Lou Shang, a cocktail bar and cafe for when you need to relax with a drink or need a caffeinated beverage for a little pick me up. This is a great spot to enjoy some homemade noodles like their linguine with pig trotters, chestnuts, bok choy, and mushrooms or squid ink spaghetti with prawns, veggies, quail eggs, and squid. Grab a cocktail like the Evergreen with mint liquor, wheatgrass water, whiskey, green apple cordial, and singha soda.
Zouk
Zouk is known in Singapore as being a lively nightclub in the city that has been open since the early 90s. This is the place to go when you want to dance and listen to music, get dressed up, and throw back some drinks. Located within the Clarke Quay district, Zouk is a fun night out.
Joey Badass has found himself embroiled in an East Coast vs. West Coast brouhaha (which, to be fair, he asked for), so it’s the perfect timing for the Brooklyn rapper to take the Sound Check challenge with Uproxx’s own Jeremy Hecht. With this episode just ahead of his Red Bull Spiral freestyle, there was no way of knowing just how hectic things would be getting, but it’s surprisingly on-theme for this week, and there’s no better time to drop this one than now, with everyone buzzing about Joey vs. Ray Vaughn, Daylyt, and seemingly all of Los Angeles.
Here’s how it works: Jeremy plays two songs for the guest artist, who has to choose one and explain their choice, giving Jeremy a chance to learn their musical taste. Jeremy then has to guess the artist’s life anthem, the song they’d take to a desert island, which the guest wrote down earlier on a piece of paper. Our production team has also given him a decoy song, and Jeremy has to guess which is correct based on what he’s learned in the previous rounds.
This time around, Joey not only has to choose (naturally) between picks from The Notorious B.I.G. and Tupac Shakur, but also between New York rap legends Jay-Z and Nas (also apropos, considering rap battles are the topic du jour), and between a pair of his own songs from different points in his artistic evolution.
The Yellowstone saga remains Taylor Sheridan’s biggest claim to TV fame, but his audience also knows not to sleep on his crime dramas. From Sicario to Mayor of Kingstown and Tulsa King, Sheridan has kept that fire steadily burning, and now, “possibly the most prolific writer of our time” (as Neil McDonough recently described Sheridan to Collider) will head back to movie theaters with a crime drama commissioned long ago by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Let’s grind through what we can expect from F.A.S.T.., a film that holds a few 1923 connections including the lead actor.
Plot
F.A.S.T will hail from a script written by Sheridan, and according to Variety, the story involves “a former special forces commando who is tapped by drug enforcement officials to lead a black op strike team against CIA-protected drug dealers.” Yup, Sicario and Special Ops: Lioness fans are gonna love this.
This long-awaited film commitment goes way back, even before Sheridan first struck an overall deal with Paramount (which first began in 2018). Since that time, Sheridan has brought more than ten original series to the small screen. That’s already not a small feat, but most of those shows have been running for multiple seasons, and yeah, he’s obviously one of the busiest producers and writers of Hollywood, so it’s a small cinematic miracle that Sheridan will now circle back to this movie.
With that said, Sheridan is not directing the film, which will be helmed by Ben Richardson, who directed many 1923 episodes along with scattered Tulsa King, Mayor of Kingstown, 1883, and Yellowstone episodes. The director’s chair will not contain the only link to 1923, however…
Cast
Paramount Plus
Brandon Sklenar, who recently concluded his 1923 run as Spencer Dutton, will star in F.A.S.T.. At present, he’s the only confirmed cast member, but this is welcome news (not only for Sheridan devotees but also for the actor) because Sklenar has been campaigning hard to reunite with Sheridan for Paramount Plus’ upcoming 1944 series. Of course, that wish doesn’t seem possible for a WWII-set story unless Spencer arrives in ghost form. Alternately, Sklenar suggested that Spencer could appear aged up with “some gout, a little hunch and some salt and pepper.” Oh really?
That oddness hasn’t been entirely ruled out from happening, but for the moment, Sklenar must be thrilled to be headlining another Sheridan title with F.A.S.T. Elsewhere, his career is doing more than fine due to appearing with Sydney Sweeney in The Housemaid adaptation coming later this year.
Also, nobody has ruled out Sheridan appearing in F.A.S.T. while shirtless because the dude loves to write himself a role for that purpose. He’s already flexed that way in Special Ops: Lioness and the final Yellowstone season, so bare-chested Sheridan is practically tradition now.
Some might even call that status obligatory.
Release Date
F.A.S.T. will land in theaters on April 23, 2027.
Trailer
Since it will be awhile before a trailer surfaces, it’s worth watching Sklenar rave about how much he already misses 1923. He won’t have to wait long before reuniting with Taylor Sheridan.
Yaya Bey‘s album, Do It Afraid, is now less than a month from release, and to celebrate that milestone, the singer shared the music video for its third single, “Raisins.” The new song was preceded by “Merlot And Grigio” in March, and “Dream Girl,” which accompanied the album announcement in April.
The video for “Raisins” is a blend of Black cultural traditions, from styling hair to line dancing at family reunions. Scenes of Yaya getting her hair curled and brushing a male companion’s hair are intercut with home video-like sequences of the family enjoying each other’s company in the front yard and relaxing on the porch. Each of the family members answers a question posed by the song: “Have you given up on that dream?”
As Yaya explains in a press release, “It’s hard to sum up ‘Raisins’ in a small blurb, but it’s the pursuit of love, joy and freedom with the full knowing that there will also be pain. It’s a surrender. It’s me giving myself permission to dream. It might not happen. But maybe the real joy is not in the materialization, but in the dreaming itself. The name is inspired by a Langston Hughes poem called Harlem where he says ‘What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?’”
Watch Yaya Bey’s “Raisins” video above.
Do It Afraid is out 6/20 via Drink Sum Wtr. Find more information here.
Yaya Bey’s 2025 Tour Dates
06/07 — New York, NY @ Governor’s Ball Festival
09/10 — Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
09/11 — Boston, MA @ Brighton Music Hall
09/12 — Brooklyn, NY @ 99 Scott
09/13 — Washington, DC @ Union Stage
09/16 — Atlanta, GA @ Aisle 5
09/18 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
09/19 — Urbana, IL @ PYGMALION
09/23 — Seattle, WA @ Neumos
09/24 — Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
09/26 — San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
09/27 — Los Angeles, CA @ Lodge Room
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