Month: November 2020

Stacey Abrams was one of the 2020 election’s big heroes, having been a major force in getting out the vote in Georgia — and, recount be damned, flipping the state blue. She then showed that she had range: She confidently weighed in on the raging Buffy the Vampire Slayer debate that had taken over parts of Twitter, in which fans of the deathless teen/young adult supernatural WB/UPN fave asked who was the better love vampiric boyfriend: Spike or Angel. But now it seems there’s a clear winner — and the answer wasn’t provided by Abrams.

It all started on Monday, the day after the presidential race was called for Joe Biden. One of the many people taking part in the debate summoned the former gubernatorial candidate, asking her to talk Buffy.

And talk Buffy Abrams did. “To be fair, Angel was the right boyfriend for Buffy coming into her power,” Abrams tweeted, but adding, “Spike was the right man to be with as she became the power.”

It’s a thoughtful and reasoned answer, from a thoughtful and reasonable person. But a couple days later, she was trumped by one of the show’s main supporting players.

As caught by Entertainment Weekly, Alyson Hannigan — aka Willow, the bookish friend who evolved into one of television’s first major and also entirely sympathetic out characters — had a fantastic answer: “Actually Buffy should have dated Willow.”

It’s not as thoughtful as Abrams’ answer, but brevity is the soul of wit. And it’s a great mic drop. Let’s see if anyone else — maybe Sarah Michelle Gellar herself, or maybe even Anthony Head — can come up with a better one.

(Via EW)

On Tuesday, the Xbox Series X arrived to the masses that pre-ordered Microsoft’s next-generation console and immediately gamers went to work trying to test out the power of the newest console.

For most, that meant diving into games that have been updated and optimized for next-gen systems, and the Series X delivers quite the gaming experience as our Ryan Nagelhout detailed in his review of the system. However, as is always the case, others decided to find out all manner of other things the Series X can do — and how to go viral with videos or pictures of making the system look like it’s on fire. As one account on Twitter showed, you can make it look like your Series X is smoking by blowing vape smoke into one side and the fans will blow it out the top and make it appear as if it is the system that’s on fire.

The video above was debunking photos people took trying to show the Series X overheating and smoking, but this was apparently a popular enough thing to lead the people at Xbox to issue a brief statement that you should not blow vape smoke into your console.

Even the social media folks at Xbox can’t believe they have to issue such a statement, but then again, we probably shouldn’t be surprised. On Thursday, we’ll get to see the PS5 in the hands of gamers and we’ll see what ridiculous things they try to do with it that makes Sony issue a statement on Twitter.

On Wednesday, troubling reports started to emerge out of Houston, as both Russell Westbrook and James Harden have apparently “expressed concern” about the direction of the franchise in the wake of their second-round playoff exit in Orlando and the resulting fallout that has seen both Mike D’Antoni and Daryl Morey leave the organization for new opportunities.

Naturally, the upheaval has their star duo wondering about whether the team still has the vision to capitalize on a championship window that could be closing faster than they think. Apparently, there wasn’t any lingering doubt about that on Westbrook’s part, as the former MVP has requested a trade, according to reports.

Soon after, additional information about the dynamics inside the locker room started to come to light as well, painting a stark portrait of discord among their ranks regarding poorly-defined roles and a pervasive lack of accountability, a culture which players have described as “problematic.” This applies to both current and former Rockets players and apparently has been going on for years.

According to the latest report from Kelly Iko, Sam Amick, and Shams Charania of The Athletic, Eric Gordon and P.J. Tucker have grown increasingly disillusioned with the way their roles have diminished the past couple of seasons, and those are just two examples of the way morale has evaporated.

Austin Rivers, who recently stated on “The Ringer NBA Show” that he would be declining his player option for 2020-21, also experienced a frustrating season. At times, Rivers was unhappy with his inconsistent playing time and utilization, sources said. In one instance, Rivers went on an expletive-laden tirade following a game where D’Antoni called for him to be substituted, only to change his mind and insert new signing DeMarre Carroll. In another instance, Rivers was barked at by Harden after the former MVP missed a free throw and blamed Rivers — who was standing up by the bench — for distracting him.

***

House was another player who wasn’t pleased with his usage and involvement in the offense and has verbally challenged D’Antoni, Harden, and Westbrook this season, sources said. His January outburst in a road win against the Hawks was the first instance where House publicly lost his cool in that manner but this wasn’t an isolated incident, sources said.

If these reports are accurate, in-fighting and widespread dysfunction appear to be at least partial culprits in the Rockets’ ongoing inability to reach their goal of winning an NBA championship and the source of their current unraveling. The front office, led by new general manager Rafael Stone, face a conundrum on how to move forward, which will in part depend on what they’re able to secure in a Westbrook trade. The landscape in Houston has already shifted drastically, and bigger changes could be on the horizon in the coming weeks as free agency approaches.

(The Athletic)

In another display of his wide-ranging artistry, Sturgill Simpson delivered his latest album, Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions in mid-October. The project saw the singer tap into the bluegrass world by flipping some of his past material for the new album. Simpson continued his promotion of the release by bringing his talents to The Late Show With Stephen Colbert to perform “Breakers Roar” on the show. The track originally appeared on his 2016 Grammy award-winning album, A Sailor’s Guide To Earth, and he shared the performance from Nashville’s legendary Station Inn venue with support from a full-fledged bluegrass band.

In addition to performing the song, Simpson also sat down with Colbert to talk about his relationship with the late John Prine, who partly owned The Butcher Shoppe recording studio and tragically died in April from coronavirus complications. He revealed in the discussion that he was using the studio for A Sailor’s Guide To Earth when he met Prine.

“We’d finished the record and I was in there mixing it one day, and I was pretty in the zone… and when I turned around, John was sitting in a chair in these plaid pants,” he said. “I kind of freaked out, you know when you come face to face with your hero. And he was like, ‘that was pretty good, do you want to go get some meatloaf?’ And any time I’d come to town, we’d go grab lunch.” Simpson also added that he became the owner of Prine’s 2008 Porsche 911 Turbo after he died and said “it’ll be something I treasure for the rest of my life.”

You can watch Simpson’s performance in the video above.

Cuttin’ Grass Vol. 1: The Butcher Shoppe Sessions is out 10/16 via High Top Mountain/Warner. Get it here.

Sturgill Simpson is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

As you’re probably aware by now, Timothy Olyphant appeared in The Mandalorian‘s recent Chapter 9 episode (fittingly titled as “The Marshal”). In doing so, he nearly overshadowed a huge nerd development: the surprise resurrection of Boba Fett. A lot has happened in our world since that episode aired, but there’s never a bad time to circle back to Olyphant’s many onscreen rodeos as a lawman. He’s certainly doing nothing to deter his reputation as a charismatic wearer of badges, given that the new Fargo season sees him doing his swaggery routine as well.

Olyphant is undeniably attracted to these roles, even though his career actually boasts a decent amount of variety. Back in the day, he danced on the other side of the law in Go; he did the romantic-lead thing in Catch and Release; and he menacingly cackled while stoking murder-vibes in A Perfect Getaway. He was also fan-freaking-tastic as a husband who adores his zombie wife in Netflix’s Santa Clarita Diet. Still, he can’t stop gripping that gun in the holster while strutting through America and the galaxy at large.

So, it’s time to revisit Olyphant’s Top Five lawman joints; these aren’t only ones, but they’re the best. For an example of a not-so-great entry, one need only go back to the unremarkable, Jerry Bruckheimer-produced Gone in Sixty Seconds (2000). This was a rare occasion where he played a completely generic cop. Granted, the character wasn’t drawn well, but Olyphant has trashed his own “mediocre” performance in the film. He was disappointed in his lack of effort, and we can at least thank that Nic Cage movie for doing one thing: inspiring Olyphant to do better (I reckon he did).

5. The Crazies (2010)

This horror remake accomplished much more, thematically, than the original George Romero flick. Yet given its heavy-genre leanings, it didn’t attract a huge audience, although critics mostly dug it. This also isn’t technically a zombie film, though a lot of the motifs that run through those movies remain the same. There’s a biohazard afoot that transforms people into irrational and nearly unstoppable killers, and Olyphant’s sheriff finds himself navigating the early stages of the outbreak while sh*t gets real with the military as martial law descends. Granted, it’s a scary watch, but it bypasses the usual horror tropes and manages to be somewhat cerebral. And of course, there’s a leading turn by a guy who’d go on to star in a comedic zombie series on Netflix.

Olyphant’s convincing as a small-town cop, and the project arrived at an interesting point in his career: a few years after Deadwood ended as an HBO TV series but right before Justified launched on FX. I certainly would advise anyone who’s an Olyphant-lawman completist to put this film on their list, but it’s not as wonderful as his other badge-filled turns for a few reasons: (1) This is not the typical Olyphant lawman who’s confidently equipped to deal with every situation, so he’s not as satisfying to witness if you’re looking for his usual mythical bent; (2) Olyphant does not wear a hat here, and I’m not sorry to say that, yes, that matters!

4. Fargo (2020)

This is where things get tricky, fast, because it feels somewhat criminal to rank five wonderful Olyphant performances that are all worthy of appreciation. How lucky are we, really, to have this guy embracing various incarnations of the way that he knows people love to see him most? He’s a charming rascal, and he knows it. Let’s be honest, I’d even watch him don sheriff-y attire and simply make oatmeal in a slow cooker (something that he actually does in real life, probably in plainclothes) for a full season. An Olyphant foodie hour, as long he wears a hat, would be my pandemic-viewing jam, so there’s a nice idea for HBO Max’s World of Calm Season 2. With that said, Olyphant’s Fargo appearance doesn’t reel me in quite as much as I hoped that it would.

Don’t get me wrong. I love where Deafy got his nickname and the whole kicking-in-the-door move and even the endearing carrot-stick offering, but this recurring role doesn’t allow the Olyphant quality to shine. He’s part of an ensemble of stellar actors playing kooky roles with weird-ass names, and against that jumbled backdrop, his Stetson-wearing presence doesn’t resonate with its usual gravity. To me, Fargo Season 4 is where the understated performances — like that of Chris Rock as a crime boss — are the ones that stand out. Having Olyphant around is a fine bonus, of course.

3. The Mandalorian (2020)

Now we’re cooking. What an absolute treat “The Marshal” episode turned out to be on Disney+. Will we see Cobb Vanth again? There’s no telling, and I never anticipated seeing Olyphant doing a Star Wars gig, but here he is, nerding out and looking cool at the same time. Not even that restrictive armor could keep his personality and sardonic wit from shining through. Furthermore, it’s the second half of a one-two punch on the Olyphantastic front (in 2020) for those who love to see this guy in his trademark mode. And he did so in a role that tweaked Star Wars canon and helped to put Boba Fett back in the equation. Who would have thought that was possible? Furthermore, Jon Favreau knew who to call when he needed a marshal-type.

Sure, Cobb (as portrayed by Olyphant) is a bit of a cocky a-hole by Star Wars standards, but boy, is he likeable. And it was a blast to watch him do his part while defeating a Krayt Dragon in a truly thrilling action scene that felt Dune-esque (for the Sarlaac-turned-sandworm factor). For a moment, I even forgot all about Pedro Pascal over there, underneath his Mando armor. It’s a good thing that Cobb’s probably out of the occasion now, so they don’t have to rename The Mandalorian as The Space Raylan Show.

2. Deadwood (2004-2016 and 2019)

C*cksuckers, unite for this one. David Milch’s masterfully profane HBO western still holds up, throughout the three TV seasons (that managed to include a fine episode about… kidney stones? yes) and one reunion movie full of Shakespearean dialogue and catching up with beloved figures. It’s a testament to Olyphant’s own indispensable performance (and his confidence in the role) that he was sure glad that he wasn’t the “a-hole” to turn down a return to the magic. So, we got a revisiting of the breakout part that make him well-known for wearing a hat on the wild frontier.

From the first-season episode of Seth Bullock falling to his knees while witnessing the death of Wild Bill Hickok to Bullock’s balance of contempt-respect for his frenemy, Al Swearengen, Olyphant excelled at the upholding of honor and the settling of scores. The particular gathering of ensemble personalities here, as well, did not distract from Bullock as the central beacon of the show. As Deadwood’s appointed sheriff (who thought he’d left those days behind), Bullock frequently seethed with thinly-cloaked rage after picking up the badge again. That’s quite unlike Olyphant, who almost seems addicted to law enforcement roles, and even in 2020, he’s sure enjoying taking those rides.

1. Justified (2010-2015, Eternity)

Raylan Givens: the role that Timothy Olyphant was born to play. Elmore Leonard, who created the character, raved about how the show’s spin on his stories (and the leading man) blew him away. That Stetson hat, too, got tweaked as an Olyphant entry, upgraded from a “Dallas Businessman’s Special” in Leonard’s prose. And the headgear of the TV show turned out to be instrumental: you could always tell when Raylan went undercover because he’d go hatless. It was funny and fitting and fed into the mythical character who left a corrupt dentist (from the “Long In The Tooth” bottle-ish episode) gasping to see his hero-nemesis coming to arrest him.

Olyphant infused Raylan with all the swagger that was fit to bloody the nose of Appalachia. It’s telling, too, how Raylan’s extralegal ways (and fried-chicken-temptation antics) managed to age well, even in a time when many are circling back to point fingers at cop shows. Yet Raylan never wielded his power against anyone who didn’t have it coming. Basically, he took down Nazis and those who refused to pick on people their own size. And even though he felt compelled to honor his dynamic with Boyd Crowder by paying the guy an in-person visit in the series finale, Raylan’s moral code never strayed from what was inherently good. Don’t tell him that, though. Like Olyphant, Raylan’s chaos-filled manner of self-deprecation remains the stuff of legends.

Back in October, Cardi B unveiled the Club C Cardi shoe, a collaboration with Reebok that would go on sale on November 13. As a part of its rollout, she did a cover shoot for Footwear News, but the resulting image received a large amount of criticism after it appeared to emulate the Hindu culture, which many found disrespectful.

One person labeled it as “plain disrespect,” saying that the cover is “in no way cultural appreciation,” while another asked, “how do celebrities not understand that using other people’s culture to promote their brand is wrong on so many levels!?” In response to the backlash, Cardi apologized for offending people with the photoshoot.

“When I did the Reebok shoot, the creatives told me I was going to represent a Goddess; that she represents strength, femininity, and liberation, and that’s something I love and I’m all about,” she said. “And though it was dope, if people think I’m offending their culture or their religion I want to say I’m sorry. That was not my intent. I do not like disrespecting nobody’s religion. I wouldn’t like people to offend my religion.” She added, “I wasn’t trying to be disrespectful; maybe I should have done my research, I’m sorry, I can’t change the past, but I will do more research for the future.”

Footwear News also shared a statement on the issue with People. “Yesterday we posted content from our exclusive Cardi B cover shoot. One of the images was intended to pay homage to Hindu goddess Durga, and our intent was to show a powerful woman,” the magazine said. “However, we realize we were not considerate of certain cultural and religious perspectives and how this could be perceived as deeply offensive.” They added, “Today, we’re releasing another cover from the shoot that was a subscriber exclusive.”

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

In the early days of the pandemic, the majority of the sports-watching world had our eyes glued to ESPN each Sunday for a new installment of the cultural phenomenon that was The Last Dance. Not only did we get to relive the NBA’s golden age in the 1990s, we learned all sorts of new tidbits about the dynamics between some its central characters.

It confirmed many of our long-held assumptions about Michael Jordan’s tyrannical reign over the Bulls and deepened the mythology surrounding him as a myopic and maniacal competitor. And because of that competitive nature, it left no shortage of casualties along the way.

Perhaps his biggest beef — which we learned remains to this day — was with the Bad Boy Pistons and specifically Isiah Thomas, who Jordan famously ensured was left off of the 1992 Dream Team that took the world by storm in Barcelona. By his own admission, Jordan has never forgiven Thomas for leaving the court early and refusing to shake hands after the Bulls finally defeated them in the playoffs in 1991.

According to Thomas, he was surprised while watching the documentary to learn Jordan still harbored such hard feelings toward him.

.@IsiahThomas says he watched ‘The Last Dance’ with “great fascination and disappointment”

“It seems like it was only one person that had a problem [with me on the Dream Team], and that was Jordan. Until I watched ‘The Last Dance,’ I didn’t realize MJ felt that way about me.” pic.twitter.com/IDIFS09WcF

— Club Shay Shay (@ClubShayShay) November 11, 2020

Thomas, of course, also appeared in the 10-part series, and in the episode dedicated to their rivalry, he tried to downplay that infamous moment during the playoffs, which resulted in arguably the greatest viral moment of 2020 as we watched Jordan’s response to that scene and the endless memes that followed it.

Even if this beef remains primarily one-sided on Jordan’s part, it’s not likely to go away anytime soon, as His Airness is notorious for holding onto lifelong grudges. Still, it’s nice to see that it apparently doesn’t bother Thomas all that much.

Russell Westbrook wants out of Houston, putting to rest any notion that this condensed and bizarre NBA offseason in November would be quiet. The former MVP has apparently had enough of the Rockets after one season and wants to move on to a team that can afford him more of the starring role he was accustomed to in Oklahoma City, rather than what he was asked to do as a secondary ball-handler next to James Harden.

It wasn’t hard to see this as a possibility when the two stars paired back up last summer, and the Rockets postseason struggles shined a light on the problems they had coexisting even in a system that tried its best to give them the space to work. Trading Westbrook will be quite the challenge for new Rockets GM Rafael Stone, who has to both find a team that wants to bring Westbrook (and his contract) in and has the players and salaries to send back to make a trade work. Beyond that, Stone and new coach Stephen Silas will now have to determine what they want the identity of the team to be going forward.

That was always going to be a challenge for Stone and Silas, but the Westbrook request further pressures them to make a decision regarding their current small-ball roster. What they can get back for Westbrook is determined by his trade value, and that’s incredibly difficult to gauge. He’s still clearly an immense talent, but he’s 32 and is owed more than $131 million over the next three years. Houston won’t be able to demand a huge asking price — they might not even get close to what OKC fetched for Westbrook from Houston a year ago — but they’ll have to decide if they want to try and find another high-priced star to swap him for or simply seek salary cap relief and, hopefully, some contributors.

Here are three possible destinations for Westbrook, keeping in mind that unknown that is his actual value on the market.

New York Knicks

Knicks get: Russell Westbrook
Rockets get: Julius Randle, Elfrid Payton, and Taj Gibson

Let’s start with the team that everyone will tie to Russ because he said he wants to run the show and the Knicks are desperate to add a star, even if that star might be heading into the backend of his career while on a huge contract. New York gets a lead guard to take over ball-handling duties and, for all his faults, they’d finally have a bonafide star who would bring tremendous energy to the Garden. His fit next to R.J. Barrett probably isn’t ideal from a spacing standpoint, as Russ is a dreadful three-point shooter and Barrett was wildly inefficient himself as a rookie, but at this point, I think the Knicks are in talent acquisition mode and, while maybe not a perfect fit with the young pieces around him, it would be a starting point, particularly if they think they’re not likely to get someone better than Westbrook in free agency next year.

As for Houston, this is a deal that’s all about cleaning up their cap sheet for the future. Randle brings offensive punch but not necessarily in the manner that the Rockets typically are looking for, while Payton brings some defensive acumen on the perimeter. Gibson and Payton are both expirings, while Randle’s deal has just two years left, so there’s some very real cap flexibility this would afford the Rockets, and you know that would bring a smile to ownership’s face. Maybe the Rockets can swipe a second-rounder out of this as well to try and build up some kind of draft capital, but it’s hard to see Westbrook fetching a first-rounder at this moment.

Detroit Pistons

Pistons get: Russell Westbrook
Rockets get: Blake Griffin

I think Houston would try to get whatever paperwork is needed for this filed as fast as possible so Detroit couldn’t recant after further thought, but there’s a chance another star swap could be on the books for Houston. The plus here for the Rockets is obvious, as the potential of a Harden-Griffin pairing is pretty tremendous. For Detroit, they would have to effectively feel like the Griffin situation has run its course and they need to inject new energy into the team, and believe that, in a return to a lead ball-handling role, Westbrook can return to superstar form. That’s possible, and the Pistons really, really want to have a star player. Griffin hasn’t worked out thus far due to injuries and, as such, they might just be ready to move on. Griffin’s deal is $5 million per year less than Westbrook’s, so Houston saves a touch of money while taking a gamble on him being healthy and able to help them stay at a highly competitive level as a team in the West.

New Orleans Pelicans

Pelicans get: Russell Westbrook
Rockets get: Jrue Holiday, Darius Miller

I love the Jrue fit next to Harden, but I’ll be honest, I can’t imagine this being the best offer the Pelicans can get or it being the one that fits their timeline the way they’d like. That said, I am oddly intrigued by the idea of pairing Westbrook with Zion Williamson and, likely, Brandon Ingram coming back in free agency. Zion and Westbrook running the floor would be a joy, and it’d give Stan Van Gundy a lot of talent to deal with, even if making it all work would be a challenge to say the least.

The first two deals make more sense for where those teams are compared to just about anyone else in the league, and really what we have to wait to see is whether there’s a team that still think Russell Westbrook can be a central piece on a really good team, because as you’ll notice, none of my ideas include contenders. I just don’t see many teams with a point guard need and a fit that would work, unless the Clippers are ready to pull the plug on Paul George after one year and do something really wild by flipping the former teammates for one another. I’m not sure what the answer is here, and I don’t envy Rafael Stone’s job in trying to get the most possible value out of an unfortunate situation, but I am looking forward to seeing what happens and where Russ ends up.

If you’re new to scotch whisky, you’d be forgiven for not knowing that there are five (and by some counts six) distinct regions where it’s produced. They’re the isle of Islay, Campeltown, Speyside, Lowland, and Highland. The sixth region is the islands, but some of those distilleries get lumped in with the Highland region.

The Highland region, as might reasonably be expected, is mostly located in the northern portion of Scotland (with a small area removed for the whisky-rich region of Speyside). That’s where we turn our attention today. It includes well-known distilleries like Oban, Aberfeldy, Dalmore, Glenmorangie, and Tullibardine.

While you can’t go wrong with a whisky from any of the five scotch-producing regions, Highland malts are known for a diversity of flavors due to its wide range of topographic and geographic features.

“While I’m typically partial to the Speyside single malts, I do appreciate the diversity of flavor profiles from each region in Scotland,” says Anna Mains, brand ambassador to Monkey Shoulder. “The Highland whiskies are so interesting because their single malts have such a huge range of flavor notes.”

Thanks to its vastness, you can find highland single malts that are smoky, peaty, briny, sweet, or even floral in nature. It’s truly a unique area that’s ripe to be explored through your whiskey glass.

Since you’re not likely to travel to the Scottish Highlands anytime soon, we figured that the easiest way to enjoy this region was to grab a bottle or two from some well-known distilleries. To help us pick the right offerings, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us their go-to Highland malts.

Oban Distiller’s Edition

Juan Fernandez, bartender at The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina

Oban Distillers Edition. The Distiller’s Edition goes through a second maturation of Montilla Fino sherry casks which leads to a rich toffee, caramel, almost Werther’s Original taste on the palate, with a medium smoky finish.

It may not appeal to all, but it definitely does to me.

The Dalmore Cigar Malt

Bill Whitlow, owner of Rich’s Proper Food & Drink in Covington, Kentucky

I don’t drink a lot of Highland malts, but whenever I go to a Scotch tasting and they have The Dalmore Cigar Malt, I definitely hang out around that table. Actually, I really enjoy everything I have tried from The Dalmore.

You can’t go wrong with The Dalmore 12. It’s a perfect gateway into the world of Scotch.

The GlenDronach 15 Year Revival

Anna Mains, brand ambassador to Monkey Shoulder

I’m a huge sherry fan, particularly Oloroso sherries. Scotches ages really well in ex-sherry casks. The GlenDronach 15 Year Revival is aged in ex-Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry barrels. The dark fruit and nutty characteristics I love so much in Oloroso really shine in this whisky and make for one hell of a dram.

Highland Park 12 Viking Honour

Blake Jakes, director of beverage for The Kennedy Bar in Pensacola, Florida

Highland Park 12 Viking Honour. It’s an easy choice. It works so well on its own, with a little water, or in a nice cocktail with some citrus. It’s bright, spicy and just the right amount of peat. Truly an exceptional whisky and it’s not going to break the bank.

Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake

Lee Noble, head bartender for Art in the Age in Philadelphia

Glenmorangie A Tale of Cake was a game changer from Dr. Bill Lumsden. I really enjoyed the ingenuity behind that concept. It’s sweet, rich, and pairs perfectly with a piece of cake or as a slow sipper on its own.

Oban 14

Josh Curtis, bar director at Carbon Beach Club in Malibu, California

Oban 14 is easy drinking with a large cube of ice because of its counterbalance of honey and oak. It’s smooth, sweet, subtly smoky, with just a hint of ocean brine and seaweed that can be attributed to the distillery’s proximity to the ocean.

Aberfeldy 12

Patricia Verdesoto, head bartender Jams in New York City

Aberfeldy 12 year is my favorite single malt Scotch to have behind the bar, not to mention one of my personal favorites in general. It is beyond versatile, which is so important to me. Aside from Aberfeldy being absolutely delicious on its own, it works in so many cocktails throughout the seasons. While the initial smokiness of a quality Scotch may be a deterrent to many first-time drinkers, Aberfeldy has managed to find that sweet spot between smoothness and peat.

On the nose, you get a nice caramel, espresso aroma with a hint of smokiness that experienced most Scotch drinkers are expecting. As the weather changes, Aberfeldy is the perfect addition to your favorite hot toddy recipe. For me, I pour it in some chamomile tea with a touch of local honey and it never fails to warm me up.

Craigellachie 13

Ben Potts, owner, and bartender at The Sylvester in Miami

I generally reach for a nice, honeyed Scotch like Craigellachie due to its versatility and flavor profile. If I had to pick one of its expressions, I would go with Craigellachie 13 because of its almond and vanilla flavors tempered with a subtle hint of smoke.

Glenmorangie La Quinta Ruban

H. Ehrmann, owner of Elixir Bar in San Francisco

Glenmorangie La Quinta Ruban is my flavor of the day. It changes regularly, but I was gifted a bottle for my birthday a couple of years ago and I just got back into it. Such great classic Highland grain and spice, with the delicious fruits from the port cask.

A great bottle for any day.

Talisker Storm

Crystal Chasse, beverage director at Talk Story Rooftop in Brooklyn

Talisker Distillery is on the Isle of Skye, which — according to many designations — makes it a Highland Scotch. Talisker Storm is one of my go-to scotch. Bold, smoky notes with pepper and oak shining through and supported by a refreshing salinity. It is also reasonably priced for scotch, making it a great bottle to share.

Outgoing commander-in-chief Donald J. Trump has a long history of sketchy behavior, from his scammy Trump University to his habit of stiffing contractors to, one could argue, much of his presidency. And though he regularly sings the praises of his many supporters, that didn’t stop him from his latest grift. As per Reuters, those donating to his “Official Election Defense Fund” — to help him combat claims of voter fraud that, so far, have lacked any hard evidence — would have to spend a lot of money before it actually went to defend the election.

Indeed, anyone donating less than $8,000 would see their cash go not towards recounts and lawsuits but to a Trump PAC, or Political Action Committee, and to the RNC. And they can do with that money whatever they want.

This shouldn’t be news; after all, it was in the fine print. Essentially, the first $8,000 of any donation would be split 60-40 between “Save America,” the aforementioned Trump PAC, and the RNC. Only after those coffers have been lined will the money go to legal fees and any other matters that may have spurred the donation in the first place. In other words, if you’re a Trump supporter who doesn’t have over $8,000 lying around — if you’re someone who decided to throw him 25 bucks — none of it would go to actually defending the election.

It sounds sleazy, doesn’t it? But there has been at least one defense of the move. Reuters spoke to Darrell Scott, a pastor who was a member of Trump’s transition team in 2016, who claims it will all come out in the wash. “I see this as two pockets on the same pair of pants. It doesn’t matter if it goes into the left or the right pocket,” he told Reuters. “In the end, the money will be used for a legitimate purpose that his supporters will get behind.” Of course, trying telling “Trust Trump” to the contractors he stiffed.

(Via Reuters)