Month: December 2021

Usually, your best bet to see a bunch of well-known artists performing on TV in rapid succession is to catch an awards show like the Grammys. Well, the next Grammy ceremony is set for late January, but ahead of then, last night offered a different kind of opportunity to watch a ton of musical firepower taking the stage on the same broadcast: The Voice aired the live finale episode of its 21st season last night and pretty much every musician you’ve ever heard of took the stage.

Aside from the show’s contestants, artists who performed included Coldplay and BTS; Walker Hayes; Tori Kelly, Keke Palmer, and some contestants; Ed Sheeran; Jennifer Lopez and Lukas Nelson; Carrie Underwood and John Legend; Alicia Keys; Ariana Grande and Kid Cudi; Kelly Clarkson; Blake Shelton; and John Legend.

Of particular note was Kid Cudi and Ariana Grande giving their Don’t Look Up single “Just Look Up” its live debut. Meanwhile, Coldplay opened the show with “My Universe,” and while BTS couldn’t be there in person, they did show up on stage as holograms. Later, Ed Sheeran, who was a Mega Mentor on the show this season, stopped by to play “Shivers.”

By the way, Ohio sibling trio Girl Named Tom ended up winning the season, making them the first group to do so.

Check out the other performances from The Voice finale below.

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

One thing that you must know about Kim Bodnia (Killing Eve‘s Konstantin) and Kristofer Hivju (Game Of Thrones‘ Tormund Giantsbane) is that they both have incredible laughs. I already knew this from the last time that I spoke with Kim, and I had a hunch that Kristofer would be pleasant enough, but Zooming with both of them (at the same time) is quite the sensory experience. Between the two of them, they run the spectrum between thunderous booming and gleeful giggling, at times passing the baton back-and-forth while spreading sheer joy. They could bottle this stuff up and sell it for a premium. In short, they are both thoughtful gents and a ton of fun.

Fortunately for millions of fans of Netflix’s The Witcher franchise, Kim and Kristofer join the flagship show for the long-awaited banger of a second season. Henry Cavill’s Geralt of Rivia’s shifting into new territory, and two key characters help to get that ball rolling and maintain momentum. That would be Kim’s Vesemir, the Witcher-mentor and Geralt’s father figure, who enjoyed a canon-bath during his origin story in the recent The Witcher: Nightmare of the Wolf anime movie. Vesemir is still beloved, and Kim’s a master at putting a twinkle in the eye of a guy who’s also been through a lot of sh*t throughout his monster-hunting career. These days, he’s dealing with heavy stuff, and there’s a whole lot of darkness buried within Nivellen, an old friend who Geralt barely recognizes at first, due to a curse, but who sure as hell is having as much fun as possible.

Likewise, Kim and Kristofer (who both enjoyed decades-long careers in Europe before heading into prestige TV territory in the U.S.) had a blast while navigating through their challenging roles. They’re acutely aware that The Witcher‘s fans have strong feelings about these stories, and they’re not about to drop the ball on their beloved characters. Sure, their techniques differ, and yes, Kristofer loves to sprinkle some chaos into the room, which only added to their thoughtful discussion here. Their combined energies are really something, and their entrance into The Witcher contributes to why you’ll probably love the second monster-hunting season even more than the first one.

I’m a little bummed that you two aren’t in the same place (the pandemic continues) at the moment because man, getting Tormund and Konstantin in the same room would be amazing. You did tangle with COVID at one point, Kristopher. You doing alright these days?

Kristofer Hivju: I’m good! I’m just waiting to get COVID one more time.

Uh, please don’t do that…So, why did Netflix group you two together for interviews?

Kristofer Hivju: Oh, I don’t know? Probably because we’re both from Scandinaaaaavia.

Kim Bodnia: [Laughs]

Kristofer Hivju: No, I think both of the characters are pulling more emotions and getting to dig deeper into Ciri and Geralt. And we are the new kids on the block.

What was that like, stepping in when the other characters already have their routines and dynamics all set up?

Kim Bodnia: It was very lovely. The Witcher world is my adoptive family. First of all, the big fan group is connected to it all, and then, on set, everybody is so integrated and working so well together and feeling like one big family. So it was very easy to join them and, somehow you know, Henry is a very lovely person. He’s a real nerd about The Witcher world, so he’s like a library. You can always sit and listen and [talk] to him about what’s actually going on, so it gives a lot of peacefulness about it all, and everybody’s like that, so it’s very lovely to be a part of.

Well, Henry has played all the games and read all of the books. That’s a huge undertaking. How deep did you guys dive into the lore?

Kim Bodnia: First of all, after that first season, you don’t want to disappoint any fans at all, so how could I not go deep into the stuff? Because I was playing his father, I can’t do that to my son [laughs]. I really had to study, and I really had to come up with something for feeling like I was putting something new into the world of The Witcher. So, I was very happy to confirm that I was living in the forest for 20 years and had been alone with nature, and for him and me, the Witchers are grounded in nature. Everything is about humanity and nature. Through that, I could really come in as Vesemir and get started on this foundation of trust and then traveling inside the emotional stuff. That was incredible.

Kristofer Hivju: I’m not a nerd! I’m not a study.

Hey, you’re used to the Game of Thrones audience, and they’re intense as well.

Kristofer Hivju: It’s like what I did with Tormund. I had to understand the fans’ view and how they look at my character, you know? One thing is that the book with his story, it’s A Grain Of Truth, it’s a short novel. And then there are fan drawings, and they have these chat rooms where they discuss what they like about characters and stuff like that, so I tried to dig into what the fans, how they viewed me. It’s like portraying a real person. You have to have respect for how it’s perceived and of course, there’s a difference between the books and the show, as it should be, but the source, the bible, it’s there, so it’s always some inspiration to find.

People have such strong feelings for Nivellen. He goes through nearly every emotion onscreen. How did you channel all of that underneath all of those prosthetics?

Kristofer Hivju: First of all, I tried to really figure out what he was hiding and what he was ashamed off and all the remorse and how that has shaped him for the last, I think fifteen or thirteen years. He’s cursed, and every time he looks at himself in the mirror, he’s reminded of what he’s done. I had to figure that out before I could put on all of the other layers: positivity and charm and wit. It’s about finding the whole. You have to find the darkness to find the light.

To be honest here, I could kind-of see both of you taking on either of these roles (Nivellen and Vesemir) well. What was the casting process like?

Kim Bodnia: I was asked to come in for the journey, so for me, it started there, based on that. As for your question at the beginning, why [Kristofer and I are] together now: with this journey, where you have a character, there is a darkness. To live in the darkness, and my character is on his way to darkness, so maybe that’s the connection on why we are together. And also when I’m facing the darkness, it’s very tough. It’s very complex. Because you could lose your son, you could lose his daughter, so I think the balance is here. We’re together now, and it’s very exciting to hear about his character and my character.

You’re also coming in as Vesemir after he got an anime prequel movie. I’m not sure if that order got swapped because of the pandemic, but that Vesemir was very swaggery and really light at the beginning, and you had to come in with so much more on top of you.

Kim Bodnia: You’re right, and I was also surprised at how much fun Vesemir when he was young, and I only forgot that. It was lovely to see that he had so much fun. But I saw it when you saw it, so we were done shooting for the season, but I was told about it, and I was so happy for that. It was very good.

Very clearly, Kristopher, you spent a lot of time in makeup. Did you have to go through the whole wig thing, Kim?

Kim Bodnia: Yeah, it was very easy because I had the wig, and it was my own beard. The wig fit very easily. For transforming, the makeup was incredible.. I love the art they were doing there because it was so beautifully made. I spent a lot of hours there, and I love it.

I have my reasons for thinking that this season is improved over the first one. How would you guys make that case, too?

Kristofer Hivju: Well, I haven’t seen the second season yet, but the difference is maybe that things happen more chronologically. The first season was jumping in time, so really had to see it twice to understand it.

Oh, I totally had to watch it twice.

Kristofer Hivju: And you should see it twice. Then you really understand how it’s all connected, and I know the fantasy fans love the challenges like that. But I know that the second season is more chronologically set up in that way.

Kim Bodnia: I have seen this season, and it is incredible to watch. I just want to watch more and more and more. Just coming behind all the characters, just to follow their emotional travel, and the journey they have is incredible and beautiful, and you get the knowledge of all the characters. And you get introduced to characters that you haven’t seen before… and particularly with the emotional stuff, it’s going totally crazy. It’s so beautiful, and the monsters are bigger and more crazy, so yeah, you’ll just want more after this season.

Now when this season’s over and you wanna give your characters a break, what would you want them to do?

Kristofer Hivju: Oh, I think Nivellen should go to a spa.

Kim Bodnia: Ha!

Kristofer Hivju: And get a good massage because it’s hard to live in such a big body.

One last question for you both. Going back to your infamous characters elsewhere, if you could plot Tormund and Konstantin into other shows besides Game of Thrones and Killing Eve, where would you want them to visit?

Kristofer Hivju: Which character again?

I mean… Tormund and his obsession with giant women.

Kristofer Hivju: Oh, I’d love to see Tormund in Mad Men.

Hmmmmm, sure. Throw him into the 1960s, what could go wrong?

Kim Bodnia: Yeah, I’d love to see Constantine in, uh…

Kristofer Hivju: Sex And The City!

[Everyone dissolves in laughter.]

Kim: Haha! I can’t compare to that. That would be lovely.

Is that your final answer?

Kim Bodnia: Yeah! It was for me.

This totally went off the rails. It was a pleasure.

‘The Witcher’ returns to Netflix on December 17.

Rifle Republican Lauren Boebert appears to be distracted this week by her emergence as an SNL parody target. Further, cast member Chloe Fineman has been trolling the “actual clown” after Boebert’s triggered response to a sketch that roasted her gun-filled family Christmas photo. This distraction, of course, didn’t stop the House from passing anti-Islamophobia legislation introduced by Boebert’s Democratic colleague, Rep. Ilhan Omar.

There’s quite a history there. Boebert performed some kind of bad stand-up comedy at a fundraiser, at which she repeated her “Jihad Squad” remarks and suggested that a Capitol Police officer feared Omar to be a terrorist because of backpacks or something. Omar, who has revealed how she’s received death threats following Boebert’s anti-Muslim remarks, used the situation for good. Late Tuesday, the House voted down party lines to pass Omar’s bill, which will battle Islamophobia in the U.S. Via CNN:

The House voted 219-212 Tuesday to pass Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar’s legislation to create a special envoy to combat Islamophobia, a week after progressives introduced a separate resolution to strip Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of her committee assignments following her anti-Muslim comments calling the Minnesota Democrat a terrorist.

The bill would address the rise in incidents of Islamophobia worldwide and still needs to pass the Senate before it could go to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

According to ABC News, the floor debate (before the vote) grew contentious with GOP Rep. Scott Perry describing Omar “as anti-Semitic and implied that she has ties to terrorist organizations,” which prompted “audible gasps” from Democrats. And sadly enough, this issue is indeed falling down party lines in one of the houses of Congress. The bill will soon head to the Senate, and as of now, there’s been no public reaction from Boebert, although she’s proven that she can’t stay silent forever.

(Via ABC News & CNN)

After nearly a year of watching Fox News sh*t disturbers like Sean Hannity, Laura Ingraham, and Brian Kilmeade pretend as if we’re all making too big of a deal over the deadly Capitol insurrection on January 6th, it’s hard not to feel at least a little bit of satisfaction in knowing that those very same people spent much of that day begging Donald Trump to do something—anything—to stop it. Jimmy Kimmel was particularly tickled that it was Liz Cheney who got to expose these sniveling hypocrites.

On Tuesday night, Kimmel gave a succinct reminder of “what went down, or more accurately did not go down, on January 6th. You may remember [that] for three hours, Trump just hung out saying nothing while a violent crowd attacked the Capitol. He was watching from the White House, soaking it all in.” But not everyone, including Trump’s closest allies, was so blasé about a violent coup taking place in the middle of a Wednesday while the rest of the world watched on.

On Monday night, Cheney, in her role as vice-chair of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee, shared some choice texts that were sent to then-chief of staff Mark Meadows from a number of the president’s most ardent enablers, begging him to talk some sense into his boss. As Kimmel explained:

“There were a whole bunch of texts from freaked out Republicans trapped in the Capitol and also texts from the gang at Fox News. Sean Hannity, Brian Kilmeade, and Laura Ingraham all texted Mark Meadows urging him to urge Trump to stop the insanity. Gee, if only they had some sort of media outlet where they could have said that publicly.”

While Kimmel noted that Republicans “are furious” with Cheney for “doing the right thing” by bringing these pleas to the public’s attention, he also thinks that “listening to [Cheney] read these texts aloud, it’s as damming as it gets for Donald Trump and the Fox News sycophants who suckle his flabby pink teats.”

Kimmel proceeded to play the clip of Cheney reading the Fox News tweets, then intercut these with clips of the hosts themselves downplaying the events of January 6th altogether—sort of like how Trump talking about grabbing women “by the p***y” was all just “locker room talk.” Which led Kimmel to conclude that for all the negative things that can and regularly (and rightly) are said about the Fox News gang, we really don’t give them “enough credit for their acting. They’re really good.”

You can watch the full clip above.

In an interview this week on The Howard Stern Show, actor Ben Affleck discussed his marriage to Jennifer Garner. They began dating in mid-2004 after previously working together on Pearl Harbor and Daredevil (that’s already a lot of red flags) before getting married in 2005. They had three kids (and Affleck reportedly had a tryst with a nanny) before announcing their intention to divorce in 2015 and officially splitting up in 2018. Affleck and Garner have remained in each other’s lives, however, including the time she drove him to rehab — which makes his comments on Stern all the more curious.

“I was like, ‘I can’t leave because of my kids, but I’m not happy, what do I do?’ And what I did was [I] drank a bottle of scotch and fell asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution,” he said, adding that he’d “probably still be drinking” if they remained together. “It’s part of why I started drinking… because I was trapped.”

And while Ben and Jennifer were no longer in love, he said it wasn’t the dramatic breakup that was portrayed in the media. As he put it, “We had a marriage that didn’t work. This happens. She’s somebody I love and respect, but to whom I shouldn’t be married any longer… We did it amicably. We did our best. Did we have moments of tension? Did we have disagreements over custody? Was stuff difficult for us? Did we get angry?” he continued. “Yes, but fundamentally it was always underpinned with a respect.”

Affleck blaming his issues with alcohol on his marriage is not sitting well with people.

(Via E! Online)

In an interview this week on The Howard Stern Show, actor Ben Affleck discussed his marriage to Jennifer Garner. They began dating in mid-2004 after previously working together on Pearl Harbor and Daredevil (that’s already a lot of red flags) before getting married in 2005. They had three kids (and Affleck reportedly had a tryst with a nanny) before announcing their intention to divorce in 2015 and officially splitting up in 2018. Affleck and Garner have remained in each other’s lives, however, including the time she drove him to rehab — which makes his comments on Stern all the more curious.

“I was like, ‘I can’t leave because of my kids, but I’m not happy, what do I do?’ And what I did was [I] drank a bottle of scotch and fell asleep on the couch, which turned out not to be the solution,” he said, adding that he’d “probably still be drinking” if they remained together. “It’s part of why I started drinking… because I was trapped.”

And while Ben and Jennifer were no longer in love, he said it wasn’t the dramatic breakup that was portrayed in the media. As he put it, “We had a marriage that didn’t work. This happens. She’s somebody I love and respect, but to whom I shouldn’t be married any longer… We did it amicably. We did our best. Did we have moments of tension? Did we have disagreements over custody? Was stuff difficult for us? Did we get angry?” he continued. “Yes, but fundamentally it was always underpinned with a respect.”

Affleck blaming his issues with alcohol on his marriage is not sitting well with people.

(Via E! Online)

For the past decade or so, Alana Haim has been doing just fine in the entertainment industry with the band Haim. Music fans know the group has thrived, as they’ve earned Grammy nominations, a couple of top-10 albums, and critical esteem. Now, though, Alana has found herself entering the acting world with Licorice Pizza and she’s nailing that, too, as she just earned her first Golden Globes nomination. She’s got a lot going on right now, so last night, she stopped by The Tonight Show to talk about it.

While Haim had been on the show before, this was Alana’s first time as an interview guest. Since the conversation aired after midnight last night, Haim’s visit to Jimmy Fallon technically fell on her 30th birthday today, December 15, making the occasion extra special. Alana noted that she was “incredibly nervous,” but she didn’t show it as she comfortably told a story about a vehicular malfunction while she drove Licorice Pizza co-star Bradley Cooper around for a scene. Later, Fallon showed off a different scene from the movie, one that features Alana, her sisters/bandmates Danielle and Este, and her parents, Moti and Donna.

Meanwhile, off the air, the Haim sisters and Fallon celebrated Alana’s birthday by filming their take on the “Helikoper Helikopter” meme, featuring pizza and party hats. This comes a few days after Alana and Taylor Swift had themselves a joint birthday party (Swift’s birthday was on December 13).

Watch Alana’s appearance on The Tonight Show above.

You can’t deny the greatness of a snifter of good brandy this time of year. The oak-aged juice has a lot of ties to well-aged whiskey while still feeling light (for the most part). The wine-based spirit can range from syrupy and full of holiday spices and candied fruits to almost airy, sunny, and very full of fresh and bright florals.

There’s also a lot of variation in brandy from Germany to Spain to France to the U.S. and beyond. While we don’t want to get into the nitty-gritty of each region’s rules, each part of the world brings its own nuance to the style and we’re very into it.

Below, we’re going to call out some of our favorite brandies (and cognacs and armagnacs) that we think would make an amazing gift this holiday season. The only two rules we have for this list are 1) does it taste good and 2) is it under $100 (a nice bottle is a welcome bonus!).

That’s it — let’s dive in!

Torres 20 Hors D’Age Brandy

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $69

The Brandy:

This Spanish brandy is a throwback to centuries-old brandy making. The juice starts off with Parellada and Ugni Blanc grapes that are fermented. That wine is then distilled twice in old copper stills before it’s loaded into French Limousin barrels for a long, 20-year rest.

Tasting Notes:

This is pure holiday cake on the nose with plenty of dark spices next to rich dried fruits, candied cherry, orange oils, and fatty nuts with a hint of creamy vanilla. The palate delivers on those notes while folding in a light sense of musty cellar beams and the smoothest cinnamon and clove spiked vanilla pudding you can imagine — it borders on light eggnog with a little water added. The finish arrives with a subtle push towards the spice and dried fruit and leaves you with a dry sense of orange-infused tobacco and dry walnut shells.

Bottom Line:

This is a luxury brandy (made in the French style with those barrels) that costs about half as much as cognacs twice the price. This is also one of the most awarded brandies on the shelf, making this the perfect stocking stuffer this time of year.

Hennessy Master Blender’s Selection No.4 Cognac

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $94

The Brandy:

This year’s limited release from Hennessy’s Master Blender Renaud Fillioux de Gironde is all about snowy Alpine slopes and winter vibes. The brandy was aged in both new and used French Limousin barrels. Those barrels were left alone for at least five years before they were blended into this masterful final product.

Tasting Notes:

This feels like a bright and fresh winter fruit basket brimming with stone fruits, tangerines, pears, and nuts all wrapped in golden cellophane and busheled into a slightly damp basket. The taste dials in those notes while mingling orange oils with spicy mulled wine, dried berries, and a touch more of those roast nuts. The end comes slowly and moves between apricot, spicy orange tea, rich marzipan, and a flutter of wet cedar boughs.

Bottom Line:

These limited releases from Henny are always delightful. This year’s release was specifically built to feel like a brisk walk through a snowy forest … which, what could be more “now” as a gift than that?

D’USSÉ VSOP Cognac

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $60

The Brandy:

This is Jay-Z’s signature brand. The juice in the bottle goes way back to Baron Otard from the famed Château de Cognac. The new line was re-crafted to suit American palates and includes a blend of cognacs that are aged at the château for four to eight years before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

The florals and fruit take a back seat to wood, spice, and vanilla on the nose. The palate of rich caramel leads to butter toffee with plenty of that oak shining through next to mild dark spices. The end lets the florals and fruit come out to play a little as the wood, spice, and caramel fade through your senses.

Bottom Line:

This feels both more like bourbon and a little lighter on the fruit. That’s not a bad thing! The bottle makes this a great gift all around and the lighter (more accessible) juice inside means that this will easily be enjoyed.

Chateau de Laubade VSOP Armagnac

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Brandy:

Château de Laubade is a vine to glass experience in Armagnac, France. The Maison uses primarily Ugni Blanc and Folle Blanche grapes to make their spirit. The juice then goes into the barrels for anywhere from six to 12 years. The barrels are then hand-selected and small-batched with no more than 20 barrels going into a single batch.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a creamy caramel and vanilla underbelly that leads toward bright and ripe cherries on the nose. That cherry sweetness counterpoints notes of old oak and dark spice as the sweetness edges towards creamed honey. The sip is perfectly-rounded, with zero rough edges. It lingers on your sense as the sweet fruit ends slightly tart and spicy.

Bottom Line:

If you’re looking for something that expands your giftee’s knowledge past standard brandy or cognac, this is the play. This armagnac is a very approachable representation of the style in a classic presentation/bottle.

Asbach Uralt

ABV: 38%

Average Price: $35

The Brandy:

Germany’s Asbach is the closest you’ll get to “cognac” outside of France. The brandy was re-designated “weinbrand” (wine brandy) after the French dialed in their appellation designations for cognac and prohibited anyone outside the region from using that term for their brandy back in 1892. The grape distillate is made from German-grown grapes but aged in French Limousin oak (like cognac) for up to three years. The end result is a blend of two to three-year-old brandies.

Tasting Notes:

Aspach starts off with nice woody vanilla, buttery caramel, and notes of ripe and almost juicy apricot. Warm pepper spiciness comes into play with a rush of dark, sweet fruits, light and dry nuts, and a touch of light but acidic wine. The end is heavy on the alcohol with a slightly creamy vanilla edge.

Bottom Line:

This is a great introduction to the world of German brandy. While it’s not the most refined entry on the list, it’s a damn fine brandy that’s both easy to track down and damn tasty for this price point.

HINE Rare VSOP Cognac

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $70

The Brandy:

HINE Rare is a masterfully crafted cognac. The juice is a blend of eaux-de-vie (water of life) made from wines from the Grande Champagne and Petite Champagne growing regions. That spirit then is barreled in oak where it spends six to 12 years maturing. The results are then married, proofed with soft mineral water from local springs, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Old oak barrels are tempered by rich and almost creamy notes of vanilla that lead towards a burst of summer wildflowers on the nose. The taste embraces those flowers with hints of jasmine next to violet next lavender that’s counterpointed by plum pudding nuttiness, woody spice, and a hint of that vanilla cream. The end is long-winded and really leans into the brightness of those florals as the woody spice warms your senses.

Bottom Line:

This is getting into the “good stuff.” The bottle is unique and the juice is excellent. That adds up to a great gift.

Remy Martin 1738 Royal Cognac

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $85

The Brandy:

This high-end offering from Remy really does shine. The brandy is a blend of ultra-refined “Fine Champagne Cognacs” that are hand-selected and small-batched, adding a unique vibe to the expression.

Tasting Notes:

Dark red grapes mingle with sharp Christmas spices, musty oak, rich vanilla, and creamy toffee sweetness. A Christmas cake full of dried and candied fruit, spice, nuts, and buttery rum leads towards a whisper of fallow lavender fields. The end lingers just the right amount of time, touching on the fruit, spice, wood, and velvet texture.

Bottom Line:

The Christmas cake vibe of this brandy makes it a great sipper right now. Plus, this is a nice step up from the average Remy you see on shelves, which makes it the one you should probably wrap up and put under the tree.

Delord 25 Ans D’Age Armagnac

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $82

The Brandy:

This brandy from Armagnac has a lovely level of nuance that makes it worth seeking out. Delord is a single house operation where grapes are grown organically and sustainably by the family. The grapes are pressed and twice distilled before going into the barrel for long resting periods of up to 25 years before blending, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

There’s a deep oak nature to this one. That vanilla spice is supported by bright orange zest, sweet prunes, old bouquets of dried wildflowers, and whispers of allspice. Next, a rush of ripe fruit comes into play: Bright grapes, dark red cherries, juicy plums, peach stones, and zesty oranges all play a role here. It feels like you’re sipping from a fruit orchard in full bloom on a warm summer day in France. Then that’s all counterpointed by this deep and dark woody spice and vanilla tobacco that just pops on the finish, leaving your senses buzzing.

Bottom Line:

Delord 25 is an introduction to the heights brandy can reach. The fact that this is under $100 means that you’ll have a stellar brandy to give as a gift this year.

Laird’s Rare Apple Brandy Aged 12 Years

ABV: 44%

Average Price: $92

The Brandy:

This brandy from New Jersey harvests its apples from the misty Shenandoah Valley in Virginia. 30 pounds of apples go into each bottle of brandy. The juice then rests in American oak for 12 years before it’s blended, proofed, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

You’re greeted with apples stewing in butter, spice, raisins, and brown sugar. Hints of vanilla and oak join the party and a sense of salted caramel arrives to drive all those stewed and spicy apples towards a nice sweet/savory feel. The end isn’t too long but leaves you with a warm apple pie vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is an easy-drinking American brandy that’ll feel almost nostalgic. The bottle is also pretty hefty and cool looking on any bar cart, helping this pop as a gift.

Cardenal Mendoza Gran Reserva

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $52

The Brandy:

This Spanish brandy has some serious pedigree. The juice is made from Airen grapes grown in Jerez. That then goes into former Pedro Ximenez sherry casks where it rests for 15 long years. The result is a deeply flavorful snifter that’s second to none.

Tasting Notes:

Roasted nuts, orange-infused dark chocolate, espresso beans, and brown bread greet you. The sip embraces the oak, nuts, and coffee as the body of the brandy feels like sharp beams of golden light flooding through darkly colored stained glass. The fruit is fairly dried and plummy and the sweetness edges ever-so-slightly towards molasses. The end is dry, bold, and leaves you warmed to your soul.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best brandies on the market (not from France, that is). It’s thick, luxurious, and a great sipper. You cannot go wrong gifting this brandy to a true brandy lover this year.

Spoiler alert for this blind tasting: 20-plus-year-old Scotch whisky is pretty amazing. I tasted eight bottles of single malt — both peated and unpeated — in the 20 to 26-year range and every single one was great. “Great” might even be underselling our baseline here. There were a lot of “wow!” and “holy shit!” and “that’s amazing!” moments in this blind tasting.

That means that this ranking is very, well… loose. I could not choose between several of these bottles and ended up with a lot of ties. It was just too hard to put one amazing whisky over another one when every single one of these drams presented something unique — deep in flavor and rich in technique.

Seriously, they were all delicious. I tried my best.

Our lineup today is:

• Ardbeg 25
• BenRiach 21
• Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23
• GlenDronach 21
• Oban 21, 2018 Edition
• Lagavulin 26, Special Edtion 2021
• Royal Brackla 21
• Talisker 25

In the end, the eight bottles of single malt Scotch whisky below are all stellar. Try them. They’ll advance your palate while providing a great whisky-tasting experience. Click on those prices to track down a few bottles for yourself!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of 2021

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2021, Ranked
• A Blind Ranking Of Affordable Blended Scotch Whiskies
• Our Favorite Scotch Whisky At Every Price Point From $30 To $500
• We Blind Tested Blended Scotches In The $40 Range And A Clear Winner Emerged
• The Best Bottles Of Scotch Whisky Between $50-$60

Part 1: The Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

There’s a bitter lemon note that draws you towards smoked toffees, creamy vanilla, a dusting of cold ash, and … peppermint candy on the nose. The sip is very earthy (almost potting soil) with a fatty smoked bacon vibe, a touch of sour cream on a dirty baked potato — baked in a campfire — that all turns on the mid-palate towards honey tobacco with a spiced finish and a dash more of that ash.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Smoked apricot opens this one up on the nose with a sweetness that leads towards salted plums with a hint of spice and malt. The taste delves into a honeyed sweetness spiked with spicy stewed apples, old and wet oak, roasted almonds, and a big tobacco chew. That all tappers off, leaving you with a rich apple candy finish.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

This burst forth with an apple orchard in full bloom, day-old brioche, and a sweet yet tart lemon curd on the nose. The palate is all vanilla cookies with pear candy, white grapes, and singed potpourri leading toward a mid-palate of honey. That honey circles back towards the pear with a slight core and stem feel as the finish slowly fades back through all that honey and orchard fruit for the softest landing possible.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Berry brambles open this one up with a focus on the stems, leaves, and the soil beneath those bushes as a spicy raisin oatmeal cookie arrives to balance out the nose. The taste revels in orange oils, creamy vanilla pudding, and black-tea-soaked dates. A dark cacao vibe takes over the mid-palate and leads towards a holiday spice mix with a stewed plum and cedar touch on the finish.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

There’s a candy wax paper note that nosedives into Douglas Fir bark from a stack of firewood with some of the black dirt from the forest floor smashed into the crevices of that bark as butter caramel malts counterpoint that earthiness and ends up at a fruit chew, kind of like an apple Starburst, on the nose. The palate leans into a hazelnut-heavy Nutella with a touch of toasted coconut mingling with sweet cedar planks. A dark cacao tobacco leaf arrives late and takes on a warming holiday spice mix that leads towards a hot stripe of orange saltwater taffy dipped in ocean water.

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Freshly unrolled Ace bandages invite you in through the nose as figs wrapped in nori lead toward a rush of fresh white rope and a slight whisper of outboard motor smoke. The palate presents meaty smoked dates next to the oil from a sardine can with a clear rush of fresh red chili peppers. The mid-palate mellows out considerably with a cold forest mushroom next to smoldering cedar branches and a final note of green bell pepper that just rings as sweet.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Light vanilla pudding with a big dollop of berry compote welcomes you on the nose as this vibrant white grape bursts forth. The taste meanders from spicy dark chocolate towards a malty Black Forest cake as stewed cherries, light cream, and a lot of dark chocolate shavings come together. The finish embraces the chocolate until that bright white grape comes back to bring about a nice end.

Taste 8

Tasting Notes:

The nose opens with fresh beeswax candles next to unfiltered apple cider, dried roses, and a wisp of campfire smoke from a mile or so down a rocky and rainy beach. Sea salt combines with old cellars full of cobwebs as wet moss, wisteria in full bloom, and orange tobacco mingles on the palate. The mid-palate dries out with some cedar bark as singed rose pedals lead towards singed orange peels with this tiny echo of dark red cherry on the very backend of the finish.

Part 2: The Ranking

6. BenRiach The Twenty One Four Cask Matured — Taste 2

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $300

The Whisky:

This newly-released whisky from BenRiach is a combination of peated and unpeated malts. The whiskies are then aged for 21 years in ex-bourbon barrels, ex-sherry casks, virgin oak casks, and former Bordeaux red wine casks. Those are then blended after their two-decade rest and proofed with that soft Speyside water.

Bottom Line:

This is a beautiful whisky. The only reason this bottle landed here is that it was the only one that didn’t blow my socks off.

5. Ardbeg 25 — Taste 1

ABV: 46%

Average Price: $880

The Whisky:

The newest expression from Ardbeg also happens to be their oldest expression (in the core line). The whisky is the epitome of peat on Islay. What makes this expression so special and extremely rare is that it was distilled and casked when Ardbeg was on its knees as a company, in the early 1990s. They simply weren’t making that much whisky back then and there’s hardly any of it left.

This is a one-and-likely-gone whisky.

Bottom Line:

Goddamn, this is just delicious. It’s so delicious that I don’t think I can say I don’t dig big peaty Islay malts anymore — because I love this.

4. Glenfiddich Grand Cru 23 — Taste 3

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $290

The Whisky:

It’s all in the name of this yearly special release from Glenfiddich. The whisky matures for over 23 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks before it’s vatted and then filled into French Cuvée casks that held Champagne. That whisky is then cut down to proof and bottled just in time for the holiday season.

Bottom Line:

This was damn near perfect. It was so (almost unbelievably) soft that I felt I might have been missing something deeper. But that’s me looking for something to rank these by and, in no way, an indication of the quality at play in this stellar whisky.

(tie) 3. The GlenDronach Parliament Aged 21 Years — Taste 4

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $262

The Whisky:

Don’t let the name fool you. The “parliament” in this case is the collective noun for rooks — a type of European crow that nests above the distillery. That dark essence is rendered in the whisky through 21 long years of maturation in Oloroso and Pedro Ximenez sherry casks exclusively.

Bottom Line:

This could have been number one had my mood been different, or if I had done this tasting in the morning instead of after lunch, or, or, or… This whisky is impossible to find faults with. It just didn’t blow my mind today the way it has on other days.

(tie) 3. Royal Brackla 21 — Taste 7

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $218

The Whisky:

This whisky is the oldest aged statement from the Last Great Malts from John Dewar & Sons line. The juice is distilled slowly before it spends 21 long years maturing Olorosso sherry casks where it’s left untouched. The barrels are vatted when they’re just right, proofed with soft Speyside water, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those bottles that’s deceptively subtle but deeply satisfying. It’s also one of those bottles where you ask yourself, “where have you been all my life?”

(tie) 2. Lagavulin Aged 26 Years, The Lion’s Jewel — Taste 6

ABV: 44.2%

Average Price: $2,220

The Whisky:

This is a very rare and unique expression. First, it’s the first 26-year-old Lagavulin release. Next, there are only 7,500 of these bottles in existence. Lastly, the whisky was built from a combination of first-fill Pedro Ximenez and Oloroso sherry casks. Those barrels were married after over two decades of mellowing and bottled at a very accessible cask strength of 44.2 percent.

Bottom Line:

I wrote in my notebook, “Fuck, this is amazing.” For years, I thought I wasn’t an Islay whisky drinker and, honestly, I could drink this for the rest of my life and not complain.

(tie) 2. Talisker 25 — Taste 8

ABV: 45.8%

Average Price: $398

The Whisky:

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.

Bottom Line:

This was the last taste and I would have kept tasting whisky this good for hours, happily. While this is the perfect single malt, it didn’t quite take me on a journey as the number one pick did. Still, I’m pouring one of these tonight and taking a minute to sit next to the tree after everyone is in bed to just let it all soak in.

1. Oban 21, 2018 Edition — Taste 5

ABV: 57.9%

Average Price: $589

The Whisky:

This whisky from 2018 is much-sought-after. The classic juice from the tiny Oban Distillery spends 21 years resting in a combination of used European oak barrels in Oban’s small warehouse nestled between a black rock cliff and the lapping of the sea. The juice is then married and bottled at cask strength, capturing all the nuances and uniqueness of Oban in the bottle.

Bottom Line:

This was like going home again. I was a teenager splitting firewood with my father in the backyard. I could smell the splinters of fir and bark. Then, we were walking along the cold stony beaches of the Pacific Northwest looking for agates as the gulls guffawed and pranced along the shoreline. It nearly brought a tear to my eye.

This whisky transports me. It’s pretty much a perfect experience.

Part 3: Final Thoughts

I’m going to stop saying that I don’t really dig peaty whisky in 2022. I clearly love some of them. That doesn’t mean I love the sweet malts any less. It’s more that these days I continually reach for subtly peated malts. And those whiskies clearly dominated this ranking.

In the end, when the whisky is this good, you end up looking for a transformative and maybe even emotion-inducing experience. My winner might not technically be any better than any whisky on this list, but it took me somewhere. It touched my soul.

That’s what it’s all about when you’re sipping these high-end drams — what truly sings to you? The Oban 21 from 2018 sang to me today.

The odds are this isn’t the first time I’ve mentioned this, but I get the impression interviews take their toll on Keanu Reeves. It feels like there’s a focus he wants to maintain, but this focus takes a lot of energy. (And, to be fair, if he did like doing them, that would be unusual.) But the thing about Keanu Reeves is he’s always as nice and pleasant as anyone could be under these strange circumstances. For someone who has, literally, probably done somewhere in the ballpark of 1000 interviews in his career, he still kind of acts like someone who is doing one for the first time. Those initial moments of trying to figure out what my angle will be, then deciding, okay, this guy seems normal enough I guess, then easing up a bit and trying to give actual thoughtful answers.

(Now I know I’ve mentioned this before. But as an example, at Sundance in 2015, I had just finished interviewing Eli Roth for the film Knock Knock. Out of nowhere, Keanu Reeves, who had just finished his own set of interviews, pulled up a chair next to me at this big circular table, gave me a polite nod, then promptly put his head down and went to sleep.)

It’s been 18 years since the last Matrix movie and there have been some changes. The Neo/Thomas Anderson we find in The Matrix Resurrections isn’t quite the one we’ve seen in the past movies. Which makes sense since, you know, this character (spoiler if you haven’t seen the third movie, The Matrix Revolutions) died in the previous film. Another change is, this time, Lana Wachowski is directing solo, as opposed to the directing team with Lilly Wachowski, who is sitting this one out. And there are a lot of meta-references in this movie to sequels and reboots – and a direct line aimed squarely at Warner Bros. themselves, which Reeves, as he says ahead, even found shocking.

Ahead, Reeves gives us his interpretation of what makes this Neo maybe a little different than in the previous versions, and why this movie itself is turning the whole idea of the first movies on its head. Also, Reeves delves into the idea that, maybe, The Matrix movies themselves have helped make the idea that we live in a simulation more mainstream. (At least to the point, now, a lot of people will say, “yeah, maybe,” instead of completely dismissing the idea.) And we talk a bit about the far right-wing and groups like QAnon co-opting the term “red pill.” Lilly Wachowski has already made it clear what she thinks. Reeves, in all earnestness, doesn’t feel comfortable telling people what to think but also makes it clear what those original Matrix movies represent.

It’s pretty wild you’re in a new Matrix after all this time. I remember everyone being excited for The Phantom Menace, then that first movie came out of nowhere and changed everything. And here you go again…

We are. Did you see the film?

I did see the film.

I mean, how did you like it?

It’s a different Neo. That was kind of surprising. I’ll admit, I was kind of overwhelmed a little bit the first time seeing you and Carrie-Anne Moss on screen together as these characters again, if that makes sense.

Yeah, no, I kind of share that sentiment. It was really something. It was wonderful to work with Carrie-Anne again. It was wonderful. I love the love that Thomas Anderson has for Trinity. It feels really good. And to fight for, to be with – and so that was actually probably one of the highlights of doing the film.

Do you agree it’s kind of a different Neo, right? Obviously, in the first one Thomas Anderson is pretty confused at what’s going on, but in this one…

“Doubting Thomas.” He’s still doubting Thomas. It’s just an older, more experienced doubting Thomas.

He is, but it’s a different kind of confusion. Because he sort of remembers what happened before, but now it’s like everything’s different again. And he doesn’t seem as confident at times, especially in the first half.

No, absolutely. I mean, I would pitch that Resurrections is a kind of dynamic inverse of the trilogy.

What do you mean by that?

[Laughs] Just that.

Okay.

Where in the trilogy Trinity’s trying to support and wake up Thomas Anderson, now Thomas Anderson is in that position and role for Trinity.

True, but he has to kind of go through his own stuff first.

And where he’s supposed to be the one that’s going to be the… I don’t want to give too much away.

Right.

But the relationship is different. It’s inverse.

Okay, I see.

Yeah. Or maybe the opposite? Inverse-opposite? I don’t know. Okay, sorry. Go ahead!

I saw where you mentioned you were talking with a younger person, maybe it was a friend’s kid, and you were explaining the plot of The Matrix to them and they were like, “Why would your character want to know this? Who cares if it’s real or not?”

Oh, value of reality. Yes. They didn’t care if it was real or not.

That’s fascinating, and it made me think about it more. The idea that we are living in a simulation has become a lot more mainstream since the first Matrix movies came out. If someone says it now I’m like, “Yeah, maybe.” And I wonder, do you think The Matrix movies showed a visual representation of that, where that really pushed that theory forward?

Ah, wow. So are you getting into the idea of, that it was presented, which helped promote the idea and advancement of the idea that was presented?

Well, people like visualized things, and a visualization of you waking up in a pod…

Like the Star Trek communicator for the phone?

You know what? That’s a really good example.

Absolutely. For sure. But I think also, I think that the films, and Resurrections, too… I think they can, for me, I think it could also be a tool, or a mechanic, to help us understand the world that we’re in.

Because a lot of people don’t think it’s nuts anymore. The attitude shifted to, yeah, it’s possible. Most people are just more open to the idea.

Literally, yeah, it’s a Matrix. Yeah. I mean, infinity is enjoying really a wonderful popularity. Multiple, infinity, infinity plus one. I mean, they’re old ideas, that there are multiverses.

I have a kind of a heavy question, but I’ve been wanting to know your opinion of this for a while about groups like QAnon co-opting “red pill.” Lilly Wachowski has spoken out that’s it’s an allegory for being transgender. But it’s still such a bummer that they have co-opted that. And I’ve been curious what you think of that, because that’s not what those movies were about, the way they’re using it.

Yeah, I don’t know… I’m not super familiar with it, in terms of QAnon, and red pills, and appropriation. But yeah, I mean, the idea of the mechanic of it is you take this pill and you’re able to be able to see the nature of reality. So escaping a simulation of a reality. So I could see how that’s appropriate for a lot of perspectives. I mean, I think, just hold onto the idea that it came from The Matrix.

I warned you that it was a little heavy, but I have been wanting to hear what you thought about that, if they’re using your movie to promote stuff I’m fairly certain you don’t agree with…

Yeah, but it’s also part, I mean, I’m not going to speak to whether I agree or not agree or anything. I want people to be able to say, and do, and be. I don’t want to…

Well, to clarify, not the idea of “everyone agreeing.” I was talking about more the white nationalist stuff that they’re using. I’m fairly confident you are not a fan of that. You’ve been kind of outspoken about that.

Yeah. Yes. I mean, the films kind of promote the idea of cooperation, compassion. So I’m all on board for that.

There are a lot of meta-references to sequels and franchises in this movie. Did you have to help talk Lana into doing this movie? Because that line, “Our parent company Warner Bros. is going to make this with or without us, so we might as well be involved.” It’s hard not to hear that and go, “Wait a second.” Did you have to like, “Come on, let’s do this”?

[Laughs] No, no. When I saw that line in the script, I was like, “Really? You would do that?”

Right.

She’s like, “Yes.” And I thought it was cool. She’s brave. And it’s interesting that that’s even… It’s nuts! It’s strange. But I thought it was very funny, and true.

It got a big laugh.

Yeah. It’s funny and true, so…

Right, if you two say no they’re going to do something anyway.

Yeah. And you know, if a system can’t take being played for humor, or be laughed at, then that system is generally not very healthy or tyrannical. Just to say that. But anyway.

So last time I spoke to you was for John Wick 3. And at the end, I don’t even remember what happened, we got off on Parenthood, and you couldn’t remember your character’s name, Tod Higgins. And you made me look it up.

Oh, Tod.

I bring this up because over the pandemic a lot of people have re-watched Parenthood and I’ve heard from a lot of people happy that you’ve recently discussed Tod. People love Tod Higgins.

He’s a good spirit.

He is a good spirit. “Did I win?” Still, one of the funniest lines in movie history.

[Laughs] “Did I win?” He’s a thoughtful, good spirit.

‘The Matrix Resurrections’ opens in theaters and streams via HBO Max on Christmas Day. You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.