Month: September 2021

This year (the second such one in recent memory) won’t stop throwing up obstacles, so if you’ve about had it with reality, you’re in at least a little bit of luck. Netflix knows that every distraction possible is needed right now to help everyone escape from current situations, and boy, the streaming service is pulling out the stops. Yes, things get somewhat serious this week with a couple of 9/11-retrospective entries (one starring Batman himself, Michael Keaton, to help make things right) on tap. However, some revelry is in order with an animated series full of kick-ass secret agents, and there’s the latest entry in a sports-documentary docuseries as well. Finally, there’s the love-to-hate factor involved with a new Marie Kondo show, which might actually inspire you to throw away some sh*t that’s bogging you down, and a silly movie that will make you forget everything, so let’s get down to binging.

Here’s everything else coming to (and leaving) the streaming platform this week.

Worth (Netflix film streaming 9/3)

This based-on-true-events movie follows the inception of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, as led by a Congress-appointed attorney, Kenneth Feinberg, who’s portrayed by Michael Keaton. He’s up against an antagonistic Charles Wolf (Stanley Tucci), who’s in mourning of his own accord and must come to grips with the value of compassion. Amy Ryan plays Feinberg’s most powerful executive attorney, and overall, the film examines how humans must come together to recognize the power of empathy.

Q-Force (Netflix series streaming 9/2)

A misfit gathering of LGBTQ+ intelligence-agency geniuses come together at the behest of Steve Maryweather, AKA Agent Mary. He came out as gay within the American Intelligence Agency (AIA), only to be relegated to West Hollywood, where he showed everyone what happens when a fired-up agent goes rogue. Eventually, the whole Q-Force transforms into Active Secret Agents status, but first, they’re tasked with dealing with Agent Buck, a straight-dude within their ranks.

Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror (Netflix docuseries streaming 9/1)

This five-part docuseries marks the 20th anniversary of 9/11 with a timely examination of the War in Afghanistan and what, exactly, really led the war on terror to our current moment in history. Expect interviews from U.S. military veterans and Afghanistan National Army soldiers, along with Taliban commanders, and government officials from both the U.S. and the Afghan government. As well, 9/11 survivor voices will reverberate as the world continues to reflect upon how that day altered the globe forever.

UNTOLD: Crime & Penalties (Netflix film streaming 8/31)

A trash magnate who’s in deep with the mob decides to buy a hockey team as a gift for his teenage son, who’s obsessed with The Mighty Ducks. This really happened in 2004 at the hand of Jimmy Galante — allegedly the inspiration for The Sopranos — who launched the Trashers team in Connecticut. Somehow, hockey collides here with pro wrestling, and everything went off the rails to the point where the FBI had to shut things down.

Sparking Joy: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 8/31)

Marie Kondo’s here to help you throw out your sh*t with abandon and transform your life in the process. This time, though, Kondo’s moving past home organization and into businesses and relationships, in order to prove that throwing out your sh*t can have surprising results throughout all facets in life. She’ll also give us a glimpse into her own family life, which hopefully will have a slight touch of messiness to offer? You gotta live a little, Kondo.

Afterlife of the Party (Netflix film streaming 9/1)

Victoria Justice portrays a social butterfly who dies during her birthday week, and she unexpectedly receives a second chance to make things right in order to secure her position (according to the Netflix synopsis) “into the big VIP room in the sky.”

Here’s a full list of what’s been added in the last week:

Avail. 8/29
Bread Barbershop: Season 2
Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha

Avail. 8/31
Sparking Joy
Untold: Crime and Penalties

Avail. 9/1
How to Be a Cowboy
Turning Point: 9/11 and the War on Terror
A Cinderella Story
Agatha Christie’s Crooked House
Barbie Big City Big Dreams
Blade Runner: The Final Cut
The Blue Lagoon
Chappie
Clear and Present Danger
Cliffhanger
Cold Mountain
Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles
Dear John
Do the Right Thing
Freedom Writers
Green Lantern
House Party
House Party 2
House Party 3
The Interview
Kid-E-Cats: Season 2
Labyrinth
Letters to Juliet
Love Don’t Cost a Thing
Mars Attacks!
Marshall
Mystery Men
The Nutty Professor
The Nutty Professor II: The Klumps
Once Upon a Time in America
Open Season 2
Rhyme & Reason
School of Rock
Tears of the Sun
Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins

Avail. 9/2
Afterlife of the Party
Final Account
Q-Force

Avail. 9/3
Dive Club
Money Heist Part 5: Volume 1
Sharkdog
Worth

And here’s what’s leaving next week, so it’s your last chance:

Leaving 9/6
Midnight Special

Leaving 9/7
Ripper Street: Series 1-5

Leaving 9/11
Turbo

Leaving 9/12
I’m Sorry: Seasons 1-2

Leaving 9/14
Pawn Stars: Season 2

Leaving 9/15
Angry Birds: Seasons 1-2
As Above, So Below
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

What’s your biggest fear as a concertgoer? For Steve, it’s having to do a Number 2 at a show — even nice venues with good toilets seem like a terrible place to spend any significant amount of time. This is perhaps the exact thought that went through the head of the person who had an unfortunate bowel movement in the mosh pit at a Turnstile show last week. Will people now feel empowered to do the same at upcoming Turnstile shows, like how Barenaked Ladies got Kraft mac and cheese thrown at them?

The meat of this week’s episode comes in the form of a discussion about Donda, the oft-discussed, perhaps-anticipated new album from Kanye West. The thing about Kanye is that the music media once gave him the benefit of the doubt, and now they don’t. Nonetheless, like everything Kanye does these days, Donda has this huge gravitational pull, yet it feels somewhat marooned from what’s actually happening at large, with a narrative set almost entirely on planet Kanye. There’s callbacks to some Yeezus and 808s-style electronic music, a lot of Jesus (the curses are bleeped out!), but rather than create trends, it turns away from them. Donda just sucks all the air out of the room.

In this week’s Recommendation Corner, Ian is plugging Jail Socks, who just released the new album Coming Down while Steve wants to spread the good word about Other You, the latest LP from indie guitar god Steve Gunn.

New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 55 on Spotify below, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts here. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.

Vodka gets a bad rap. The clear distillate is often thought of as a neutral spirit, where all the flavor has been stripped out. But our own blind taste tests of vodkas proved that’s unequivocally not the case. While vodka should have a clean taste, it’s still made from fermented grains, potatoes, or even fruit that’s distilled into alcohol — just like every other spirit on the shelf.

Meaning it’s going to carry some flavor notes over from that process. Plus there’s the water added to proof down the distillate — adding perhaps a touch of minerality or even perceived sweetness.

Now that we know vodka is and should be flavorful, let’s take a look at some seriously good sipping vodkas. To do that, we reached out to some of our favorite barkeeps to find out which vodkas they’ll actually sip straight. We ended up with 14 (!) vodkas worth investing your time and money in. If you’re into any of these bottles, make sure to click the prices to give them a try yourself.

Leopold’s Silver Tree

Hailey Landers, bartender at Multnomah Whisk(e)y Library in Portland, Oregon

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

Why This Vodka?

As with nearly everything Leopold Bro.’s does, this vodka hits all the notes you want in a good, well-crafted spirit. It is unbelievably smooth and dualistically complexly layered, unlike most “ultra-smooth” vodkas out there. Silver Creek unabashedly presents the drinker with dynamic floral characteristics as well as a sturdy foundational backing of cereal notes and round texture.

Broken Shed

Tom Levron, USBG bartender in San Diego

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $26

Why This Vodka?

Broken Shed Vodka is made from only two ingredients: New Zealand water and cows’ milk whey distillate. The whey distillate provides a silky mouthfeel. The nose is very mild, even for vodka, with vanilla and finishes with black pepper minerality.

Van Gogh

Kevin Smith, food and beverage manager at The Vinoy Renaissance in St. Petersburg, Florida

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

Why This Vodka?

The original Van Gogh Vodka is easy to drink straight, especially when chilled. It’s ultra-smooth and has a unique texture thanks to the vodka going through several distillations and incorporating ingredients like corn, barley, and wheat sourced from Europe — Netherlands, Germany, and France — making for a luxurious sip.

St. Clair

Pascal Pinault, director of restaurants and bars at The Confidante in Miami

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $79

Why This Vodka?

As of today, there are so many different vodkas great for sipping. But if I have to pick one without breaking the bank, it will be Saint Clair Vodka from Lawrenny. Made with the highest quality of water and flavors ranging from cassia bark, juniper, and dill, this vodka is extremely well balanced and perfect for drinking straight.

Beluga Gold Line

Ryan Anderson, complex director of beverage at Ace Hotel in New Orleans

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $99

Why This Vodka?

Coming to this conversation as a person who drinks vodka only occasionally, I always tend towards spirits that have a great round flavor to them. I like Beluga Gold Line for drinking by itself. Beluga is Russian vodka that utilizes Siberian wheat and well water in its production, making it an incredibly smooth and textured vodka perfect for sipping on the rocks.

Belvedere

Ryan Mish, bar manager at The Graceful Ordinary in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

Why This Vodka?

I have always enjoyed Belvedere if I’m drinking vodka straight. It’s easy to find and has a velvety mouthfeel with notes of vanilla, spice, and a little bit of pepper from the rye.

Grand Teton Huckleberry

Noah Serna, bar manager at The Arid Club in Boise, Idaho

ABV: 35%

Average Price: $25

Why This Vodka?

I frequent the Grand Teton Huckleberry Vodka on the rocks from Grand Teton Distillery. The vodka is infused with real huckleberries sourced from the region and a pleasant fruity flavor profile really shines through. It’s incredible.

Guillotine Heritage Barrel Aged

Piero Procida, director of food & beverage at The London West Hollywood in Beverly Hills, California

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $87

Why This Vodka?

Guillotine Heritage Barrel-Aged Vodka is an aged vodka from France which is unique in that it is made with grapes from Champagne and aged in cognac barrels. Hence the color takes on a golden amber color with wood on the nose with caramel and sweet vanilla on the palate.

For someone who wants to actually sip and enjoy vodka, this provides that alternative. It truly is a masterpiece and actually gives a new take on vodka without adding any sort of synthetic flavoring.

Ketel One

Matthew Olson, restaurant manager at Sabroso + Sorbo at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27

Why This Vodka?

My favorite vodka for sipping or enjoying just chilled would be Ketel One. It has a very clean taste to it and doesn’t have a bitter aftertaste. Their botanical line is great for enjoying over ice or with some club soda. The grapefruit and rose notes are particularly refreshing on a warm day with a little ice.

Stolichnaya Elit

Myles Holdsworth, director of food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

Why This Vodka?

If you are going to drink straight vodka, best to choose a top-tier option. One of my favorites is Stoli Elit. It is crafted from only the finest grains and undergoes a uniquely extensive filtration process.

Deep Eddy

Frank Riffa, mixologist at SoBou in New Orleans

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $18

Why This Vodka?

I’m a big fan of Deep Eddy Vodka as it’s an all-natural vodka that comes in a variety of flavors including lemon, lime, grapefruit, and even tea. They’re sweetened with natural sugar cane making it so delicious that you can drink straight from the bottle. But the unflavored vodka is highly sippable as well. It’s always my number one sipping vodka at the bar.

Grey Goose

Brandon Parnell, director of beverage for Flora-Bama in Perdido Key, Florida

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $35

Why This Vodka?

Grey Goose is made with single-origin Picardie wheat and limestone leached spring water from Gensac-La-Pallue. This combination yields vodka with a sweet taste profile and an exceptional mouthfeel.

Reyka

Ryan Pines, beverage director at Ukiah in Asheville, North Carolina

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

Why This Vodka?

For me, I would have to say it’s Reyka vodka. Icelandic vodka is made with glacier water and filtered through volcanic rock, which allows the vodka to really shine and be super smooth.

Barr Hill

Sam Nelis, head bartender of the Barr Hill Distillery Bar in Montpelier, Vermont

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $40

Why This Vodka?

Barr Hill Vodka is the best vodka to drink straight. Why? Because it has flavor! Barr Hill uses three pounds of raw northeastern honey, they ferment it into mead, and then that is distilled. Barr Hill is proud to say their vodka is distilled only twice, which retains the flavorful essence of honey in the final distillate. Barr Hill also does very little to filter the vodka, retaining as much flavor from their hearts cut as possible.

The vodka is creamy, full-bodied, and has a luscious mouthfeel with notes of butterscotch and vanilla.

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

Let’s be clear, we’re not here to slander beer bottles. But there’s something special about cracking open a can of craft beer and slowly sipping it on a hot summer’s day. While science (and common sense) might tell us otherwise, it feels like a bottle held in our hands will warm up quicker than a can. Plus bottles look dorky in koozies while cans look undeniably awesome in them.

Labor Day weekend unofficially marks the end of refreshing, crisp, highly crushable beer season. Meaning the ideal canned beer widow is dwindling.

To find the best canned beers for this holiday weekend, we went to the experts, asking some of our favorite bartenders and bar professionals to tell us their go-to canned beers for summer’s last days. Take a gander at their picks and then crack few for yourself over the long weekend.

Avery Liliko’i Kepolo

Hailey Landers, bartender at Takibi in Portland, Oregon

ABV: 5.4%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Avery’s Liliko’i Kepolo. This beer is a refreshing and tangy tropical adventure. It is crisp and tart but balanced with rich wheat malted banana bread backing. This beer is a lush desert island treasure hunt in which you’re sure to find bountiful round fruity esters, marked tongue-tickling sour pear, and a bright display of summer island harvests.

Montucky Cold Snacks

Daniel Yang, lead bartender of Electra Cocktail Club at The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas

ABV: 4.1%
Average Price: $13 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

Montucky Cold Snacks is my go-to. It’s an extremely crushable beer. It’s not the most complex in terms of flavors, but it’s lightly malted and has a very manageable 4.1% ABV. If you’re looking for a shot and a beer combo, this one wins the ticket.

Estrella Jalisco

Tom Levron, USBG bartender in San Diego

ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $9.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Estrella Jalisco. It’s a decent cerveza for much less money than the well-known brands. Light, refreshing, crisp, and goes down easy on a hot day. Pretty much everything you want in a canned beer this weekend.

Brooklyn Summer Ale

Hayden Miller, head bartender of Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

ABV: 5%
Average Price: $13.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Brooklyn Summer Ale is my pick. It’s always a hit with hints of citrus and mild malt. Always a refreshing can to chase a sunset with.

Corona Extra

David Ortiz, beverage manager at Rocco’s Tacos in Tampa, Florida

ABV: 5%
Average Price: $18.99 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

This one’s a no-brainer. It is Corona Extra beer. It is Refreshing, very crisp, and offers an approachable flavor profile that’s enjoyed by everyone.

It’s pretty much summer in a can.

Modelo Especial

Ryan Anderson, complex director of beverage at Ace Hotel in New Orleans

ABV: 5%
Average Price: $18.99 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

When the heat comes around in New Orleans and it feels like there’s no escape, all I need is a very cold Modelo Especial to cool me off a touch. Available almost anywhere, Modelo is easy and versatile. If you want to dress it up, you can add a squeeze of lime and a dash of hot sauce to the rim of the beer.

Stella Artois

Federico Doldi, beverage director of Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 5%
Average Price: $18.99 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

I think the easiest to find and at the same time, one of the greatest beers ever is Stella Artois. Is a very clean, dry, and tasty beer, rich in citrus notes and slightly bitter as well.

Founders All Day IPA

Ryan Mish, bar manager at The Graceful Ordinary in Chicago

ABV: 4.7%
Average Price: $12 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

In the summer I really like to drink Founders All Day IPA. It is bright and citrusy with enough hops to remind you that although the ABV is lower, it still packs in the flavor.

IPAs may not seem like the first choice for late summer, but they had me at “All Day”.

Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose

Lynnette Marrero, co-founder of Speed Rack and bar director of Lllama Inn in New York City

ABV: 4.2%
Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Anderson Valley Briney Melon Gose. It is like a beer meets electrolyte fix. It’s refreshing, slightly salty, and filled with bright citrus flavors that pair well with late summer humidity.

Goose Island 312 Lemonade Shandy

Chandra Richter, chief mixologist at Drinkworks

ABV: 4.2%
Average Price: $9.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Goose Island 312 Lemonade Shandy is summer in a can. It’s bright, lemony, and super refreshing on a warm summer day. I always make sure to have a few cans on hand for patio happy hours or to take on Labor Day camping trips.

Calicraft Tiki Time

Piero Procida, director of food & beverage at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, California

ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: $11.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Calicraft Brewing Company’s Tiki Time Tropical Wheat beer is a fantastic, flavorful alternative to other beers. It is considered an American-style wheat/ hybrid beer and has flavors of guava, orange, and passion fruit. Though it is a wheat beer, it is very light in style and a very easy drink for the summer and around the pool.

Its balance and taste are just incredible and even if you don’t like flavored beers, you will enjoy this one.

Night Shift Fluffinity

Matthew Olson, restaurant manager at Sabroso + Sorbo at The Notary Hotel in Philadelphia

ABV: 7%
Average Price: $15.99 for a four-pack of 16-ounce cans

Why This Beer?

During the summer I enjoy a good hazy New England style IPA. This year I have been drinking Night Shift Fluffinity. It’s hazy, juicy, and the citrus notes are refreshing.

Tecate

David Nasser, bartender at the New Orleans Marriott

ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $12.99 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

For me, Tecate is hard to beat on a hot summer day. Especially when the weather is extra humid. I enjoy it with a lime and maybe a dash of Tajin seasoning.

To me, it doesn’t get better than that.

Urban South Paradise Park

Myles Holdsworth, director of food and beverage at The Ritz-Carlton in New Orleans

ABV: 4.5%
Average Price: $8.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

I really enjoy Paradise Park American Lager from Urban South on the hot southern summer days. It is a straight -forward lager that pairs nicely with a boat and ice chest full of fish. Crisp, refreshing, light, and highly crushable.

Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy

Frankie Riffa, mixologist at SoBou in New Orleans

ABV: 4.2%
Average Price: $17 for a twelve-pack

Why This Beer?

I’m a huge fan of Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy. It’s a lemony beverage with a light, deliciously aromatic fruit flavor great for a hot day and lounging with friends.

Blue Moon Light Sky

Brandon Parnell, general manager and director of beverage for Flora-Bama in Perdido Key, Florida

ABV: 4%
Average Price: $10 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Blue Moon Light Sky tastes like summer in a can. Light tangerine citrus notes drive this incredibly sessionable light beer — making it perfect for closing out the season.

Stiegl Radler

Ryan Pines, beverage director at Ukiah in Asheville, North Carolina

ABV: 2.5%
Average Price: $12.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Oh man, that’s too easy. I would have to say Stiegl Radler, hands down. It’s freaking hot and a Radler will cool you down really quick. You get that bright pop of orange and it’s a little bit lower in ABV so you don’t feel bad about having several.

Lone Star Lager

Sother Teague, beverage director at Overthrow Hospitality in New York City

ABV: 4.7%
Average Price: $8 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Honestly, I’m a sucker for a hammock beer — lots of people call them lawn mower beers as they’re what you drink after mowing the lawn. My favorite is known as The National Beer of Texas, Lone Star. It’s bright and crisp with a slight grain aroma of corn. Straw-colored with barely any head, it makes no pretense but delivers on refreshment when served cold.

In fact, it’s a beer I commonly have poured over ice.

Sloop Confliction

Jeff Bell, bartender at PDT in New York City

ABV: 4%
Average Price: $13.99 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Sloop Confliction is an outstanding sour beer. Sours are a bit like IPAs in the way that it’s not super easy to drink multiple of them because they have very big flavors and the law of diminishing returns kicks in as you consume more. But Sloop’s is excellent and not too robust.

Narragansett Lager

Johnny Swet, master mixologist at JIMMY at Modernhaus SoHo in New York City

ABV: 5%
Average Price: $8 for a six-pack

Why This Beer?

Narragansett 16-ounce lager that sips perfectly when ice cold. Plus, they drink it in Jaws. It’s refreshing, crisp, and always there for you. What could be better for the last long weekend of the summer?

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy is finally here. The album presents 21 songs and guest appearances from a large cast of acts from all corners of the industry. Jay-Z, Lil Baby, Future, Young Thug, Lil Durk, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, and Kid Cudi highlight the rappers who appear on the album while Giveon, Ty Dolla Sign, Yebba, Tems, and others highlight the singers that are present on Certified Lover Boy. As fans listen through the album and put together their thoughts on Drake’s sixth album, many of them were left a bit confused by one of the rapper’s lines from a collaboration with Lil Baby.

On “Girls Wants Girls,” the rappers’ latest track together, Drake raps, “Yeah, say that you a lesbian, girl, me too.” The line was quite the unexpected one from the Toronto rapper and his fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on the odd line. “Drake really just said ‘you’re a lesbian, girl me too’ man i’m going to sleep,” one person wrote in a post. Another fan wrote, “Why drake just say “say u a lesbian girl me too” ?????? HELLO ????”

You can listen to the song in the video above and read reactions to the “lesbian” line below.

https://twitter.com/LeanandCuisine/status/1433661990396997645?s=20

Certified Lover Boy is out now via OVO Sound/Republic. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Small batch bourbon is a confusing designation. In the simplest terms, “small batch” is used to designate a whiskey made using a smaller number of barrels than a regular expression. These barrels are picked by the master distiller or master blender(s) to complement each other and create the desired flavor profile just like every other bourbon — but there are just fewer of them picked. The tricky thing is that “small” means something different to every brand. To some, this means five barrels. To others, it means 50. And for some, this means 200, 300, or even more.

While the definition for small batch is confusing, it doesn’t stop every brand from slapping the term on some of its expressions. This brings us to one question: is there that much of a difference in flavor and quality between a smaller brand’s “small batch” expression and a bottle from one of the larger brands?

In an effort to finally determine “small batch” bourbon supremacy, I completed a blind taste test. This, in my opinion, is the best way to rank spirits. This is because since there’s no label or flashy name to sway me in any direction. I simply use my senses of smell and taste to rank each spirit.

Our contenders today are:

Big Brands:

• Elijah Craig Small Batch
• Four Roses Small Batch
• Evan Williams Small Batch
• Larceny Small Batch

Smaller Brands:

• Bowman Brothers Small Batch
• Smoke Wagon Small Batch
• Garrison Brothers Small Batch
• Bib & Tucker Small Batch

Let’s get our drink on!

Part 1: The Taste

Taste #1:

Tasting Notes:

This whiskey’s nose isn’t very complicated. There are aromas of brown sugar, vanilla, and dried fruits. On the palate, I found hints of clover honey, toffee, and slight cinnamon. The finish is long, warming, and exceedingly mellow. This might not be the most exciting whiskey, but it’s highly sippable.

Taste #2:

Tasting Notes:

A lot is going on with this whiskey’s nose. I first noticed hints of dried cherries, raisins, toasted vanilla beans, and spicy charred oak. Sipping it revealed notes of cinnamon, cloves, buttery caramel, wood char, and sweet cream. It all ends with a warming, slightly smoky, sweet finish.

Taste #3:

Tasting Notes:

The nose is a little lighter than I’d hope. There are notes of vanilla, wood char, and maybe light corn, but not much else. The palate is very sweet with hints of caramel corn, buttercream frosting, and just a hint of spice at the very end. Overall, not a bad bourbon. Just not very memorable for my liking.

Taste #4:

Tasting Notes:

The nose is loaded with aromas like caramel apples, dry hay, pipe tobacco, clover honey, and spicy cinnamon sugar. The palate is filled with flavors like candied orange peels, candied pecans, buttery caramel, and more cinnamon. The ending is long, filled with warming heat, and finishes with a nice nutty sweetness.

Taste #5:

Tasting Notes:

The nose isn’t as exciting as I like. It’s highlighted by aromas of vanilla beans, dried fruits, and just a hint of cinnamon. There isn’t much else going on with the nose though. The palate is also fairly one-dimensional with notes of dried cherries, wood spice, and some caramelized sugar at the finish.

Taste #6:

Tasting Notes:

This whiskey’s nose was surprisingly herbal with heavy mint paired with caramel, vanilla beans, and slight peppery spice. When I took a sip, I found flavors of dried cherries, raisins, toasted oak, vanilla, chocolate fudge, and a finish of buttery caramel sweetness.

Taste #7:

Tasting Notes:

The nose is heavy on spicy rye, but it’s mellowed with toffee, vanilla beans, and sweet honey aromas. Drinking it brings forth flavors of charred oak, buttery caramel, vanilla beans, and a nice kick of cracked black pepper. The finish is spicy, sweet, and pleasantly dry.

Taste #8:

Tasting Notes:

The nose is littered with aromas of freshly cut grass, vanilla beans, and peppery rye. Sipping it brought me more vanilla, buttery caramel, and raisins. The finish was highlighted by slight spice and sweet corn. Overall, a pretty decent bourbon. A little more rye spice than I’d prefer.

Part 2: The Ranking

8) Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch (Taste #3)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $20

The Whiskey:

Re-introduced with a new label and bottle, Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch was named to pay homage to the aforementioned Evan Williams and his founding of the first distillery in Kentucky. Made up of less than 200 barrels, it carries no age statement (but it’s believed to be between six and eight years old).

Bottom Line:

It’s clear this is an inexpensive bottle. It tastes very light and lacks the complexity I look for in a sipping bourbon.

7) Four Roses Small Batch (Taste #5)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $38

The Whiskey:

Four Roses is known for its complex bourbons and its Small Batch is no different. It’s made up of a blend of four different bourbon recipes each hand-picked by the master distiller after maturing between six and seven years. The result is a 90 proof rich, smooth, slow-sipping whiskey.

Bottom Line:

It should be noted that this isn’t a bad whiskey. It’s not harsh, it’s not well-balanced. It’s just more of a one-trick pony with caramel taking center stage.

6) Bib & Tucker Small Batch (Taste #8)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $53

The Whiskey:

This highly regarded small-batch bourbon has a mash bill of 70 percent corn, 26 percent rye, and four percent barley. It’s distilled two times (the first time in a column still and the second time in a copper pot still). It’s aged in charred, American oak casks for at least six years. The result is a sweet, rich, slightly spicy whiskey.

Bottom Line:

This is a great sipping bourbon. Especially if you enjoy whiskeys that have a sweet corn flavor that ramps up to peppery rye on the finish.

5) Larceny Small Batch (Taste #1)

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $28

The Whiskey:

This award-winning small-batch bourbon has garnered countless fans since its launch in 2012. Instead of spicy rye, this whiskey’s second grain (after corn) is wheat. The result is a softer, more mellow whiskey that deserves to be sipped neat or with a single ice cube.

Bottom Line:

Sometimes less is more. While this whiskey leans heavily on the caramel and vanilla notes, it’s soft, velvety, and perfect for slow sipping.

4) Elijah Craig Small Batch (Taste #2)

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $32

The Whiskey:

Many people believe that Elijah Craig invented bourbon when he decided to age his whiskey in charred barrels. This small-batch expression is one of many that pays tribute to the whiskey innovator. This 94 proof small batch bourbon is the brand’s flagship expression. It’s aged in Level 3 charred oak barrels to guarantee a smooth, rich, robust flavor profile.

Bottom Line:

This is a really complex expression. It’s loaded with fruity, caramel, and slightly spicy flavors that are well-suited for late summer, early fall sipping.

3) Bowman Brothers Small Batch (Taste #6)

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $36

The Story:

This 90 proof, award-winning whiskey is named for John J., Abraham, Joseph, and Isaac Bowman who were all American Revolutionary war soldiers. This small-batch bourbon carries a mash bill of corn, rye, and malted barley and is distilled three times before being aged in new, charred American oak barrels.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the most well-rounded whiskeys I’ve tasted today. It has nice flavors of mint leaves, toffee, vanilla, and slight spices that make it highly sippable.

2) Garrison Brothers Small Batch (Taste #4)

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $85

The Whiskey:

Garrison Brothers is a big name in the whiskey world. This Texas-based distillery has made it its goal to change people’s minds about where bourbon can be made. Its Small Batch is made using corn, red winter wheat, and two-row barley, all sourced from area farms. It’s distilled, aged, and bottled proudly in Hye, Texas.

Bottom Line:

Caramel, tobacco, pecans, vanilla, this whiskey ticks all the bourbon boxes I’m looking for in a great, after-dinner sipper.

1) Smoke Wagon Small Batch (Taste #7)

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $55

The Story:

First released in 2016, this award-winning whiskey is blended in a state that really doesn’t have a lot of clout in the bourbon world: Nevada. That shouldn’t dissuade you from trying this high-rye bourbon. This non-chill-filtered bourbon is created by blending more mature sourced whiskeys with younger expressions from the distillery. The result is a complex, spicy, surprisingly mellow bourbon.

Bottom Line:

If you enjoy your bourbon to have a gently spicy, peppery kick, this is the dram for you. It’s mellow, sweet, and has a nice final flourish of spice that deserves to be sipped slowly.

As a Drizly affiliate, Uproxx may receive a commission pursuant to certain items on this list.

Finally, after eight long months filled with uncertainty and thinning patience, Drake fans all over the world rejoiced tonight as the rapper’s long-awaited sixth album Certified Lover Boy was finally released. The project was originally set to arrive back in January, but the rapper was forced to delay it following knee surgery and rehab from the injury. Finally, when the rapper completed the album, he began to roll out the red carpet for it. He “hacked” Sportscenter to reveal its release date, shared a controversial artwork for it, and took over billboards all over the country to share its guests.

However, all of Drake’s marketing goes to waste if Certified Lover Boy is deemed as sub-par by listeners. In total, the rapper’s new project presents 21 songs with guest features from Jay-Z, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi, Young Thug, Future, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Giveon, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Durk, Yebba, Project Pat, Masego, Rick Ross, and Tems. As it’s become customary in today’s music streaming era, fans wasted no time rushing to social media to share their first-listen reactions.

You can read their thoughts in the tweets below.

Certified Lover Boy is out now via OVO Sound/Republic. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Ladies and gentlemen, Drake’s Certified Lover Boy is finally here. Prior to its release, the last piece of music that fans received from the project came more than a year ago thanks to “Laugh Now, Cry Later” with Lil Durk. The Toronto rapper also released Scary Hours 2, but for the most part, things have been fairly quiet in terms of Certified Lover Boy content. All of that changed this week when Drake kicked things into high gear to prepare for the album’s arrival. The past few days were filled with opinions on its controversial artwork, billboard takeovers, and more, but at long last, Certified Lover Boy is finally here and it’s highlighted by “Way 2 Sexy” with Future and Young Thug. The track is a braggadocios effort that sees the trio speaking confidently of their sex appeal towards the ladies.

Elsewhere on Certified Lover Boy, listeners will catch additional appearances from Jay-Z, Kid Cudi, Travis Scott, Rick Ross, 21 Savage, Lil Baby, Giveon, Ty Dolla Sign, Lil Durk, Yebba, Masego, Tems, and Project Pat. Drake spent the week leading up to the release of Certified Lover Boy using digital billboards in each of the guest acts’ homes to reveal their inclusions on the highly-anticipated album

You can listen to “Way 2 Sexy” in the video above.

Certified Lover Boy is out now via OVO Sound/Republic. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Tucker Carlson routinely espouses theories found in murderous manifestos, so it’s no surprise his latest rhetoric about the coronavirus is equally dangerous and unhinged. As the coronavirus pandemic continues thanks to the Delta variant and large portions of the United States (and the rest of the world) still unvaccinated, businesses and other entities are becoming more strict about requiring proof of vaccination in a variety of ways.

On Thursday, during a segment about anti-vax people being prosecuted for buying fake vaccine cards, Carlson defended the practice and straight up told people to break the law in order to remain unvaccinated. During a segment in which he discussed how one lawmaker called buying a fake vaccination card a “serious crime,” Carlson called that a “lie” and tried to claim it was patriotic to not get vaccinated in a country where hundreds continue to die from coronavirus every day.

“Except that’s a lie. Buying a fake vaccination card is not a, quote, ‘serious crime,’” Carlson said. “It’s not even close to a serious crime. Buying a fake vaccination card is an act of desperation by decent, law-abiding Americans who have been forced into a corner by tyrants.”

Carlson, who many have pointed out works for a company that’s required employees to divulge their vaccination status and has a vaccine passport system in place, continued to bemoan the vaccine during the segment and alluded to violence once again when discussing vaccine mandates.

“You know what’s a serious crime? Forcing Americans to take drugs they don’t need or want. That’s a very serious crime,” Carlson said. “And let’s hope, in the end, someone is punished for it, severely.”

In the grand scheme of things, it might be one of the more tame things he’s spouted in the history of his alternate reality Fox News program. But it’s certainly something to hear Carlson, a man oh-so concerned about law and order, telling his viewers to willingly break the law in order to keep being a public health menace.

[via The Daily Beast]

The true release Anderson .Paak fans are waiting is his and Bruno Mars’ upcoming joint album as Silk Sonic. The duo recently revealed the project would be delayed until 2022 as they focus on “touching up parts that need a little more… grease,” as they revealed in a recent interview with Rolling Stone. Until then, listeners will just have to enjoy their two singles, “Leave The Door Open” and “Skate,” but now they can also indulge in .Paak’s latest track, “Fire In The Sky.”

The singer’s new track is a dreamy effort that captures him riding shotgun with his soon-to-be romantic partner. .Paak sings about the time he met her and promised that she’d be his next lover as well as the moment that prediction became true. All in all, “Fire In The Sky” is a passionate tale about falling in love what happens after one does just that.

The track is one of 18 songs on the newly-released soundtrack for the Marvel film, Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings. The project also includes features from Rick Ross, Earthgang, Swae Lee, Jhene Aiko, Guapdad 4000, Rich Brian, and more.

You can press play on the new song in the video above.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings: The Album is out now via Marvel/Hollywood Records. Get it here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.