Randall Park is having a pretty good week. Not only did his Marvel character, FBI agent Jimmy Woo, make his WandaVision debut on Friday, but the actor just learned the day before that he’s been vaccinated against COVID-19 for the past four months. If you were wondering how Park could be vaccinated without knowing it until now, there’s a pretty cool explanation: he took part in a clinical trial back in September out of sheer boredom, and there was a 50/50 chance of him actually receiving the vaccine. While appearing on The Talk, Park explained how he was convinced to join the trial by fellow actor (and medical doctor) Ken Jeong, who let him know that the facility was specifically looking for Asian-American candidates. Via The Hollywood Reporter:
“And you know, I was thinking, ‘Oh that’s interesting.’ Then, I found out it was near my home, not far, and I was bored because it was the pandemic,” he said. “I was stuck in the house. And I was like, ‘Maybe I should donate my body to science.’ I figured it would be my way to, kind of, fight this thing happening throughout the world. So, I enlisted in the trial. And I didn’t know if I got the placebo or the actual vaccine, but I just found out yesterday that I got the vaccine.”
On top of receiving the good news that he’s now vaccinated against the pandemic, WandaVision fans have been loving Park’s return to the MCU, and the bond that his character quickly built with Kat Dennings‘ Darcy Lewis as the two watch the show’s “sitcom” unfold.
Everyone has had an embarrassingly bad haircut at some point in their lives and unfortunately for Grimes and Elon Musk’s baby son, that day came sooner rather than later. Grimes cut her baby’s short hair with long kitchen scissors this week — and it went unsurprisingly south very quickly.
Grimes and Musk welcomed their baby boy back in May, whom they decided to name X Æ A-Xii. Since the baby is pushing nine months old, the singer decided it was time for his first haircut. Since many hair salons are shuttered due to lockdowns, Grimes opted to give him a trim herself. It was already off to a rocky start when she decided to use massive kitchen scissors on the baby’s delicate head, and things got worse when she started to hack off the sides of his hair.
The cut, which she documented on her Instagram Stories, didn’t go quite as planned. It resulted in a mullet, which Grimes proudly said made him look like a viking. “not sure this hair cut went well but he’s a Viking now,” she wrote.
Grimes cutting her baby’s hair apparently the haircut was inspired by “The Last Viking” in Netflix pic.twitter.com/JPBTkOZd78
The haircut wasn’t the only thing on Grimes’ mind this week. Following the head-turning news of GameStop’s stock skyrocketing, the singer penned a cheeky poem about the market madness. “In the vast ocean / My tear is a drop / My dollar a single photon / Of the light of GameStop,” she wrote.
Check out photos of Grimes giving her baby a haircut above.
Another day, another wild conspiracy theory from Marjorie Taylor Greene‘s past coming back to haunt her. This time around, the QAnon Congresswoman reportedly suggested that the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had been replaced by a body double. She doesn’t elaborate on why RBG had been replaced or by who, but given Greene’s history, it could have been anyone for any reason. She made the claim back in September 2019 while appearing on a streaming broadcast for a pro-MAGA site. Via Media Matters:
Toward the conclusion of the show, a caller asked Greene if she had seen “the picture” of Ginsburg at “the airport” — an apparent reference to an image of her at National Airport — “walking straight up right like it’s a whole new person” and asked her if she believes “that is Ruth.” Host and Greene ally Will Johnson added, “It’s almost like a body double like Hillary Clinton” (Conspiracy theorists have also claimed that Hillary Clinton has used a body double.)
Greene responded: “ I do not believe that was Ruth. No. I don’t think so.”
The RBG body double claim is actually one of Greene’s tamer beliefs. While her pre-congressional social media history has been an alarming trove of violent rhetoric and accusations that Hillary Clinton steals the faces off of babies, Greene made headlines on Thursday night following a report that she posted a theory on Facebook that the California Camp Fire was started by a secret Jewish space laser that was firing beams into the ground to facilitate a high-speed rail project and/or harvesting power from the sun. It’s pretty obvious when you think about it. (It’s not.)
The Little Things (HBO Max film) — Three Oscar winners headline a film that’s mostly landing on streaming (there are few limited theaters in the mix), so thank goodness for the Internet during pandemic times. The movie stars Denzel Washington and Rami Malek as police officers hunting a 1990s-era serial killer in Los Angeles. (Yep, Denzel is playing a cop again! You can’t hate on that.) Their prime suspect is portrayed by Jared Leto, and this is a tale of overarching obsession and secrets that are best left uncovered.
Wandavision: Episode 4 (Disney+ series) — The Marvel Cinematic Universe has launched into Phase Four with abandon, and oh boy, things got seriously dark this week. The good news is that we got a lot of answers this week, and there’s one heck of a villainous curveball coming your way if you haven’t watched yet. The show’s more inventive than most superhero-oriented fare that we’ve seen in the past few years, and it’s fantastic to finally see the Marvel titles coming our way once more.
We Are: The Brooklyn Saints (Netflix series) — Rudy Valdez, the Emmy-award winning filmmaker who poured his soul into HBO’s The Sentence, is here with more intimate verité footage of his newest subject. Here, Valdez turns his camera upon a youth football program in the heart of inner city Brooklyn. The program, of course, is much more encompassing than a pastime but also a vehicle for opportunity for these boys. They also become family with an incredible support system of coaches and parents, all while they strive for victory and overcome losses on and off the field. All of this, hopefully, will point toward a brighter future for all involved.
50M2 (Netflix series) — This Turkish hitman series (and how can you not be intrigued?) revolves around Gölge doing the second-chance thing while doing dirty work for Servit Nadir while taking refuge in a tailor shop. Gölge is masqurading as the late tailor’s son, and he’s transforming the neighborhood and vice versa. Meanwhile, Gölge doesn’t recall his own childhood, so get ready for the photograph-related fallout there.
Here’s the rest of this weekend’s notable programming:
Saturday Night Live (Saturday, NBC 11:29 p.m.) — This grand return is not a moment too soon. John Krasinski hosts with musical guest Machine Gun Kelly.
Supermarket Sweep (Sunday, ABC 8:00 p.m.) — Leslie Jones and every bit of her enthusiasm will host contestants in this revival of the grocery-shopping game show.
Batwoman (Sunday, CW 8:00 p.m.) — Ryan Wilder’s still stretching her wings as the new Batwoman while doing the double-life thing. Mary is all for it, while Luke is most decidedly not for it, but Ryan goes ahead and unveils a new Batsuit.
The Lady and the Dale: Episodes 1 & 2 (Sunday, HBO 8:00 p.m.) — The Duplass Brothers are at it again, and this time Mark and Jay are bringing us a documentary series that digs into a 1970s auto scam that’s forged by a mysterious entrepreneur, Elizabeth Carmichael, who released a three-wheeled car in the midst of the 1970s gas crisis. Carmichael has a past, and the car’s technology ain’t all that it claims to be.
Charmed (Sunday, CW 9:00 p.m.) — The Charmed Ones must confront The Faction. This could bring the Destruction of the Sisterhood, all while Harry and Macy are in disagreement about a potential ally.
American Gods (Sunday, Starz 8:00 p.m.) — Wednesday does the biker gang thing (surprising or not?) while Shadow and Technical Boy are searching for Bilquis, who’s a captive.
Shameless (Sunday, Showtime 9:00 p.m.) — Finally, regular episodes return with Ian and Mickey getting creative with the security gig at the Alibi while Frank and Kevin team up to take down the Milkovich crew.
Your Honor (Sunday, Showtime 10:00 p.m.) — It’s penultimate episode time for the Panic-Cranston series, and the main man is still breaking bad as a corrupt judge. This time around, Michael is feeling the pressure surrounding Carlo’s trial while another family dinner get disastrous, but hopefully, it won’t be as bloody as the last mealtime gathering.
Finding ‘Ohana (Netflix film) — Two siblings who hail from Brooklyn head to rural O’ahu, where they explore their Hawaiian heritage and head off on an epic adventure in search of long-lost treasure. Naturally, this involves a cryptic pirate’s journal, and one of the siblings is very skeptical while the other’s plowing full-steam ahead. In the process, they learn to love their native culture and discover that the true treasure is family.
Fatma (Netflix series, Sunday) — A cleaning lady transforms into a killer, which is, yeah, a little unexpected, but it’s almost hilarious when she’s only considered a “cleaner” because her clients have no idea.
Jann: Complete Seasons & 2 (Distribution 360 series on Hulu) — This is a weird one but delighfully so. The show revolves around a former pop star, Jann, who’s attempting to get over. breakup, deal with her mother’s health issues, and finally conquer archrival… Sarah McLachlan? Alright.
Beyond the Clouds: A Promise Kept: Finale (Disney+ series) — It’s finale time for this incredible true story in miniseries form. The story’s an ode to the life of 17-year-old Zach Sobiech, a singer/songwriter who embarked upon a tragic and unforgettable journey after learning that he’s diagnosed with a rare bone cancer. He spends the last of his time on earth chasing after his dreams with the help of his best friend and a teacher who’s also a mentor. Before all is said and done, a record deal emerges.
In case you missed these recent picks:
Euphoria: Second Special Episode (Friday, HBO Max 9:00 p.m., Sunday, HBO 9:00 p.m.) — This installment is called “F*ck Anyone Who’s Not a Sea Blob,” so, yes, that’s cryptic. We do know that this episode will be a mirror reflections for what happened after Rue was left standing alone at a train station by Jules after the two scrapped their joint getaway plan. This led to some sad Zendaya diner action by the former, and the second episode (directed by creator Sam Levinson) will inform the audience of what went down on Jules’ end. Hunter Schafer, who portrays Jules, also co-wrote this one.
Flack: Season 1 (PopTV series moving to Amazon Prime) — Flack came out two years ago on Pop TV, presumably as a limited series, but all that has changed now. Amazon picked up the Anna Paquin-starring show for an unexpected second season, which will arrive later this year. If you are in need of some guilty-pleasure escapism, consider giving this series a whirl. It’s voyeuristic and at times thrilling to watch. Flack also feels like an amalgamation of many shows and movies you’ve seen before, including The Devil Wears Prada, Scandal, and Sex and the City.
The Sister: Season 1 (Hulu series) — ITV commissioned this series with Hulu, and it’s already a hit in the U.K. The show’s based upon Burial, a best selling novel by Neil Cross (Luther) and involves a family’s life being rocked into oblivion when a presence from the past literally shows up on the porch with some unwelcome and shocking news. This development, of course, transforms into catastrophic decisions and long-lasting effects that aren’t so desirable.
The White Tiger (Netflix film) — Priyanka Chopra Jonas stars as passengers for a young hero jockey who becomes a driver, Balram Halwai (Adarsh Gourav). He narrates this purportedly epic story about his darkly humorous rise from rags to riches in modern India. He’s cunning and ambitious and doesn’t want to sit in his socially acceptable box, and his journey takes an unconventional and somewhat rogue turn, which leads him to become a different type of master than, again, also socially acceptable. The film’s based upon the New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
Troublemaking rapper Tekashi 69 is borderline persona non grata in the rap game, but apparently, that hasn’t stopped his manager from making inquiries for features on his behalf. Since a big part of staging any sort of serious comeback for 69 would naturally require the rapper to ingratiate himself with a few hip-hop favorites, it seems he set his sights on a rapper who is part of the current nexus of rebellious, anti-establishment cool: Griselda Records’ Benny The Butcher.
The Buffalo rapper recently revealed the interaction in a since-deleted tweet. Complex reports that Benny wrote, “Tekashi Manager hit me up and ask me was interested in doin a song with his client. What u think I said?” He also reportedly included a poll in which there were only two “options”: “No” and “F*ck no.”
While on its face, it may have seemed a ridiculous overture for Tekashi’s team to make considering Benny’s outspoken opinion on “rats” and “snitches” — categories many in hip-hop feel Tekashi fits the bill for. However, for what it’s worth, the two rappers’ content is astonishingly similar and perhaps the management team was looking for a yin-yang, odd couple vibe that would break the two rappers out of their respective comfort zones. Benny has shown the ability to play against type, such as on the DJ Infamous song “Bad Azz” with Kash Doll and Mulatto. He’s also been seen in rooms with trap rappers like 2 Chainz and shouted out by poppier artists like Drake.
However, it seems the Conflicted star isn’t very conflicted about where he stands on working with Tekashi. Still, that may work to the rainbow-haired rapper’s advantage anyhow; once again, despite our best efforts, we are all talking about him.
As a writer, few things grate my nerves like people reacting to a headline without actually reading the article, and yet it happens all the time. I’ve had people try to defend this practice (“It’s your fault for writing the headline that way!”) but no matter how it’s written, a headline is never going to be a full story. Never ever. An article’s worth of information cannot be encapsulated in 90-characters-or-less, and distilling the essence of a piece in a way that is both informative and inspires people to read it is more complicated than it looks.
On that note, let’s talk about the Johnson and Johnson vaccine news that came out today, because people who don’t read beyond the headlines are getting a skewed picture of the efficacy of this vaccine. Here are some samples of the wording major news organizations used in their headlines and social media share texts this morning:
“Covid vaccine: Single dose Covid vaccine 66% effective” – BBC
“Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine 66% effective in global trial, company says” – Fox News
“Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is 72% effective in the U.S., and 66% overall in large trial” – Reuters
“Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine was 66 percent effective at preventing moderate and severe disease in a global study” – Politico
“Johnson & Johnson vaccine is 66% effective in preventing moderate to severe COVID-19, a global study finds” – NPR
“Single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine 66% effective against moderate to severe covid-19, but worked less well in variant hot spot” – Washington Post
I shudder to think of how many people are going to glance through the news, see headlines like this, and say to themselves “Oh, I guess the J & J vaccine basically sucks compared to the 95% effective mRNA ones.” And I lament how many will not have the far more appropriate reaction of, “Wow, the J & J vaccine is 100% effective at preventing hospitalizations and death from COVID! How amazing!“
That’s right. Zero hospitalizations and zero deaths in the 44,000 person trial—a hugely significant detail you’d miss if you only read those “66% effective” headlines. The vaccine is also 85% effective at preventing severe illness (presumably meaning bad symptoms but not quite bad enough to need hospitalization) 28 days after the shot, and 100% at preventing severe illness 49 days after. How is that not incredible news?
To read the 66% headlines—and even some full articles, surprisingly—you’d never know how effective this vaccine actually is in the ways that count the most. You might even assume that statistic means that 34% of people still have a chance of getting COVID and dying after getting this vaccine, when that’s not the case at all.
The primary goal of COVID immunization is to keep people from dying and/or getting severely ill from the virus so we can return to normalcy as soon as possible. This vaccine does that. That’s the detail that should be dominating the headlines. Of course, we’d love to see a vaccine that prevents all sickness, but that’s a tall order for any inoculation. Even the 66% efficacy is good for a new vaccine, and if anything, it just goes to show how incredibly effective the mRNA versions are. But the bottom line is this is a life-saving vaccine, full stop.
That doesn’t mean it’s perfect or just as effective as the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. There are still questions about whether or not these vaccines can prevent people from carrying the virus, and there are some concerns about decreases in vaccine effectiveness on some of the variants we’re seeing pop up around the world.
But there’s a reason epidemiologists are still referring to this vaccine as a “game-changer.“
One key feature of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is that it only requires a single dose. Considering the logistical and cost challenges of getting people to show up for two shots several weeks apart, that’s a big deal. The vaccine also only requires refrigeration to be shipped and stored—unlike the Pfizer vaccine, which has to be kept at minus 70 degrees celsius—which opens up the door to getting far more people vaccinated far more quickly in far more places around the globe. In a pandemic like this one, those details do indeed change the game.
A repeated lament I’ve seen from many public health officials is that so much news coverage and messaging on COVID vaccines downplays how amazing it is that we even have them at this point, much less how effective they are. For a novel virus, vaccine development has gone incredibly well, and it is a testament to modern science and that we have several effective vaccines less than a year into a pandemic.
All of this is fabulous pandemic news, but you’d never know it if you only read the headlines.
The moral of this story is please, please, please always read articles in full before reacting. As much as I wish news outlets had avoided choosing to highlight the “66% effective” stat over the “100% hospitalization and death prevention” stat, I also know that there’s no perfect way to write a headline. We’re all bombarded by news and links, but people have to get over the habit of assuming a headline has all of the info, or even the most important info, and get in the habit of clicking and reading.
And if you’ve made it to this line, thank you for being part of the solution and not part of the problem. High five.
Cyber Shadow does not hold your hand. In fact, it feels like a game actively avoiding your hand altogether. Much like the NES games it’s clearly inspired by, Cyber Shadow expects you to wing it and learn the large majority of its mechanics on your own. Unlike those NES games that ultimately felt unfair, though, Cyber Shadow is always leaving you breadcrumbs to make the tasks in front of you possible, which is what makes it so great.
The easiest part of Cyber Shadow is the very beginning of the game. Not the first level. As in when you push start and awake in a room with nothing but a strange robot to talk to. The robot will immediately throw names and plot at you, but obviously, you don’t know what any of it means. Much like the mechanics, you’re just gonna have to go out there and figure it out. You get a chance to briefly understand the weight of your character, Shadow. He can jump and has a sword with which to slash. That’s it, and once you’re used to how he moves around you better be ready for a wild ride.
Cyber Shadow is an extremely challenging game. Levels consistently test your reflexes and judgment skills. New enemies are thrown at you frequently and they can be placed in some pretty devious ways. Any time you feel like you’re finally hitting a groove, a new enemy or challenge is thrown in front of you. But those challenges all come with a reward, whether it’s just a checkpoint station or a new ability, to make the test worth passing.
But Calling Cyber Shadow a Ninja Gaiden clone would be unfair, if only because Yacht Club games was more so inspired by the NES as a whole. The influences are everywhere: every time you defeat a major boss you get a new powerup similar to Megaman. There are knockback and bottomless pits that feel way too much like Castlevania to be a coincidence, and the oftentimes brutal difficulty is so akin to the era that anyone who grew up playing those games should feel right at home.
But that doesn’t mean the game is trapped in the past: Cyber Shadow does enough to feel modern game despite its retro inspiration. The art is phenomenal, the movement is perfect for what it’s trying to be, and it runs smooth. What makes it feel modern more than anything else is the brutal challenge still feels fair. When you die in Cyber Shadow it will rarely feel cheap or the fault of poor design. Part of why NES games were as difficult as they were was because they were limited technologically. Cyber Shadow doesn’t have that problem, and the checkpoints also play an integral role in how the game plays while keeping things fair.
Throughout the game, you collect a currency called essence, which allow you to buy upgrades such as SP restoration, a weapon upgrade, or a health boost. When you do that, the checkpoint now will always perform that task. This makes currency something valuable and important which in turn creates risk vs. reward. There’s a chest you can grab that likely will have essence in it, but you’ll have to cross over some insta kill spikes. How badly do you need that weapon upgrade at your next checkpoint? These are the kinds of decisions you’ll be making throughout your playthrough that add depth to the game in a very real way.
Like Ninja Gaiden, the game is at its best during those moments where everything clicks. There’s no greater feeling than after you’ve died a handful of times and then you get the magical run. Jump here. Slash this enemy. Wait a moment and now move forward so you can avoid the guy that was going to knock you into a bottomless pit. You start to move almost on instinct and it all moves so seamlessly and quick, just like a ninja should. This is going to be a plus for players that want to play after they’ve seen the end credits and get better at it. It’s pretty much designed for challenge or speed runs.
The game is going to need this kind of post-credit interest because it is rather short: it should take about five to six hours to beat it, and while length does not equal quality it can feel like the ride was over just a little too soon. There are plenty of things to do once you get to the end, though: on PlayStation, there are more than 40 trophies to collect and if you really love the game then you’re going to want to play it more than once.
Cyber Shadow may feel like one of the NES games of old, but underneath that classic exterior is a modern title and one that is fun for anyone that enjoys retro games or platformers. It’s a challenge, but it’s one well worth taking. You will groan in frustration and cheer from triumphs, but it will rarely if ever feel unfair.
Does bourbon get better with age? Absolutely… to a point. If you’ve ever tasted white dog or moonshine fresh off the still, you know that’s true. But bourbon does eventually hit just the right age for universal consumption — and it’s not quite as long as it is with rum.
So are longer-aged bourbonsthat much better than, say, seven-year-old expression? Are they worth the higher prices the juice demands? Can a savvy drinker — who’s been paid to taste alcohol for the better part of a decade — tell the difference in age statements without looking at the label?
Those are the questions I’m trying to answer in this blind taste test. I had a friend select six bourbons — five bottles that are ten years or older (blended and single barrel) and one affordable and accessible seven-year-old single barrel bourbon, thrown in as a monkey wrench. Once I tasted each dram, I ranked them according to taste and taste alone. Straight up; no concessions made for price or availiblity.
F*ckin’ A. Oak, cinnamon, and cherry stand out behind a veneer of hot oak and spice. Yes, there’s creamy vanilla and a bit of bitter woodiness with a toasty edge. But this sip is fire and not in a cool way.
I don’t know on this one. I wasn’t ready to be slapped in the face with “f*ck you, this is bourbon, motherf*cker!” at eleven in the morning.
Taste 2
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Okay, I’m back after a pint of water. There’s a mix of vanilla, Christmas spice, and stonefruit (apricot, I think) next to cherry candies and spicy wood. It’s really mellow. The end has this hint of cedar and cherry tobacco that’s really enticing.
This is good; the epitome of “smooth.”
Taste 3
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Okay… this is a complete departure — with hints of oak and vanilla leading toward a really herbal, almost green wood nose and taste. There’s a light pepperiness but it’s really that green herbal note that sticks out the most, with accents of vanilla, oak, and spice (and maybe some apple caramel) in the background.
Interesting.
Taste 4
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Um… Am I drinking the same dram? This really, really smells and tastes like the exact same thing I just tried but maybe a little more intense. Yes, there’s a bit more vanilla, spice, and oak. But that herbal green note is undeniably front-and-center.
It has never been clearer that Baker’s and Basil Hayden’s are from the same warehouse as having these two back to back. They taste almost identical. That also means that I have no idea which is the younger Baker’s now.
Taste 5
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Oh, hello Michter’s.
Maple syrup sweetness with spicy tobacco, creamy vanilla, and burnt toffee next to leathery oak? Yup. There’s that charred bitterness next to a touch of caramel fruit that lingers back through that tobacco, leather, vanilla, and maple.
It’s hard not to love that maple syrup edge. That being said, after the almost savory herbal voyage of the last two drams, this reads a little sweet.
Taste 6
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Another departure. This has an earthiness that’s really enticing and almost … mossy … with a bit of worn leather. Then there’s this underpinning of nutty toffees and cherry tobacco with a slightly spicy edge, orange oils, and a bold-yet-light body of yeasty rolls dripping with cinnamon and brown sugar-laced butter.
Finally, there’s an almost savory fruit edge that’s not quite melon but not quite pumpkin. To which I say… Yes.
This stands out and is really f*cking delicious.
Part 2: Ranking The Bourbons
Zach Johnston
6. George T. Stagg Buffalo Trace Antique Collection 2020 (15 years old)
This expression from last year’s Buffalo Trace Antique Collection is the boldest of the batch. The ABVs for this bottle is the same as absinthe. The juice is a mix of Kentucky corn, Minnesota rye, and malted barley from North Dakota that’s aged for 15 long years on three different floors of one warehouse.
That time draws out 59 percent of the whiskey to the angel’s, leaving this hefty bourbon behind.
Bottom Line:
I didn’t much care for this when I had it for the first time. I still don’t. It’s … a lot. Maybe on the rocks, to cool it goddamn down, it’ll be fine. But it’s too expensive to play around with.
This is the first single barrel release from Baker’s, which used to only come in small-batch expressions. The new expression comes from the Beam warehouses and is hand-selected for its specific flavor profile and bottled at barrel-proof, leaving it untouched.
Bottom Line:
This was a true outlier on the list, except for the fact that it tastes exactly like the next entry. Really, these could be from the exact same barrel just with this being a little more intense thanks to not being proofed with water.
That being said, this feels like a steal for $60 — kind of proving you don’t need to go old to go big.
This bottle from Beam’s high-end Basil Hayden’s line is a blend of hand-selected barrels of ten-year-old barrels from the Beam warehouse. The barrels are chosen to heighten the Basil Hayden’s bourbon experience and then proofed with that soft Kentucky limestone water to make it more accessible as a sip.
Bottom Line:
This is a bit more drinkable than Baker’s Single Barrel thanks to the lower ABV. But that then doesn’t give it the same kick. So, these two even out and land as a tie because … they taste the same!
Michter’s 10-yo Bourbon is a very sought after and beloved bottle of booze. The barrels are hand-selected by Michter’s team for their taste and texture. Then the booze is bottled with only a touch of water just to take the edges off and make it more pleasant on the tongue.
Bottom Line:
This is usually a pretty high ranking whiskey for me. And sure, it’s in the top three on this list, but it still rang a little sweet today.
2. Four Roses Small Batch Limited Edition 2017 (12, 13, and 15-year-old blend)
Every year, Four Roses release around 13,000 bottles of their Limited Edition Small Batch. 2017 was a banner year for the brand’s release. Four Roses is known for its ten distinct bourbons. Three of them are blended in this one. This expression blended three whiskeys: A 15-year-old low rye/slight spice mash, a 13-year-old of the same, and a 12-year-old low rye/delicate fruit bourbon.
Bottom Line:
Goddamn, this is smooth. This dram was nearly number one because of that. It carries a nice velvetiness that’s just enticing. It feels like it’s worth the hunt and the price.
1. Barrell Bourbon Batch 23 (10, 12, and 15-year-old blend)
Barrell Craft Spirits might be one of the best whiskey blenders working today (especially in the U.S.). This expression blends 10, 12, and 15-year-old barrels from Kentucky, Tennesee, and Indiana into a final product. On paper, this shouldn’t be this refined. Moreover, this is all about expert barrel selection and blending as the final product is bottled at cask strength with no proofing or filtration to hide behind.
Bottom Line:
This really was special. Well, special today in the context of this tasting. It was so easy to drink while also carrying deep textures and flavors. It was smoothly rounded and feels like it’s something a bit more than your average dram.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
Baker’s and Basil Hayden’s tasting almost identical today meant I really couldn’t figure out which bottle was the younger ringer.
What stood out, though, was that the blends really shone the brightest. Of course, most whiskey is built for its flavor profile (even the single barrel stuff). But both of the whiskeys that are fully crafted from various ages and barrels stood out as the best-tasting drams. By far, if I’m being honest.
Lastly, yes, older whiskeys are delicious — most of the time. That 15-year-old George T. Stagg is not for the faint of heart — some could it’s argue off-putting. Yet Four Roses and Barrel Bourbon both have 15-year-old bourbons in the mix that are phenomenal.
Does age matter, then? Sure. But it will still always come down to the taste.
Last year proved to be one of the most successful years in Lil Durk’s career. The Chicago rapper earned his best performing album with Just Cause Y’all Waited 2 as it debuted at No. 2 on the album charts. Months later he returned with his second album of 2020, The Voice, and today he doubled back with its deluxe reissue. Durk repackages the album with 11 new songs including “Kanye Krazy” which was released with a nostalgic video directed by Cole Bennett.
In the video, Durk and Bennett pay homage to fellow Chicagoan Kanye West by creating a number of iconic looks from the GOOD Music rapper’s legendary career. This includes Kanye’s “Runaway” video and the wacky “I Love It” visual he did Lil Pump where they both wore oversized Roblox suits. The nostalgia continues on the song itself where Durk raps, “You ain’t got thе answers sway / I be claimin’ I’m the realest like any other day.”
In addition to the “Kanye Krazy” track, the deluxe version of The Voice flaunts appearances from Pooh Shiesty, Lil Baby, and Sydny August. Prior to the album’s release, Lil Durk joined French Montana and Jack Harlow to throw a post-apocalyptic party in the video for their “Hot Boy Bling” track.
Press play on the “Kanye Krazy” video above.
The Voice is out now via Alamo/Geffen Records. Get it here.
After getting her name out to the public eye, Dallas’ Erica Banks is enjoying her mainstream success in 2021 less than a full month into the new year. Her popularity is in large part thanks to the Buss It Challenge, the popular TikTok trend that features her “Buss It” single. The collective use of the song in videos from fans has produced more than two billion views on the social media app. As Erica continues to ride out the success of the track, she brought her talents to fellow Dallas native Yella Beezy where the two rappers went to work on their new single, “Star.”
If you were unsure of Erica’s potential, “Star” is a perfect example of the improving talent she posses at an early point of her career. While Yella Beezy resorts to a more relaxed approach to the song, Erica slices through the song’s bouncy, go-go-sampling production (it’s E.U.’s “Da Butt“) with the sharpest blade in her possession. “Star” also arrives with a music video that finds Yella Beezy leading a class of young ladies who hope to perfect their twerking skills. Directions like “don’t be stiff” can be seen on the board in the classroom and while the other ladies in the class believe they have a chance to end the period as the best twerker, Erica Banks arrives to not only steal the show, the Yella Beezy himself.
You can listen to the track in the video above.
Erica Banks is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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