Internet meme culture has evolved dramatically since the internet first became a widely used utility. Most memes come and go, but one that has stuck around (not necessarily in use, but at least in the public’s consciousness) is Rick Astley’s classic “Never Gonna Give You Up” video, which, of course, is the foundation of Rickrolling.
The official video for the 1987 hit on YouTube has racked up nearly 900 million views since being uploaded in October 2009, but now it’s a new upload of the video that is making waves. There is now a version of the video that has been upscaled to 4K resolution (up from the 1080p of the YouTube upload) and increased to 6o frames per second (up from the 24 of the original). The new video was uploaded on January 31 but has started to draw attention in recent days, and as of this morning, Astley is a trending topic on Twitter because people aren’t quite sure how to feel about the new video.
Some people are freaked out by seeing something so old and familiar in higher, newer-looking quality.
Somebody remastered the Rick Astley video in 60 fps 4k and I am deeply, deeply upset. https://t.co/qYuLrQwe0I
This new video, by the way, actually isn’t an official remaster from Astley. It was made by YouTube user Revideo using AI-powered tools Topaz Video Enhance AI, which upscales video resolution without losing visual clarity, and RIFE (Real-Time Intermediate Flow Estimation for Video Frame Interpolation), which basically generates new video frames that go between existing ones to increase the video’s framerate.
Check out the remastered “Never Gonna Give You Up” video above and compare it to the original video below.
Learning how to make a highball is pretty easy. At its core, a classic highball is blended scotch and fizzy mineral water in a highball glass over ice. That’s it, lesson over.
I kid, I kid.
Sure, you can just throw some blended scotch, ice, and water in a glass and go about your business. But to truly “get” this mixed drink, you need to dial it in a little more than that. The most important aspect — I’d argue even more important than the scotch you’re using — is to chill your glass, water, and whisky first. I’ve been in bars where they also keep the barspoons and jiggers in a freezer drawer, too.
The idea behind all this chilling is that when everything is already ice-cold, a special bit of alchemy takes place. Suddenly, you get a wholly unique flavor and textural experience from these three simple ingredients. The cold whisky has its own viscous texture that’s sort of amped up by the bubbles in the cold water, which bring the flavors to the surface of the drink.
If you try a highball like this, you will taste a difference. But since we’re only talking about mixing blended whisky with some water and ice (even at its most complicated, it’s easy), I’m going to take this one step further. I’m making three different highballs today, to decide if the extra cash for the higher-end bottles is really worth it with a mixed drink like this.
I’m starting with Johnnie Walker Black (the classic choice for a highball). Then I’m trying the same application with Johnnie Green (our favorite expression of the whole Johnnie Walker line). Finally, I’m going a little crazy and mixing a highball with Johnnie Walker Blue (I was lucky enough to snag their beautiful new Year of the Ox Limited Edition over the Lunar New Year).
Yes, I’m mixing a $200+ bottle of scotch into a mixed drink … for science! To test if the “good stuff” keeps its impact when you treat it like the “cheap stuff.” Let’s get mixing!
When it comes to what scotch to use for this drink, go with blended. Whether that’s a smoky blend or a sweet blend is up to you. I like a whisper of smoke in my highballs, but it has to be subdued. I also like the sweet malts and a bit of fruit. For me, that’s Johnnie Walker. If you prefer Chivas or Dewar’s or old-school Black & White, go for it!
Likewise, if you’re not into scotch, try your favorite bourbon or rye or Candian or Irish whisk(e)y. Just make sure to pre-chill your bottle before you start mixing.
What You’ll Need:
Collins glass or highball glass (a tall 10-oz. glass)
Barspoon
Jigger
Zach Johnston
Method:
Put everything in the freezer (the glass, spoon, jigger, and whisky) and put the water in the fridge overnight.
Add the ice to a pre-chilled glass (I like to have the barspoon already in the glass to make stirring easier).
Add the chilled whisky and top with chilled water.
Okay, this was pretty goddamn solid. On the first sip, there was that signature note of smoke from Johnnie Black with a slightly ashen body. There wasn’t too much sweet but the malts were definitely present. The water really helped amp up the ashy-smoke while mellowing the malts, all while adding a nice fizziness.
It’s refreshing, velvety smooth, really damn cold, and hits the spot.
Bottle Line:
I like this. I’ve drunk a million of these in bars (clubs) with bad bottle selections. It’s easy to drink and gives you that slight smoky reminder that you are, indeed, drinking scotch.
Wow. I’m shocked how much different this tastes. There’s a real sense of dry cedar next to light notes of sweet red berries. There’s none of the spice or grassiness that’s usually in a dram of Green Label, but that’s okay. There is the faintest wisp of smoke on the end, but only barely.
The blend of that wood and berry note really works with the fizzy water, kind of like a really fancy bespoke all-natural soda.
Bottle Line:
This is too different to really say it’s better than the Johnnie Black highball. Though it’s certainly not worse. I think if you want that full twinge of smoke, Black Label might be more your jam. Plus, the Black Label is pretty much half the price.
After the drastic shift between the Black and Green, I really didn’t know what to expect with this highball. This is ludicrous. It’s like the best cream soda that was ever made. One that you’ve only heard rumors of. There was a slight nuttiness under that well-rounded vanilla body.
I got zero smokiness. It was all velvet vanilla sodas and creamy vanilla cake with walnuts.
Bottle Line:
This is extraordinary and so crushable. If they sold this in a can, it’d never be in stock. But given that each 1.5-oz. of whisky that goes into this highball costs around $15 (that’s at least a $75 bar pour, folks), it’s not exactly practical.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised one of the most beloved blended malt whiskies is still amazing in a highball. But that’s kind of the point — a great whisky shines no matter how you like to drink it. I typically like Johnnie Blue neat or with a little water, but, wow, this highball was close to magical.
In the end, I think I’ll stick with making my highballs with Johnnie Green. At the very least, it’s way more affordable. Moreover, I really like that cedar and berry note with the fizzy water. It’s very Pacific Northwest — reminding me of wild huckleberries growing around cedar groves.
Still, if you ever have Johnnie Blue just laying around…
Meaning that you’re supposed to drink the stuff. So it has to be at least affordable enough for you to not stress over. Because god knows a little less stress is the whole point of this pastime in the first place.
The 10 bottles below ring up at under $60 but we could see all of them costing a fair bit more. We’ve added our usual tasting notes for each, plus given examples of the pricier expressions they resemble. If you decide to pick up any of these, know that you’re getting a great bang for your buck — which leaves you with a good reason for a celebratory drink.
This “prohibition style” whiskey was made to pay tribute to the history of Old Forester — one of only six distilleries to be granted permits to continuing making bourbon during prohibition for “medicinal purposes.” It’s 115 proof, rich, bold, and perfect for sipping slowly over ice.
Tasting Notes:
Take a whiff and your nose will be greeted with hints of maple syrup, toasted marshmallows, dried cherries, and subtle spicy rye. On the sip you’ll find notes of charred oak, buttery caramel, nutty sweetness, and more peppery rye. The finish is long, warming, and ends with a nice mix of sweet chocolate and creamy butterscotch.
Bottom Line:
For a well-balanced, 115 proof bourbon, under $50 is outlandish. This is a must-have whiskey for your liquor cabinet.
Smoky, peated whisky isn’t for everyone. It’s definitely an acquired taste. If you’re a fan, you can spend a crazy amount of money buying up Islay single malts. But if you want a great bottle at a reasonable price, look no further than Ardbeg Wee Beastie. Aged for five years in ex-bourbon and oloroso sherry butts, it’s smoky, velvety smooth, and tastes way more expensive than it is.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll get hints of toasted vanilla beans, subtle coffee, and a nice herbal fragrance. The palate features delicate flavors of creamy chocolate, sweet caramel, and smoked bacon. At the ends of your sip, you’ll find a long, warming finish with a final flourish of pleasing wood smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is Ardbeg’s youngest whisky and that’s partly why it’s so cheap. It doesn’t taste that young though — which is a good thing for you and your wallet.
The Japanese whisky market is dominated by names like Yamazaki, Hakushu, and Nikka. But you’d be remised if you didn’t give Mars Shinshu a try. The distillery sits at the highest elevation of any in Japan — up in the rarefied air of 2,600 feet, in the Japanese Alps.
The brand’s Iwai Tradition expression is filled with all the oaky, caramel, and vanilla flavors Japanese whisky fans crave for much less than the bigger brands.
Tasting Notes:
Even though this is a Japanese Whisky, the nose is all Scotland — subtly smoky, sweet with sherry fragrance, and featuring a nice bit of charred oak. The first sip is loaded with sweet treacle, clover honey, spicy cinnamon, and just a hint of cracked black pepper. Savor the final moments as dried cherries, caramel, and just a hint of smoke fade out slowly.
Bottom Line:
Sure, you can buy a bottle of one of the more well-known brands and be completely happy. Or you can buy a few bottles of Mars Shinshu Iwai Tradition and be happy for much longer.
There are a lot of high-quality Irish whiskeys on the market. Some are overly expensive and others are a true bargain. West Cork Bourbon Cask falls in the latter group. This highly regarded whiskey is a blend of grain (75%) and malt (25%) whiskeys that’s matured in ex-bourbon casks.
The result is an extremely well-rounded, complex whiskey that’s so cheap you won’t believe it.
Tasting Notes:
Spend a moment enjoying the aromas and you’ll find hints of apple cinnamon, caramel, and subtle pepper. On the palate, you’ll get candied orange peels, rich malts, sweet vanilla, and cracked black pepper. The finish is long, lingering, and ends with a nice bit of pleasing heat underpinned by butterscotch.
Bottom Line:
You can hate this for being a blend of grain and malt whiskeys or you can take a sip and realize that it’s delicious and stop caring so much. Also, it’s super cheap.
Glenfarclas 10 is one of the best beginner bottles on the market. It’s so good that you’ll keep drinking it even after expanding your whisky palate. More well-rounded and complex than most 10-year-old single malts, Glenfarclas 10 is a perfect mix of honey sweetness and subtle smoke.
Tasting Notes:
Take time to give this dram a proper nosing and you’ll enjoy aromas of sugar cookies, sherry, and just a hint of woodsmoke. On the palate, expect flavors of dried cherries, buttery caramel, and a kiss of smoky peat. It all ends with pleasing, lingering smoke and a punch of sweet cream.
Bottom Line:
Glenfarclas 10 is touted as an aperitif and is best suited to be sipped slowly as a palate cleanser and digestive aid before a big meal. It’s a lot tastier than a Tums, that’s for damn sure.
When it comes to whiskey, rye is full of bargain bottles. But if you’re looking for a reasonably-priced offering that truly tastes way better than its price tag, turn your attention to Sazerac Straight Rye. Aged for six years, it’s crafted to pay homage to the traditions and history of rye in 1800s New Orleans.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll be greeted by aromas of licorice, cracked black pepper, and sweet cream. Take a sip and be transported to a world of candied orange peel, buttery caramel, baking spices, and toasted vanilla beans. The finish is long, lingering, mellow, and ends with a final note of peppery rye.
Bottom Line:
This award-winning rye whiskey could be much more expensive than it is. Just don’t tell the folks at Sazerac that until we can all buy a few bottles.
George Dickel isn’t talked about all too much around here, but it deserves its flowers today. The company makes high-quality whiskies and its No. 12 is an excellent example of that. This 90-proof blend is made up of whiskeys of various ages selected for their smooth, bold flavor.
Tasting Notes:
The nose features herbal, oaky, and subtly-spicy-meets-creamy-vanilla flavors. On the palate, you’ll be greeted with flavors of charred barrels, buttery caramel, nutty sweetness, and cinnamon. It’s all finished with a long, dry ending with hints of smoke and treacle.
Bottom Line:
George Dickel No. 12 will remind you that there’s a lot more to Tennessee whiskey than just the distillery in Lynchburg.
Lot 40 is one of the most highly regarded Canadian whiskies for a reason. This award-winning rye whiskey is made in small batches using a mash bill of 100% un-malted rye. The result is a spicy, bold, highly sippable whiskey perfect for winter drinking.
Tasting Notes:
Take a moment to breathe in the aromas from this whisky and you’ll find notes of charred oak, treacle, and a nice hit of peppery rye. The sip brings the swirling flavors of sweet cinnamon sugar, butterscotch, buttery caramel, and cracked black pepper. The finish is medium in length, full of pleasing heat, and ends with a final note of peppery spice.
Bottom Line:
Canada doesn’t always get the love it deserves in the whiskey world. But buy a bottle of Lot 40 and your ideas of what the country has to offer will be expanded quickly.
Over the past decade, Texas has become less than the wild west of whiskey and more of the new frontier. Balcones is leading the charge with high-quality offerings like its Texas Single Malt. This whiskey is made using contemporary techniques to create a classic single malt while staying local with Texas-sourced ingredients.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is all about clover honey, dried orange peels, and creamy vanilla. On the palate, you’ll be immersed in notes of buttery biscuits, dried fruits, sweet caramel, and a nice hint of cinnamon spice. The last sip is lingering, warm, and ends with a 1-2 punch of charred oak and toasted vanilla beans.
Bottom Line:
If you already enjoy single malt Scotch, it’s time to try American single malt whiskey. And Balcones is one of the best.
Many people look down on blended Scotch whiskies. But even though single malt is king, many high-quality blended whiskies deserve your attention. One is Chivas Regal 18, a splendid mix of whiskies that are all a minimum of 18 years old.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of sticky toffee pudding, sweet cinnamon, and creamy vanilla. The palate is complex — the brand claims that you can taste over 85 flavors. We taste candied orange peels, buttery caramel, bitter dark chocolate, and just a wisp of wood smoke. The finish is long, sweet, and ends with a nice hint of sugary vanilla.
Bottom Line:
For the price, there are few blended Scotch whiskies better than Chivas Regal 18. Sip it, mix with, savor it.
In 2020, Los Angeles saw two of its icons, one from sports and one from music, taken away far too young as the deaths of Kobe Bryant and Nipsey Hussle shook the city and beyond. For many, those two were inspirations, not just for what they did as an athlete and artist but for the work they put in to get there and how they shared their gifts with the community.
LeBron James, like many in the NBA, was hit hard by both losses, and he’s been vocal about the influence of both men on him. Bryant and LeBron were competitors first and later friends, with James taking the mantle as the Lakers top star and leaned on Bryant for guidance, while Hussle’s work as an artist and activist had lasting impacts on James as well. On Wednesday night, James posted to Instagram to show off a new painting in his house of Kobe and Nipsey, saying they’ll be “wit me every single day when walking my hallways.”
It’s a pretty tremendous piece, done by Lindsay Dawn Studios, and it’s clear how much James was impacted by both men, wanting to make sure to carry on their legacies as he embarks on his own journey to becoming an L.A. legend himself.
Bobby Shmurda has spent over six years in prison after he accepted a plea deal for conspiracy to commit murder and weapons possession. He’s been locked up with Rowdy Rebel and the other members of tghe GS9 squad since 2014. Despite being scheduled for a release in December 2021, reports arrived last year revealing Bobby could be released on parole as early as December 2020. He was later denied an early release. While Bobby’s sentence continued, Rowdy was freed and quickly began his comeback as he recently returned with the single “Jesse Owens” alongside Nav. Days after the song dropped, Rowdy returned with good news regarding Bobby.
In a post to Instagram, Rowdy revealed that Bobby will be freed from prison in less than a week. “SIX DAYS LEFT,” he said. “Then all the joy gone wash away the pain, I promise you brother.” The news reflects a recent report from Complex, which shared documents that claimed Bobby was being considered for an early release. Pending a behavior review by the prison’s staff’s Time Allowance Committee, the rapper could receive a conditional release that would allow him to leave his current incarceration next week, on February 23, 2021.
Bobby’s parole for a December release was denied due to past violations that included allegedly possessing a shank, fighting, and drug possession, according to court documents obtained by TMZ.
For the first time in quite awhile fans of Nintendo were given a chance to be excited! A Nintendo Direct took place on Wednesday and with it came some new games, quite a few ports, and as quite a few people mentioned on Twitter, more anime swords.
These Directs are always exciting because it’s a chance to see some new trailers for upcoming games and they’re always delivered in a really digestible format. Nintendo has done a great job skipping the bland trade show aspects of reveal events like E3 and gotten straight to the part that people care about most. The video games.
This Direct itself was largely fine. There weren’t any earth shattering unveilings, but it featured a lot of fun smaller titles and cult favorites that we can look forward to. Considering how long it’s been since the last Direct we can call this one a success. Not amazing, not awful, but fun. Let’s get to the biggest news to emerge from Wednesday’s event.
If you are someone that has somehow never played Super Smash Bros. before then the reaction to this unveiling may have seemed a little odd. There wasn’t as much excitement as you would expect for a character from a cult favorite like Xenoblade. There was even some outrage over it and not just fans upset that their favorite character wasn’t chosen for the roster. Pyra/Mythra, characters from Xenoblade 2, look like anime characters and they use a sword. Something that, at this point, is a joke among fans of the Smash Bros. series because the roster is full of them.
As a fan of Xenoblade, it was exciting to see the series get some more representation beyond Shulk. That said, hopefully, future additions to the ever-growing roster of fighters will show more variety. It seems like fans are starting to get tired of the more repetitive selections.
Ports!
One unfortunate aspect of the Switch is it rarely seems to get non-party titles first. Many games will typically come out for the PC, Xbox, or PlayStation first and if it performs well then it will be ported to the Switch later on. We saw this a couple of times in the Direct with both Outer Wilds and Fall Guys getting ports to the Switch. Outer Wilds is a phenomenal game that everyone should play and Fall Guys is the perfect Switch title so these both make perfect sense to get ports.
Fall Guys has fallen off in popularity since it took the world by storm over the summer, but with a port to Switch, we might see a revitalization of the wacky game show-like Battle Royale.
Mario Golf is ridiculously fun and one of the best Mario sports titles. Whether you’re a golf fan, Mario fan, or both you are going to have a great time with Mario Golf.
Star Wars
Not much to say about this one other than it’s a Star Wars game and coming out on the Switch and mobile. It’s supposed to be a competitive style game so that could be fun. Let’s just hope there aren’t too many microtransactions.
Miitopia
Miitopia is another port, but this time for a game that came out on the 3DS back in 2017. This is one of those games that is perfectly Nintendo. It’s goofy, involves Mii’s, and is a fun way to take your friends on an adventure. Although without a street pass feature it’ll be interesting to see how the game utilizes Mii’s.
No More Heroes 3
No More Heroes is a cult favorite that you would never expect to be a Nintendo title. These games are typically very bloody, rather crude, and have absurdly wacky humor. They’re also really fun and a really good time for anyone that gives them a chance. The first two games came out on the Wii so it will be interesting to see how it fares a decade later.
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, not Breath of the Wild
A lot of fans were expecting to see Breath of the Wild 2 in this slot, but instead, they ended up with a remaster of The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. This would be fine if it wasn’t one of the most divisive games in the franchise and they hadn’t kept referencing Breath of the Wild in the presentation.
Project TRIANGLE STRATEGY
This game was really interesting. It had the art style of Octopath Traveler, but they haven’t given us a title yet. It features branching story paths and decisions that can impact them drastically. It’s very clearly inspired by Final Fantasy: Tactics which is a franchise that fans have been begging to come back for years. While this isn’t an official Tactics game it does appear to be a spiritual successor. The next best thing. It even has a demo for everyone to try.
Splatoon 3
The bookend of the show, Splatoon 3 was a bit of a surprise to see as Splatoon 2 came out for the Switch back in 2017 and still has a decently active multiplayer community. Although, what was interesting about this trailer is they put a pretty heavy emphasis on the beginning shots of the main character traveling through the desert and finding a bus to take them to what we assume is Inkopolis. One aspect of Splatoon that doesn’t get enough credit is the single player modes actually being fairly interesting. It will be exciting to see what they do in the latest title.
Why that age? Because 12-year-old single malt whisky is an excellent entry-point into the wider and often much older world of single malt scotches. They’re accessible but not bottom shelf. And they’re quite often incredibly tasty — with diverse flavors depending on where they’re from and how they’re barrelled.
For this tasting, I was given eight pours of 12-year-old single malt whiskies. I blind tasted them and ranked them from least to most favorite. While most of these whiskies showed great nuance, in the end, there was one that really rose above the rest.
There’s a subtle spice next to sweet, almost toffee malts with a touch of honey. There’s some nice dried fruit next to a mild nuttiness. This is definitely a sherry cask finish. A touch of spicy orange and dark chocolate comes in late as those sweet malts linger.
Taste 2:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Honey, dried fruit, light malts, and a touch of vanilla … hello, Aberfeldy! That honey drives the taste towards more light malt. On a second nosing, a hint of fresh raw beef comes through that leads back towards the dried fruits and honey.
Taste 3:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is very enticing, with hints of very soft wood next to berries steeped in honey with a light vanilla edge. The taste dips into a slight black pepper with a note of brie rinds or, maybe, a cheese cellar. The end is slow and leaves you with a nice, warm buzzing in your senses and a real sense of velvet roundness.
Taste 4:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is very interesting. It’s creamy like a vanilla pudding with a bright pear orchard and some mild toffee. That leads towards a very easy and soft woodiness with a touch of candied pear and more vanilla cream. This is good stuff.
Taste 5:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
There’s a mix of Band-Aids next to chocolate and, almost… sandalwood? The taste holds onto that Band-Aid aspect as chocolate oranges and slightly bitter citrus pith arrives with a touch of earthy peat that’s more like cold ashes than smoke.
Taste 6:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
Woah! Fennel! That leads to some dried fruits and fresh apples on the nose. The taste, on the other hand, leans into sweet oak, figs, pear candies, and a softness that’s almost hard to believe. This is amazingly easy to drink, full of sweet fruits, and has just the right touches of oak, vanilla, and savory greens.
Taste 7:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
This is a malty sip with touches of lemon pudding next to a hint of tart apple. There are notes of orange rinds still studded with cloves next to a touch of honey and vanilla. But overall, this is very… well… standard.
Taste 8:
Zach Johnston
Tasting Notes:
First of all, it’s crazy that this is a 12-year-old whisky and still this light!
The nose has an old beach campfire vibe that’s followed by hints of Band-Aids still fresh and in the pack. There’s a light fruitiness that leads towards a little sea spray saltiness. There’s more earthy peat than billows of smoke (Hi there, Lagavulin). The end is light and easy, leaving me with a buzzing on my tongue.
This entry-point single malt from the Highlands is an easy drinker. The juice is aged in a combo of ex-bourbon casks and “double fired” or charred used American oak barrels. The results are touched with a little water to bring it down to proof and then bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was a perfectly nice pour of whisky. There were no rough edges and it hit every mark exactly. There was just not that … special something to make it stand out in this crowd.
Still, I’d 100 percent enjoy this on the rocks or in a highball without question.
The base is a mix of unpeated and peated malted barley. Those juices are then mellowed for at least 12 years in a combination of ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-Marsala wine casks. The results are then blended by whisky icon Dr. Rachel Barrie into this arresting whisky.
Bottom Line:
This really is a great entry point to peated whiskies if you’re afraid of the peat and smoke monsters from Islay. The core tenets of peaty whisky are in play — those Band-Aids, for instance — but it’s way more earthy than smoky. Still, it wasn’t the best peated whisky of the day.
This is last year’s Rare By Nature special release. The juice was aged exclusively in refill American oak and blended to dial in those Islay flavors. The whisky is then bottled at cask strength with no extra fussing.
Bottom Line:
Okay, the lightness in both the body and color of this whisky for an expression that’s both 12-years-old and cask strength (meaning no water was used) is kind of wild. You don’t even need water or a rock to cool it down, it’s that smooth. Still, the peat just wasn’t doing it for me today with all that Band-Aid in the sip.
This Highland malt is the cornerstone of the much-beloved Dewar’s Blended Scotch. This whisky is a very accessible single malt that spends 12 years resting before it’s married and proofed with that soft Highland water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This was nice today. It wasn’t quite as welcoming and smooth as the first taste, but it really hit the spot as a subtle sipper with a good honey/fruit edge.
4) Glenmorangie The Lasanta Sherry Cask Finish (Taste 1)
The 12-year-old expression from Glenmorangie spends most of those years maturing in old bourbon casks. The juice is then transferred to Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez Sherry casks for a final maturation. It’s then proofed with Highland water and bottled.
Bottom Line:
This tasted like really goddamn good whisky. A little water or a rock would be well suited to this dram. Though, as I think about it, I really want to use it in a Manhattan.
This limited edition expression from last year’s Diageo Distiller’s Editions is expertly crafted whisky. The juice has a finishing maturation in a specially made barrel which is constructed from used and new American oak that’s then filled with Amontillado sherry for a month. Once that fortified wine is dumped, the whisky goes in for its final maturation.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those whiskies that just works. And that made it hard to place the top thre. That old Scottish cheese cellar vibe really sang to me in this tasting. I’m definitely coming back to this whisky as a cheese pairing dram.
This is an entry whisky not only to Speyside but to single malts in general. The juice is aged in a combination of used American and European oak before it’s married, rested, proofed with Speyside’s iconic water, and bottled.
Bottom Line:
I was shocked that this was Glenfiddich. I rarely ever order this because I see it everywhere. But this was just so well-rounded and accessible. I’m definitely going to start using this more in highballs and cocktails and the odd pour every now and then.
Cragganmore is an iconic Scottish distillery. The whisky is matured in sherry casks for 12 years. It’s then transferred into American oak casks that held port for a final maturation phase before proofing and bottling.
Bottom Line:
Nothing really came close to the nuance, accessibility, and just … niceness of this dram. I was thinking about all that fruit and softwood and that fennel nose for a while after this tasting. A wonderful sip.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
Zach Johnston
The Cragganmore really blew me away. It’s so easy to drink with zero off-putting edges.
That being said, I did dig the two peated whiskies but they just weren’t as inviting as the sweet malts today. Now that it’s been a while since I drank these, I’m gravitating back to the Balblair as a highball mixer, the Aberfeldy as a good end-of-the-day dram, and that bloody Glenfiddich. That was the biggest surprise. I don’t know if I simply forgot I liked it or how easy-drinking it is?
Regardless, that stuff really stood out today as a solid sipper.
With the COVID-19 health and safety protocols in place this season, there are no longer postgame scrums in locker rooms or even postgame press conferences at the podium. As has been the case for most every aspect of business over the last year, they are instead conducted via Zoom with the players and coaches at a seat with a monitor in front of them and questions asked by reporters, sometimes from elsewhere in the arena and sometimes from home.
On Wednesday night, as Doc Rivers answered questions from the virtually assembled Philly media one of our very own Dime contributors, Jackson Frank who covers the Sixers for Liberty Ballers, began his question but was interrupted by Doc, who had an important question to ask of his own: “Are you in bed right now?”
The “Jesus Christ, Jackson” from Doc at the end of the clip has just maximum disappointed dad energy, and the entire Zoom breaking into laughter was great. It’s certainly not the first time a reporter has handled postgame interviews from bed, but it’s the rare occasion where they’ve been called out for it.
As a capital J Journalist, I had to reach out to my colleague to get his side of the story and, sadly, the man tried to deflect with semantics.
“I was laying ON my bed, not IN my bed, to be clear,” Frank told me, in his defense. He would continue to explain why this happened, noting he was not at his apartment but instead at his parents, where a bedroom without a desk was the only option.
“I’m visiting my parents and my mom was cooking dinner. They live in an apartment, so I don’t have a workspace anywhere,” Frank said. It’s a perfectly valid and reasonable explanation, but it won’t stop this from being an exceptionally funny moment.
Meek Mill has been involved in a fair amount of controversy over the past few months. From multiple interactions with Tekashi 69 and being extremely cheap to a group of kids to getting into arguments on Clubhouse and holding a packed-out show in Houston, the rapper has repeatedly found himself on the wrong side of headlines. He’s at it again, this time thanks to something he said on an upcoming collaboration with Lil Baby.
A snippet of the untitled song made its way onto social media on Wednesday and people are furious with him for the way he rapped about the late Kobe Bryant. “I’ll go out with my choppa it’ll be another Kobe,” Meek raps on the song. The line was seen as highly insensitive, being as it’s been just over a year since Kobe tragically died in a helicopter crash in Calabasas. Upon hearing the line, people took to Twitter to condemn Meek for the line.
It was just days ago that Meek engaged in a parking lot altercation with Tekashi 69 after a Miami club event. Shortly after, he previewed a new diss track for Tekashi on Instagram.
Meek Mill is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Since the weekend, Texas and neighboring states have succumbed to a freak winter storm, bringing snow and the coldest temperatures in decades, if not longer. Millions haven’t had power in days; almost two dozen have died. And yet the Republican response to the disaster has been downright surreal. It was the fault of the Green New Deal — which hasn’t been voted on, let alone enacted — said Governor Greg Abbott and Colorado Representative Lauren Boebert. And then there’s former Governor Rick Perry, who had an even more deranged response.
“Texans would be without electricity for longer than three days to keep the federal government out of their business,” Perry was quoted saying in a blog post from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, as per The Houston Chronicle. “Try not to let whatever the crisis of the day is take your eye off of having a resilient grid that keeps America safe personally, economically, and strategically.”
Translation: It’s more important to stop the purported spread of socialism than to help people who are freezing. Socialism has been a popular bugaboo among conservative circles in recent years, as the oft-inhumane actions of the Trump administration forced people to see the inequalities in American life more clearly than before.
Will falling back on typical right-wing fearmongering work on people who’ve been forced to take sleeping bags out of mothballs just to stay warm at night? Only time will tell. But for now, many on social media took Perry — one of the most gaffe-prone presidential candidates in recent American history — to the woodshed.
You guys do realize that Rick Perry, the guy who presided over the deregulation of the Texas power grid in 2002 ran our entire Department of Energy under Trump, right?
Just reminding you once again that we went from an Obama Energy Secretary with a PhD in theoretical physics to Rick Perry, a guy whose transcripts show he got a D in a college class called “Meats.” https://t.co/VGejSQsKW5
Why did Gregg Abbott and Rick Perry let the radical left make all energy policy decisions for their state, shutting down all oil & gas extraction and relying entirely on wind power?
Its interesting that very wealthy politicians like Rick Perry are very willing to have everyday Texans suffer blackouts…..while they won’t even suffer indigestion from eating their words. https://t.co/JyCXRgc8fW
My grandmother in Austin had to drive to a nearby town to stay with relatives because even though their power is out, too, at least they have a fireplace to keep everyone warm.
Rick Perry & Greg Abbott are willing to kill Texans to keep the feds out of the power market so they can continue to reap profits from their big oil lobbyists.
Texas, where grandma is either a popsicle or has a deadly virus, but at least a couple dozen millionaires profit. https://t.co/wX5QCHzsqE
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(@ddalgitokki29) February 18, 2021
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