On the L riding back from Riot Fest on Sunday, a self-proclaimed aging rock fan decided to pose a hypothetical to a car full of folks who did not volunteer to be spoken to in the first place.
“If I decided not to wear a mask on here, would you say something?”
“Fuck yeah, we would. You better keep it on,” one passenger responded, with others deliriously nodding.
Nothing is the same in 2021, but one thing’s for sure, respect is definitely punk rock. The common refrain from bands playing the 3+1 day festival – which had a “preview” night on Thursday featuring Joyce Manor, Patti Smith, Alkaline Trio, (puzzlingly) Morrissey, and others – was gratitude that they were even playing at all, as well as pleas to take care of one another. Anti Flag dedicated their set to those we’ve lost, and promised to fight like hell for the living. Rancid was close to going over their allotted time, said doing so was disrespectful to the other artists, and diplomatically asked fans which song between “Ruby Soho” and “Time Bomb” they’d rather hear. The Flaming Lips had some members masked on stage, and Wayne Coyne in his big bubble, as he encouraged others to consider the headspace and mental state of those next to them.
Maybe a lot of these acts are aging into a range where respect and rage go hand and hand.
Or maybe it’s just that the times we live in mean being angry doesn’t stop for any of us because nothing stops it just always keeps going and going endlessly as we are bombarded with pain and suffering and a lack of humanity and the sheer exhaustion of knowing nothing matters and none of us will ever escape and we’ll have to see it all unfold at once through a constant stream of screens and screaming and Cronenberg villains grifting their way into blips of desperation-fueled attention – so maybe the least we can do is pick someone up in the pit if they fall down.
Rather unsurprisingly, Rise Against’s Tim McIlrath delivered the most impassioned speech of the weekend around “I Don’t Want To Be Here Anymore,” as he wondered “maybe that darkness is something you will still carry” about the pandemic and the fallout none of us have even been able to process yet. The last two exhausting years have permeated to every bit of the festival circuit, from artists to pyrotechnics workers, and the sheer act of performing hasn’t worn off as a novelty yet. If there’s anything other than anxiety (of which there’s still plenty) wafting through the air of large events, it’s amazement that we’re even out here at all.
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For many acts on the bill, this was their first set since 2019, and even nervousness came off as authentic. Meg Myers tried out a new song, stoped it midway through and asked if she could try again. The crowd was more than happy to oblige.
There was something cathartic about being able to scream with everyone and no one around you. To be present and anonymous and to hear songs you’ve heard over and over again alone in headphones over the past two years. And even beyond the paranoia of being *in public* it is still possible to lose yourself in a socially distanced, somewhat masked, vaxxed (or negative test within 48 hours) crowd. That’s something I don’t think I’ll ever take for granted anymore, and it seemed like a lot of the artists feel the same way.
Here are some highlights from the weekend.
Joyce Manor
No MCR at Riot Fest this year but Joyce Manor covered Helena tonight and I am so happy. pic.twitter.com/hEkPjJLMj9
The band played a spirited run-through of their s/t album, and these full album moments have become a staple of Riot Fest over the years. Fans get the chance to hear songs that maybe haven’t been played in a long time, and even bands feel the nostalgia. The past can be a black hole, but black holes are beautiful and as powerful as anything cosmically. Observing from afar without being sucked in can be awe-inspiring. And they played the hell out of My Chemical Romance’s “Helena.”
Patti Smith
A funny thing happens over a three or four-day event like this, and credit to those in charge of building out a lineup (especially one in flux as much as this year’s Riot Fest was). Common threads emerge, and the layers of music history pile onto each other. A legend like Smith, who puts out just as much angst and fervor as ever, can spawn offshoots that hardly seem recognizable after five decades of playing telephone. Even an act like Body Count owes something to Smith, who had maybe the funniest moment of the weekend after a fan asked to sign a copy of Horses, to which she responded, “what like I’ve got nothing better to do than sign my own record album?” (She did sign it.)
Living Colour
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On the same stage as Fishbone playing the entirety of their The Reality Of My Surroundings album, vocalist Corey Glover, guitarist Vernon Reid, and the rest of Living Colour delivered a brash and charged set that proved much of the last two decades of rock still owe a debt to the genre-bending sounds they produce. Reid’s explosiveness is timeless, and Glover continues to command the stage as well as he did at Lollapalooza in 1991. They even brought out CM Punk to introduce “Cult Of Personality.”
Festivals get a lot of rubberneckers, as fans are waiting for someone else or have gaps in their schedule and give themselves a chance to see a band they maybe have never listened to before. For a group like Coheed, who can be an acquired taste or inspire plenty of eye-rolls with their sci-fi blend of emo-inspired progressive rock, this plays right into their hands. Claudio Sanchez embraced the opportunity with as tight a set as he’s ever performed, choosing one new single, “Shoulders,” while giving plenty of tracks off staple LPs In Keeping Secrets Of Silent Earth: 3, Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through The Eyes Of Madness, and Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume Two: No World For Tomorrow. Watching a younger fan’s eyes get wide in the middle of “The Willing Well IV: Final Cut” and saying to no one “holy shit this guitar solo” reminded me why I still can’t quit festivals.
The Smashing Pumpkins
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Billy Corgan always gives it his all in Chicago, and he seemed excited to play tracks off his new album for the first time, as well as deliver some quirky standouts that aren’t always on the setlist. A rare performance of “Quiet” off Siamese Dream, the first in almost 30 years, was truly special. As was the group bringing Meg Myers up to sing “Eye,” off the soundtrack from David Lynch’s Lost Highway. Myers is a true talent, and is at her very best when she’s channeling grunge vibes.
The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
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Full-time hype man Ben Carr is still dancing after all these years, and watching him skank nonstop through a raucous set just felt right. He may not go as hard as he did a decade or two ago, but he still sets the tone for the ska group that is a sheer joy to witness live.
Rise Against
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A late add in the revolving door of cancelations and replacements, the fest could’ve done worse than bringing in another hometown favorite in Rise Against. The earnestness sometimes comes off as hokey on record, but the band has been able to build off traditional punk influences to make singable, emotive songs that grab a wide swath of fans. And there’s no doubting the power that can have, especially live. Plus, maybe the coolest overall moment of the weekend was seeing the band bring up Damian Abraham from Fucked Up to cover Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Fortunate Son.”
Run The Jewels
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At one point during Taking Back Sunday’s set, lead singer Adam Lazzara stopped and turned to the Riot Stage, giving his full attention to Run The Jewels, whose loud and aggressive sound was dwarfing everything, even three stages over. Run The Jewels never disappoint, and their sound is another that has been influenced by plenty of acts from the weekend – whether it be Body Count or Devo – as Killer Mike and El-P channel the rage of the world around them into a live grenade at every performance.
Devo
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Devo was right all along. The Akron band was formed out of the Kent State shootings in 1970, and by using art, multimedia, music, fashion, and other forms to provide commentary of the devolution of humans, basically set the tone for everything we’re up against now. With riffs on technology and consumerism, it’s hard not to think about TikTok or alt-right fascism in the world of Devo, who is comfortable being (and making everyone else around them) uncomfortable. The group tore through their most recognizable tracks, with backing videos and their famous costumes in tow. Closing with “Freedom Of Choice” couldn’t have been a better outro, as fans used the ensuing Flaming Lips set as a breather to decide whether to see Slipknot, New Found Glory, or Machine Gun Kelly (who found a way to beef with Slipknot) to close out the weekend.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Fugees were only active for a few years, but their star burned brightly during that brief window thanks to their massively influential 1996 album The Score. That release celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, so Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, and Pras Michel are marking the occasion by reuniting for a brief set of reunion tour dates.
The first of them is this week, on September 22 at a yet-to-be-announced venue. After that, they’ll pick things back up in November and December for a handful of shows in the US, as well as dates in Nigeria and Ghana.
Hill says, “The Fugees have a complex but impactful history. I wasn’t even aware the 25th anniversary had arrived until someone brought it to my attention. I decided to honor this significant project, its anniversary, and the fans who appreciated the music by creating a peaceful platform where we could unite, perform the music we loved, and set an example of reconciliation for the world.”
Jean also says, “As I celebrate 25 years with the Fugees, my first memory was that we vowed, from the gate, we would not just do music we would be a movement. We would be a voice for the un-heard, and in these challenging times, I am grateful once again, that God has brought us together.”
Check out the full list of dates below.
09/22 — New York, NY @ TBA
11/02 — Chicago, IL @ United Center
11/07 — Oakland, CA @ Oakland Arena
11/12 — Los Angeles, CA @ The Forum
11/18 — Atlanta, GA @ State Farm Arena
11/21 — Miami, FL @ FTX Arena
11/26 — Newark, NJ @ Prudential Center
11/28 — Washington, DC @ Capital One Arena
12/04 — Paris, France @ La Defense Arena
12/06 — London, UK @ The O2 Arena
Date TBA — Nigeria @ TBA
12/18 — Ghana @ TBA
You can keep your outdated “there’s a fly on Mike Pence’s head” sketch and other 2021 Emmy Awards shenanigans. On Monday night, as The Wrap reported, Trevor Noah announced that his own awards show is making a comeback: the second annual Pandemmys are here!
While a “second annual” anything might seem like a good thing, Noah assured his viewers that was definitely not the case with the Pademmys. “You see last year, at this time, we thought it would be fun to honor some of the most outstanding performances of the coronavirus pandemic. And we really blew it out, because we were all like, ‘Well, we definitely won’t be doing this more than once. It’s not like COVID will still be a thing in September 2021. Remember when we had hope?”
The good news is that it’s the viewers who will choose the winners of these 10 awards, which Noah warned are all “extremely competitive.” Among this year’s categories are Best Historical Adaptation, which honors those people who, according to Noah, “compared President Biden’s anti-COVID’s efforts to various events from the past.” And the nominees are…
That’s one category you wouldn’t want to be a part of, both because of just how competitive it is… and also because being a nominee would mean that you’re probably a nutso bigot who has clearly never cracked a history book.
Noah, being from South Africa, admitted that the apartheid comparison is a personal favorite for him. “Being forced to wear masks is a lot like apartheid,” he said. “I mean, we all remember when Nelson Mandela said, ‘I refuse to wear a face diaper, like some libtard cuck.’ Famous words, man. Because that’s what apartheid was: If you didn’t choose to be white, then you were oppressed, and this is the exact same thing!”
Among the other heated categories: Best Original COVID Treatment (before you predict that Ivermectin’s got this one in the bag, don’t forget Trump’s suggestion that we all drink bleach); Outstanding Achievement in Scapegoating; Best Vaccine Incentive That’s Not “It Saves Your Life”; Best COVID-Supporting Governor (if Ron DeSantis doesn’t take this category for his seeming attempts to murder all of Florida, it’s clearly rigged); Best Supporting Disaster in a Pandemic; and The Donald J. Trump “It’s Like the Flu” Award for Worst COVID Prediction (never have we wished for Ted Cruz to succeed so badly… or at all).
You can view all the categories, and cast your vote, on the Pandemmys website here; the winners will be announced on September 28.
The Coen brothers, Joel and Ethan, may never make another movie together, but that doesn’t mean they’re done making movies. Well, maybe Ethan is, but Joel has made his first solo film, and it looks incredible. A24’s The Tragedy of Macbeth stars Denzel Washington as Lord Macbeth and Frances McDormand as Lady Macbeth in a tale of “murder, madness, ambition, and wrathful cunning.” The black-and-white film is based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy of the same name, but McDormand wants to make the distinction between the source text and The Tragedy clear.
“I think a very important thing about Joel’s adaptation is that we are not calling it Macbeth. We’re calling it The Tragedy of Macbeth,” she said. “In Joel’s adaptation, we are exploring the age of the characters and in our adaptation the Macbeths are older. Both Denzel and I are older than what is often cast as the Macbeths. We’re postmenopausal, we’re past childbearing age. So that puts a pressure on their ambition to have the crown. I think the most important distinction is that it is their last chance for glory.”
Between Washington’s pair of Oscars, McDormand’s four Oscars, and another four for Coen, there could be glory for Macbeth during the 94th Academy Awards, too.
The Tragedy of Macbeth, which also stars Bertie Carvel, Alex Hassell, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Brendan Gleeson, Moses Ingram, and Kathryn Hunter, hits theaters on December 25 before being released on Apple TV+ on January 14.
With a little over a week to go before Jon Stewart‘s official return to television, Apple has a dropped a new trailer for his new vehicle The Problem with Jon Stewart. Like The Daily Show, the show will tackle current events. However, the episodes will be one hour long, and Stewart promises a more comprehensive and longer look at serious topics that won’t be focused on jokes. Entirely.
In one of the scenes, Stewart can be seen dropping his trademark wit on what appears to be a government official over veterans’ health problems after exposure to burn pits. Leapfrogging off of his work on Capitol Hill, The Problem with Jon Stewart will tackle the care, or lack thereof, that veterans and 9/11 first responders have received in the past 20 years. Stewart hasn’t been afraid to take the topic all the way to Washington where he’s gone toe-to-toe with senators and called them out to his face, so he certainly won’t pull punches on his own show.
Here’s the official synopsis:
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the world’s problems. It’s harder to pinpoint the systems responsible for creating them. In this series, Jon Stewart brings together people impacted by different parts of a problem to discuss one big question: How do we come up with change?
The Problem with Jon Stewart premieres September 30 on Apple TV+.
In recent days, Machine Gun Kelly and Slipknot’s Corey Taylor have found themselves embroiled in some beef. The pair traded words, with Taylor dissing Kelly on a podcast and Kelly returning fire on stage at Riot Fest, while Slipknot was performing on a different stage at the fest at the same time. Then Kelly gave his version of the reason why he and Taylor have beef, with Kelly claiming, “corey did a verse for a song on tickets to my downfall album, it was f*cking terrible, so i didn’t use it. he got mad about it, and talked sh*t to a magazine about the same album he was almost on.”
However, Taylor refutes that story and says things went differently, producing screenshots of emails to bolster his case.
On Twitter last night, Taylor explained, “I don’t like people airing private sh*t like a child. So this is all I’ll say: I didn’t do the track because I don’t like when people try to ‘write’ for me. I said NO to THEM. So without further ado…. #receipts. This is all I’m going to say about it.”
The “receipts” in questions are screenshots of two emails: One from Kelly collaborator Travis Barker to Taylor, then Taylor’s response. Barker passed along notes on the song from Kelly, who proposed some changes to the song they were collaborating on. The song, by the way, is “Can’t Look Back,” which was released (without contributions from Taylor) on deluxe versions of Tickets To My Downfall.
Then, in Taylor’s response, he politely noted that he didn’t think he was the right collaborator for the song, writing, “Do I listened to the ideas and to be honest, I don’t think I’m the right guy for the track. Nothing persona, I just think if this is what MGK is looking for, someone else is the guy to do it. It’s ALL good, and I’m stoked for him- I hope you guys find the right fit for it. Hope you understand and I wish you guys the best with it. If I can help in any way, let me know.”
Check out Taylor’s tweet below.
I don’t like people airing private shit like a child. So this is all I’ll say: I didn’t do the track because I don’t like when people try to ‘write’ for me. I said NO to THEM. So without further ado…. #receipts This is all I’m going to say about it. pic.twitter.com/pkhweg1Ptn
If you watched all 96 episodes of Dexter that aired between 2006 and 2013, congratulations, you’re all caught up for the upcoming limited series — and you lived to tell the tale of the treadmill. But if you bailed on the Showtime series after season four or have never seen an episode, star Michael C. Hall has got you covered.
“If you’re starting to watch Dexter, I recommend you start with the first episode and then watch them in order,” he joked to Entertainment Weekly before highlighting four of his favorite episodes, beginning with two episodes from season one: the pilot and “Seeing Red.” “In the first season, there’s also an episode in which Dexter makes a fundamental discovery about his origins. If nothing else, I love it because I got to do this really fun face plant into a room full of blood, and it was like a sort of macabre slip and slide.”
Next up is season three, episode 10, “Go Your Own Way, where “Dexter and Miguel Prado, played by Jimmy Smits, end up having a face-off on the roof of a building downtown. And Jimmy Smits does this amazing thing where he says, where he makes this gesture while he’s yelling at Dexter that, I don’t know, always really stuck in my mind, because I had a really good front row seat for it,” Hall said. Finally, we have the season finale of season four (the show’s best season), “The Getaway.” Hall didn’t spoil what happens, “but you’ll see what I mean,” he teased.
To recap, the four episodes are:
Season 1, episode 1, “Dexter”
Season 1, episode 10, “Seeing Red”
Season 3, episode 10, “Go Your Own Way”
Season 4, episode 12, “The Getaway”
Maybe watch the finale, too, if only for the jokes. Dexter returns to Showtime on November 7.
“You’ve finally done something good, Seth MacFarlane,” Jimmy Kimmel declared. “You’ve finally done something for society.”
Kimmel couldn’t help himself while hosting Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane as he prepared to unveil a Covid-vaccine PSA for the long-running show (20 years at this point). Yet this PSA is a logical step for MacFarlane, who’s pushed back at his employer for allowing Tucker Carlson to spread vaccine misinformation every night while Peter Griffen can’t use a swear word. The unveiling, which happens after the 7:30 mark above, happened after another dose of sarcasm.
“I looked around and I saw everyone else at Fox Corp. doing their part to get good science out there and be responsible with their platforms,” MacFarlane explained. “And looking down the barrel of that kind of peer pressure, I said well gosh, we’ve gotta do something too.”
There was some seriousness at work, too, with MacFarlane pointing out how bizarre it is to see how “on the news side, they obviously are in, you know, their imaginary fairyland.” He added that the “entertainment side” is “making the best of it” by getting political in order to co-exist under the same corporate umbrella. And although the show has already turned a popular scene into a Covid-vaccine PSA, and official new one couldn’t hurt, either. You can watch above (again, after the 7:30 mark), in which Stewie explains why vaccines are so vital because they protect everyone. Then came the kicker:
“Even more importantly, if the virus is allowed to spread through an unvaccinated population, it could mutate into a variant that the vaccines might not protect against, and then we’re right back where we started: Gal Gadot singing ‘Imagine.’ We cannot let that happen again!”
These days, even Gal Gadot can’t handle that Gal Gadot video.
With no new developments being reported about Nicki Minaj’s cousin’s friend’s swollen balls, Tucker Carlson had to go back to talking about his other favorite topic on Monday night: those pesky vaccine mandates. This time, his target was the U.S. military. Several weeks ago, the Biden administration announced that it would be requiring all U.S. troops to be vaccinated, and Carlson is still not over it. Now he’s channeling Dana Carvey’s “Church Lady” character from SNL in discussing the mandate and speculating that it has something to do with… Satan?!?
As Mediaite reports, Carlson had a lot of questions about why the military would want to require troops to be vaccinated—we’re guessing he’s looking for a reason beyond “so that they don’t die and/or kill any fellow troops.” He floated one bonkers theory:
“The point of mandatory vaccination is to identify the sincere Christians in the ranks, the freethinkers, the men with high testosterone levels, and anyone else who doesn’t love Joe Biden, and make them leave immediately. It’s a takeover of the U.S. military.”
That wasn’t even the most insane part. Carlson then put up a couple of slides from a PowerPoint presentation he said the show had obtained from an Army slideshow about the COVID vaccine:
“You will notice their sympathetic portrayal of Satanism. ‘How many children were sacrificed to Satan because of the vaccine?’ the slide reads, apparently sarcastically. Then the presentation proceeds to list the so-called tenets of Satanism which are taken from the Temple of Satanism website. So here you have the United States Army doing PR for satanism.”
Tucker Carlson says vaccine requirements for the military are a ploy to “identify the sincere Christians in the ranks, the free thinkers, the men with high testosterone levels, and anybody else who doesn’t love Joe Biden and make them leave immediately.” pic.twitter.com/cEoZhpGo3U
If you look closely at the first slide, however, you’ll notice that among the “evil” tenets listed are things like, “One should strive to act with compassion and empathy toward all creatures in accordance with reason.” And that the title of the slide itself is “Questions from Friday,” which would seem to indicate that “How many children were sacrificed to Satan because of the vaccine?” was a question asked by someone else… then answered somewhat sarcastically by whoever was in charge.
According to Mediaite, Carlson says the Army did confirm that the slide was real, but noted that it was not part of any presentation that military officials had approved. (Those wacky Satanists—always flying under the military’s radar!)
None of which settled Carlson, who claimed that vaccine mandates—rules put in place to save the lives of thousands of U.S. troops—are “horrifying,” and that “If you loved the country, you would not do this.”
This ranking was almost impossible for several reasons. One, ranking every Scotch whisky from drinks giant Diageo barely makes sense. Is it even possible to rank an Oban over a Talisker? Or a Mortlach over Lagavulin? What about the blends? Or the fact that Diageo owns 35 Scotch whisky brands with a bajillion expressions between them all?
See, this is already a dizzying prospect and we haven’t even started yet. Is there any shot at creating a method or will it all just be madness?
Come what may, I’m going to press on. That said, it’s kind of amazing that the easiest part of this ranking is the fact that I’ve actually tasted all of these brands. Diageo is really good at putting out deep cuts from their various distilleries over the years. The Rare By Nature and Flora and Fauna collections make it surprisingly easy (though expensive) to try otherwise impossible to find bottles from very small Diageo distilleries from around Scotland.
Well… maybe “easy” is a bit of an oversell. The point is that they are out there and it’s not as hard to track them down as it might seem.
For this ranking, I’m relying on my tasting notes from each brand. Then, I’m calling out the one bottle to try from each shingle. In some cases, I’ve only tried one bottle — so that’s the one I’m calling out (again, we’re talking some truly rare brands from tiny distilleries here). Taken all together, this is an attempt to make some sense of one of the world’s largest collections of distilleries and blenders under one giant corporate umbrella.
Let’s see how it goes! Click on those prices if you want to try a bottle yourself!
Vat 69 is a blend of mostly grain whiskies from all around Scotland. The name refers to a contest with 100 unique vats of whisky where the 69th blend won the big prize. Other than that, this is bottom-shelf whisky with no frills.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a weird faux strawberry shortcake with a spray can whip cream on top that could be construed as vanilla flavored. The palate has a bit of orange candy sweetness with a bitter edge and a slight spice. The end is short, hot, and very malty.
Bottom Line:
Besides nostalgia for a grandparent, I can’t really see a reason to try this but at least the Gold isn’t overly astringent if you’re mixing it with Coke.
34. Grand Old Parr — Grand Old Parr Scotch Aged 12 Years Blended Scotch Whisky
This old-school blend is built around Cragganmore and Glendullan single malts. The whiskies mellow for 12 years before they’re vatted and proofed for this bottling.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bit of cinnamon apple cookies on the nose with a touch of honey. The taste is very malty with a touch of cedar, tobacco spice, and more honey/apple/cinnamon. The end is warm, malty, and slightly sweet thanks to the honey.
Bottom Line:
This is fine. It’s a mixing whisky, so mix it if you come across it. Otherwise, you’re not missing much.
This near-bottom-shelf blend is based on Blair Athol malts with a supporting cast of Caol Ila, Glenkinchie, Dufftown, and Inchgower malts and various grain whiskies in the mix.
Tasting Notes:
This is clearly malty with a hint of lemon honey candies, woody spices, and a hint of vanilla. The palate doesn’t offer much else but does amp up the malts, spice, and vanilla towards a soft finish.
Bottom Line:
This isn’t bad if you’re looking for a cheap highball base. Beyond that, there’s not really much more to say.
J&B is a back bar mainstay. This old-school blend became hugely popular in the U.S. after Prohibition and still sits on most American bar shelves to this day, though often just collecting dust. The juice is a mix of 42 single grains and single malts that lean heavily into Speyside whiskies.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is malty with a flourish of orange zest next to cedar bark and sweet, buttery toffee. That sweetness carries and folds in fatty nuts and a bit of red fruit. The oak and spice kick in late as the sip fades fairly quickly while warming you up.
Bottom Line:
This is another throwback bottle. It’s perfectly fine for highballs or a scotch on the rocks and that’s about it.
31. Copper Dog — Copper Dog Speyside Blended Scotch Whisky
This is a new-ish release from Diageo that utilizes a lot of Speyside whiskies. Eight single malts are chosen for this blend to specifically highlight the small region within the Scottish Highlands.
Tasting Notes:
This is classic Speyside from nose to finish with apple and honey dominating the whole way through. The palate adds a warm malt and spice next to a very slight nuttiness and maybe a touch of orange marmalade. The end is short, warm, and slightly honeyed.
Bottom Line:
This is another good highball candidate that isn’t too shabby in a cocktail, either.
This whisky is the base of J&B above. The malts are rarely ever seen on the open market as a single malt bottling, making this 12-year-old drop from the Flora and Fauna line pretty damn rare.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a medley of nuts, dark chocolate, and orange peels on the nose that support deep earthiness that’s damn near mushroom-y. The palate leans more towards the chocolate and nuts with a touch of dark spices and maltiness. The end is short, somewhat bitter, and has a citrus-y vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles that makes you go “hum… that’s interesting.” You kind of get into it and play with the juice in highballs, cocktails, and on the rocks until the bottle is empty. And then you never think about it again.
29. Royal Lochnagar — Royal Lochnagar Game of Thrones House Baratheon Aged 12 Years
This 12-year-old single malt is all about representing the Highlands. The distillery is close to Cairngorms National Park and was rumored to be a favorite of Queen Victoria back in the day, giving this and old-school vibe.
Tasting Notes:
The malts come through with a hint of vanilla, orange peels, and dry wicker. Burnt sugar drives the taste while a very thin wisp of smoke carries you towards ginger beer and cinnamon toast with a buttery feel. The end circles back around to that dry wicker with a final note of honey.
Bottom Line:
Overall, this is pretty decent stuff that I wish there was more of. Still, it’s best suited for a highball and cocktails but will do in a pinch for an on the rocks drink.
28. Black & White — Black & White Blended Scotch Whisky
Good ol’ Black & White. This used to be Dean “The King of Cool” Martin’s go-to whiskey — so there’s a bit of panache that still goes with drinking it. The black and white dogs on the label have become damn near synonymous with whisky in the U.K. to this day. The juice leans into Speyside grain whisky more than malt and is pretty damn dialed in.
Tasting Notes:
The bready grains come through with a note of lemon curd and a wisp of smoke. The lemon carries on and is married with a Christmas cake spice and caramel sweetness in the body of the sip. The end is short and sweet both literally and figuratively.
Bottom Line:
For a cheap blend, you could do a lot worse (looking at you, Vat 69). There’s a certain charm to this whisky that’s very easy-going and easy-drinking.
27. White Horse — White Horse Blended Scotch Whisky
This whisky is another throwback blend. Islay’s Lagavulin is at the foundation of this juice with various other malts and grain whiskies popping in to add some depth.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a smoked salted caramel vibe on the nose next to woody apples and a touch of cedar. The taste leans away from the smoke towards wet-grain malts, more apples, and a touch of rich, creamy honey. The end smooths out towards a vanilla pudding spiked with eggnog spices and a final puff of smoke-laced caramel.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles that you’ll either love or hate. It’s very deep for being a damn-near bottom-shelf dram but doesn’t “wow” in any way really.
This grain whisky hails from Cameronbridge Distillery. The mash is a 90/10 split of wheat and malted barley that’s aged for about seven years.
Tasting Notes:
This is very fruity with stewed apples mingling with banana bread, orange, and lemon. The palate adds an eggnog spice vibe to the mix with a nice vanilla depth and a touch of cedar. The spiciness peaks with a bit more banana bread and walnut on the end.
Bottom Line:
This is an interesting way to get into grain whisky, which is usually buried in blends under malt whiskies. It’s fairly easy-drinking, unique, and makes one hell of a highball.
25. Cardhu — Cardhu Aged 11 Years 2020 Rare By Nature
Every year, Diageo releases their Rare By Nature series of single malts from around Scotland. Last year’s limited releases dropped with a classic yet young single malt from Cardhu. The eleven-year-old expression was aged in a combination of refill, new, and ex-bourbon American oak barrels with an aim to draw out the whiskey’s sweeter and spicier edges.
Tasting Notes:
This is amazingly light with a bit of shaved wood next to big notes of tart and sweet apples and pineapple next to a rush of bright lemon zest and an underbelly of wet earth. The sweet fruits stay strong as the taste edges towards a flourish of warm, peppery spice next to a buttery biscuit. The end is long and full of that spice and sweetness. A little water really brings the fruitiness back into the foreground with a brightness that’s enrapturing.
Bottom Line:
Cardhu is extremely popular in Spain and this bottle was an attempt to broaden the brand’s appeal in other markets. Cards on the table, this is a really good single malt whisky from a great, though lesser-known, distillery. In short, this is where things get pretty damn hair-splitting until the top ten.
Glen Elgin is the foundation of White Horse (above). The distillery in Speyside runs six stills and most of their juice goes to that blend, making this a rarer bottle to find (especially in the U.S.)
Tasting Notes:
This is an orchard fruit bomb on the nose with touches of butterscotch, eggnog spice, and black tea bitterness. The palate follows that path while adding in notes of oatmeal raisin cookies with a flake or two of finishing salt, more bitter black tea, and a touch of nuttiness. The end lingers a while as that oatmeal cookie really leans into the dry fruit and oats.
Bottom Line:
This is the point where I desperately try and find a new way to say, “Hey, this is really nice. You should try it in a highball or on the rocks.”
Knockkando is yet another small Speyside distillery doing their thing. This expression is an entry-point 12-year that offers a really solid foundation for the region’s distinct flavor profiles.
Tasting Notes:
You’re drawn in by a nose full of cinnamon-stewed apples drizzled in honey with a distinct whiff of dried heather and maybe a little dried wheat. The palate veers far away from that with a pumpkin savoriness next to buttered banana bread full of walnuts, nutmeg, and clove next to a hint of milk chocolate. The end is pretty slow with a nutmeg spicing up a bit towards a peppery warmth.
Bottom Line:
If you’re looking for a Speyside that really nails the region’s profile, this is it. Also, the name is fun to say.
This bottle used to be labeled as “Singleton” for the U.S. market because they didn’t think Americans could pronounce “Auchroisk.” They dropped that back in 2001 and went back to the original name. This is one of the only bottlings from the distillery in single malt form. The rest of the juice goes into J&B above.
Tasting Notes:
Wet green grass mingles with a very creamy vanilla pudding (think bourbon) next to a touch of marzipan and lemon curd on the nose. The taste doesn’t veer too far away from those notes while adding in eggnog spices, a little cedar, and some vanilla tobacco chew. The end is long and very silky with hints of that green grass drying out into a bale of straw.
Bottom Line:
Speaking of names, I don’t think I’ve ever pronounced this one correctly. So, I guess the good people at Diageo weren’t wrong on that front. Still, this is a pretty unique bottle and worth tracking down for an equally unique tasting experience.
21. Buchanan’s — Buchanan’s Special Reserve Aged 18 Years
The Scotch blend is a mix of Diageo single malt and single grains that are all at least 18-years-old. Those whiskies are aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before their married into this well-crafted expression.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a sense of malt next to hints of orange zest, honey, and bright cherry. The palate really delivers on the cherry as the orange zest becomes candied and a nutty edge arrives, ushering in a subtle and almost sweet smoke. The smoke dries a bit as a note of pine arrives late, supported by the orange, cherry, and honey with a touch of warm spice.
Bottom Line:
This felt like it should rank higher. This is a really good blended whisky that’s a real workhorse (you can sip it, mix it, highball it, whatever). That being said, this has never reached the heights of Diageo’s most famous blend and we have a lot of single malts to still get through. So here we are.
This is another Speyside malt that’s almost exclusively used for blends. Diageo doesn’t really disclose which blends, but we can guess from the bottles on this list. The unique thing here is that Glenlossie is next door to the Mannochmore distillery and the two campuses share the same employees and warehouses.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a dry maltiness next to cedar bark, pears, and wet moss. The taste is very light with whispers of lemon oils, black pepper, wet grains, and earthy umami. The finish doesn’t overstay its welcomes and has a light lemon-pepper vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is a very rare find and worth it for just having something different.
Glen Spey is another Speyside whisky that’s primarily used in J&B Blended Scotch. Where other malts primarily made for blends are scarce, there are a few 20-year plus expressions out there though they rarely make it over the pond.
Tasting Notes:
This has a very soft nose that dances between Chardonnay grapes, fresh honey, bales of wet straw, and brand new Band-Aids tied together by the final line of smoke from a dying campfire. The woodiness comes through on the palate with an almost charcoal feel next to fermented apples, more straw, and a touch of sultanas. A nuttiness arrives late as the taste slowly fades out, leaving you with a fruity, nutty, and malty finish.
Bottom Line:
For a Speyside, this is just interesting. That smoke is more reminiscent of a very light Islay while still feeling squarely Speyside.
Up on the cold northern coast of Scotland, you’ll find a little town called Brora. There used to be a distillery there of the same name, which made peat monsters up unit the 1980s. Clynelish took over the location and started making their own peated malts, this time while leaning more into the sea than the peat. And in this case, they’ve created a very lightly peated single malt that spends a decade and a half resting near that sea until it’s just right.
Tasting Notes:
This has a nostalgic sense of a cold, rainy beach. You’re not necessarily on that beach but you can remember to sea spray, the salt on your lips, the smell of dried seaweed, and a touch of old smoke from a nearly dead fire. The taste dances between notes of burnt orange peels, old leather tobacco pouches, and this soft mineral water mouthfeel that carries with it creamy vanilla just touched with sea salt. The end is medium-length, salty, and has this mildly bitter edge that’s akin to a cocoa bean pith.
Bottom Line:
I wanted to rank this so much higher but here it is at around the midpoint. I’m okay with that. This is a great single malt but there are even greater ones to come.
This malt from the very bottom of the Speyside region is one of the rarer bottles on the list. The malt usually only shows up in Bell’s Blended Scotch (above). Beyond that, this 14-year-old only really shows up in special releases like this.
Tasting Notes:
This is pure silk from start to finish with a nose that touches on lemon cookies, bales of wet alfalfa, buttery toffee, and a touch of caramel-malted barley. The palate is an apple orchard in full bloom with a bright rush of wildflowers, fresh ginger, rich honey, wet slate minerality, and lemongrass. The finish adds a slight resinous pine with a mild yet dry black peppercorn.
Bottom Line:
This is one of those bottles that I wish were more accessible. If you see one, treat yourself to a unique and delicious dram.
You rarely see Linkwood on the shelf as a single malt. This is almost exclusively used in Johnnie Walker (below) and White Horse (above).
Tasting Notes:
This nose is complex and travels from a cellar full of bushels of orchard fruits in baskets in late fall to a cool porch with a cup of vanilla tea waiting for you to a final stop at your grandmother’s side with a whiff of old-school perfume drenched in cigarette smoke. The palate thickens as a syrup-y sweetness arrives next to that vanilla and fruit and a touch of marzipan and pine. The end is very long and will leave you with an orris root bitterness.
Bottom Line:
This feels like one of those malts that could blow up if Diageo pushed it a little harder. It’s so unique and brings something interesting to the table every time I try it.
Benrinnes is that other distillery in Aberlour. The distillery is also one of the only malts that were triple distilled (like Irish whiskey). The juice in this bottle goes back to that era of distillation with a focus on sherry cask maturation.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is full of peanut brittle touched with finishing salts, match flints, brewer’s yeast, Milk Duds, and sticky toffee pudding. The palate leans into the date cake and adds in bold eggnog spices next to a bowl full of dried fruits soaking in brandy next to a savory fruit that’s halfway between a cucumber and winter squash. The finish lingers for a while and leaves you with an almost burnt chocolate maltiness, salt flakes, and more of those dates.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty wild and engaging. Sure, it’s expensive. But there isn’t a whole lot out there quite like this.
This is an extremely rare glimpse into Mannochmore distillery which primarily produces malt to blend and only limited-edition releases. This 2016 release of just under 4,000 bottles contains very old juice aged in new American and European oak as well as used bourbon and sherry casks. It then goes into the bottles at barrel strength.
Tasting Notes:
The fruitiness of the malt is accentuated by bourbon vanilla, dry peppery spice, and what feels like the Cherry Coke syrup from a soda machine without the fizzy water added. The palate has a spiced malted bread vibe with hints of anise, black pepper, salted caramel, and prunes. The end kind of doesn’t end as hints of rosewater-rich marzipan, orange oils, and more prune linger the longest.
Bottom Line:
I kind of can’t believe this ranked this low. It’s truly a great and unique bottle of booze. But, folks, there are so many great bottles of booze coming up that you should consider this where the ‘good stuff’ starts.
This limited edition expression from last year’s Diageo Distillers Edition is expertly crafted whisky. The Lowland 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.
Tasting Notes:
There are 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 feeling of velvet roundness.
Bottom Line:
This was a very “ah-ha!” malt for me the first time I had it. It’s just goddamn delicious — neat, or on the rocks. The only reason it ranks this low is that while it’s great, there’s a weird forgettability about it (sorry to all those who grew up with this malt, I mean no disrespect).
This entry-point bottle to the wider world of Dalwhinnie is a hell of an easy drinker. The juice is aged in Scotland’s coldest distillery, making the maturation process a severe one. The juice spends 15 years hiding in those barrels as the temperatures dip well below freezing across all those winters.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a bowl of pear and apple peels sitting next to an open jar of floral summer honey on the nose. Dots of citrus oils mingle with that honey as a smooth vanilla character arrives on the back of sweet brown bread bespeckled with smoked walnuts. The nuts, sweet bread, and floral honey all converge on the finish as it slowly fades towards a final billow of sweet smoke at the back of your mouth.
Bottom Line:
This is another whisky that’s just freakin’ delicious. It’s kind of hard not to place it in the top ten of this list but there just wasn’t room for it. I mean, come on! Lagavulin didn’t even make it into the top ten as you can see next.
This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the juice is crafted expertly by the sea at Lagavulin. Then the whisky spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose. The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality. The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.
Bottom Line:
This is probably Islay’s most iconic malt. You really cannot go wrong here unless, of course, you don’t dig on the peaty malts. I generally don’t vibe with peated whisky all that much except for this one (and Talisker). Take that with the grain of malt it is.
This 2014 release was aged for 38 years (that means it went in the barrel 1976) in European oak at The Singleton’s Glendullan facility. There were only 3,756 bottles of this masterpiece released. If you can find one and have an extra grand lying around, invest in this bottle.
Tasting Notes:
This is an amazingly subtle sip — nothing overpowers. There are notes of ripe melon and mango with hints of malty and buttery shortbread biscuits. Woody and sweet apples mingle with notes of orange and cinnamon with brown butter toffee and oak char. Pitchy pine resin, toasted oak, sandalwood and eucalyptus, caramel apples, tart cranberries, and sharp peppery spice bring about a crescendo of a finish.
Bottom Line:
This is just ridiculous. It’s one of the top malts you can drink. Though, for my palate, that sandalwood note just isn’t my jam. Other than that, this is damn near perfection.
This yearly release from the tiny Islay distillery, Caol Ila, is all about the finish. The 12-year-old juice is finished in Moscatel sherry casks to give it a truly deep fruitiness next to that briny Islay peat.
Tasting Notes:
This really draws the peat far into the background as notes of smoked apricots, star anise, and honey-soaked almonds on the nose. The palate has a slight anchovy oil edge that leads towards a very distant whisp of smoke from a campfire far down a rainy beach next to orange oils, smoked salt flakes over buttery toffee, and a touch of more of those honey almonds. The end holds onto that nuttiness and sweetness with a good spray of seawater as the campfire smoke draws nearer and picks up a little more of those stone fruits along the way.
Bottom Line:
Let’s just say that every bottle from here on out slays.
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.
Tasting Notes:
Fennel 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. The end is full of sweet fruits and has just the right touches of oak, vanilla, and savory greens as it fades at a good clip.
Bottom Line:
I love this bottle. It’s something that I truly savor and save for when I need something new, comforting, and light.
Teaninich is one of the rarest drops from the Diageo distilleries. There is the Flora and Fauna edition and this 2016 limited edition. The rest of the juice goes into Johnnie Walker. This drop was comprised of malt aged in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry and then bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
This is very Highland with a nose of orange marmalade on butter wheat toast bespeckled with pumpkin seeds, poppy seeds, and maybe a sunflower seed or two next to vanilla candies wrapped in white wax paper and a touch of canned brown bread. The palate has an apple cider vibe with hints of that brown bread sweetness leading towards the syrup from a can of peaches, eggnog spices, and a hint of cedar. The finish is soft and slow and leans into the peaches as the spice gently fades towards apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and allspice berries.
Bottom Line:
If you can find this, you’re going to be in for a treat. It’s really one of those brands that you wish had so many more expressions on the shelf.
Besides this bottling, you really only see Blair Athol malt in Bell’s whisky (above) and very limited releases from the distillery or boutique brands. The whisky is a Highland malt that spends 12 years chilling out in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks.
Tasting Notes:
The sherry really shines on the nose with a deep dried fruit feel next to Christmas cake spices that were soaked in dark rum — all leading towards hot coals straight from a fireplace. On the palate, light yet very thick syrup arrives with a malty edge, notes of lemon jam, dried apricots, and a vanilla tobacco chewiness. The finish takes its sweet time and turns that light syrup into bitter lemon syrup over dried-out malt crackers with a throughline of burnt rosemary sprigs.
Bottom Line:
I can attest that this blows your palate up. There’s so much going on and it, somehow, makes sense and really drives home how unique some of these malts are.
This is the mountaintop of Johnnie Walker’s whiskies. The blend is a marriage of ultra-rare stock from extinct Diageo distilleries around Scotland. That’s just … cool. This expression is all about barrel selection and the mastery of a great noser and blender working together to create something special.
Tasting Notes:
Dried fruit with a plummy sweetness mingles with a very soft and almost dry pall of smoke. The palate then veers in a completely different direction — folding in orange oils, marzipan, rose water, honeycombs, and a dusting of bitter cacao once water is added. The end is slow, smoky, and full of dry fruits, nuts, and a malty nature.
Bottom Line:
If there’s a better blended malt whisky in the world, we haven’t found it.
This is an obscure single malt distiller that’s really only used for feeding the best Johnnie Walker blends. This extremely rare release spends 16 long years resting in sherry casks before it’s proofed and bottled for this one-off drop.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine the best charcuterie board you’ve ever experienced — crumbly cheddar, Stilton, cellar-cured hams, funky salami, olives, orange marmalade, crusty rye bread, salted and creamy butter — and you’ll be on the right track. Add in a glass of bold and tannic red wine next to Werther’s Originals and you’ll really be getting the vibe of this dram. Now, imagine that all culminated in a Christmas cake brimming with nuts, candied fruits, eggnog spices that’s all been soaked in butter and brandy for months. Then, it all slowly fades away, leaving you with that nutty holiday cake and a line of smoke from a fresh tobacco leaf.
Bottom Line:
This could have been number one. It’s mind-bogglingly delicious. But finding it is going to be a pain in the ass in the U.S.
This is a great gateway to both Oban and scotch to have on hand. The juice is classically made and then matured in the Oban storehouses for 14 long years — all within a stone’s throw of the sea.
Tasting Notes:
Citrus, salt, and a billow of peat smoke open this one up in classic fashion. That citrus carries on as a foundation for mild spices. A note of honey, hints of pears, and plummy dried fruits mingle on the tongue. The oak spice and extremely mild peat smoke meet on the end with a slight malty sweetness as the sip fades.
Bottom Line:
Oban is one of my favorite distilleries in the world. While the 21 is my go-to, the 14 is where you need to start your Oban journey. It’s cheaper and truly special.
Dufftown’s Mortlach is one of those distilleries that may just make you fall in love with scotch. The mash is distilled 2.81 times, according to Mortlach’s unique distilling methods. That juice is then loaded in sherry casks and left to do its thing for 20 long years. The results are vatted, brought down to proof with that soft Speyside water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
There’s an apple pie feel that pulls you in with stewed and spicy apples, black raisins, and walnuts next to a hint of caramelized pineapple and a whisper of sea salt. That apple pie filling kicks up a notch as a savory and buttery pie crust comes into play, while hints of mint, figs, vanilla, oak, and dark cacao mingle on the tongue. The end comes along very slowly with more walnuts and raisins leading towards a final savory note that’s almost … extra virgin olive oil?
Bottom Line:
Complex. Unique. Delightful. Bold. Delicate. Engaging. Comforting. This malt is the full package.
This whisky is a marriage of American bourbon barrels, Spanish sherry casks, and Talisker’s seaside location. The whiskies in this single malt spend a minimum of 25 years resting in old bourbon and sherry barrels a few short steps from the sea in the Isle of Skye. Talisker’s tiny warehouse feels a bit like an old pirate ship that’s seen too many sea battles and that aura is imbued into every barrel as it matures.
Tasting Notes:
This one opens with a note of wet wildflowers next to sweet beeswax candles (unlit) with hints of murky apple cider, creamy chocolate, and a whisper of briny campfire smoke. The taste really brings out the wooden beams of the Talisker warehouse with notes of sea salt next to cobwebs and wet moss that’s all counterpointed by a blossoming wisteria, orange tobacco, and a little bit more of that campfire smoke lurking in the background. The end holds onto the florals as it slowly fades away, leaving you with a wisp of smoke, a misting of sea spray, and a touch of that orange.
Bottom Line:
If you don’t like this, we can’t be friends.
Seriously though, this is one of the best whiskies ever made. Of the thousands of drams I’ve tasted, maybe a handful comes as close to the pure bliss of this juice. Save up your cash and dive into a truly great whisky with this bottle.
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