Back in November, fans of the Mighty Ducks franchise received some bad news: Emilio Estevez, who starred in the original 1993 movie and who had returned for the Disney+ TV revival, would not be coming back. At first it was reported that it the reason involved the show’s vaccine mandates. Estevez later denied that, saying it was a “good old fashioned contract dispute” and saying he was not “anti-vaxx.” But he’s still out and the show has only now found the show’s replacement male lead.
As per The Hollywood Reporter, Josh Duhamel — handsome dude, Transformers franchise alum, and star of the undeservedly jettisoned Jupiter’s Legacy — is going to fill the void left by Estevez’s untimely departure. He’ll play Gavin Cole, a former NHL pro who now runs the “super-intense” summer hocky institute where the Ducks wind up in season two. But he’s no drill sergeant. As per THR, Cole is a combination of “inspirational, charming and hardcore.”
When his departure from the show was announced, Estevez revealed that he tested positive for COVID in the early days of the pandemic and that he spent the remainder of 2020 suffering from long COVID symptoms. Despite this, he still semi-reluctantly reported to work on the show that fall. Estevez was vague about what exactly caused him to drop out of the show’s second season, and though he repeatedly claimed he wasn’t against vaccinations, he did cryptically declare he was “anti-bully.”
The first seasons of The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, with Estevez, streams on Disney+.
Cardi B won her libel case against YouTube blogger Tasha K today, according to TMZ. Tasha — also known as Latasha Kebe — was found liable on three claims of libel and ordered to pay at least $1 million to Cardi B for alleging Cardi had been a prostitute and a drug addict and had contracted an STI. Cardi sued Tasha in 2019 after the vlogger refused to delete the videos in which she made the claims. Tasha countersued, but her own case was struck down, and after a week-long trial in which Cardi claimed Tasha’s comments made her suicidal, Cardi emerged triumphantly.
Meanwhile, her own experiences probably informed her recent defense of other stars from internet bullying. Last year, she defended both Lizzo and Lil Kim from online trolls, and earlier this year, she spent some time trying to refute claims from fellow rapper Cuban Doll, who accused her husband Offset of infidelity (again).
And just like that, Damon Albarn has sincerely and, uh, swiftly, apologized to Taylor Swift for some pretty thoughtless comments about her songwriting. In an interview with The Los Angeles Times, Damon put his foot in his mouth by implying Taylor doesn’t write her own songs, mostly by bringing up her practice of collaborating with others. Yet, he spent the bulk of his next answer praising Billie Eilish for her songwriting, all the while noting that she almost constantly collaborates with her brother Finneas?
He was echoing the feelings of plenty of Swifties at that point, but only a few minutes later, Albarn himself responded, apologizing with a bit of hedging that he wa trying to have “a conversation about songwriting” and claiming his point was “reduced to clickbait.”
“I totally agree with you,” he began. “I had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. – Damon.”
I totally agree with you. i had a conversation about songwriting and sadly it was reduced to clickbait. I apologise unreservedly and unconditionally. The last thing I would want to do is discredit your songwriting. I hope you understand. – Damon
The Los Angeles Lakers have had a rough past month as they’ve floundered around at or below .500 for most of January, unable to string together wins to climb the standings in the West.
LeBron James is carrying an immense load for L.A., putting forth some of the most gaudy offensive numbers of his career, but without much help around him, the Lakers star has not been able to do anything but keep the team treading water. There is some good news on the horizon for James and the Lakers, as Tuesday night they’ll likely be getting reinforcements in a big way, as Anthony Davis was upgraded to “probable” on their Monday evening injury report ahead of their visit to Brooklyn to face the Nets.
Anthony Davis has been upgraded to probable for Tuesday’s game in BKN, per the Lakers.
Davis has missed a little more than a month after spraining his MCL in December, and while it remains to be seen what level he’ll be at immediately upon return and how many minutes the Lakers will be willing to play him initially, his return is the first bit of positive news in some time for the Lakers. The team has been dealt some ugly losses in recent weeks, which have turned up the heat under head coach Frank Vogel and led to some eyebrow raising rotation choices, most notably the benching of Russell Westbrook down the stretch of a loss to the Pacers.
With Davis back, they can start trying to piece together some wins again, with the expectation of more moves to come in the next few weeks before the trade deadline.
Mateo Manousakis is not your average soccer fan. From the time he was 4 or 5 years old and attending practices with Vasili Manousakis, his father who coaches in South Africa’s Premier Soccer League, Mateo’s passion for the game was apparent. But Vasili had no idea what a sensation his son would become.
Young Mateo has spent the past several years leading the Cape Town City Football Club in pregame chants and dances, and videos of him have gone viral. Few kids would have the gumption to serve as the front man for a professional sports team coming down the tunnel, and few teams would consider an 8- or 9-year-old such a part of the team that they happily follow his lead. But that’s just what happened with Mateo at Cape Town City F.C.
“I didn’t expect it at all,” Vasili, who served as assistant coach for the team, told IOL in 2018. “I think, here at City, it’s just the amazing team spirit that took him in; he has the love and respect from the players, he can feel it, it’s real, and they always want to see him.”
Watch this video of Mateo leading the team down the tunnel to the Awuleth’ Umshini Wami chant, a Zulu language “struggle song” that was popularized during the anti-apartheid movement, to see why:
So much confidence and composure in such a little guy. It’s like he was born to be a coach.
Over the years, Mateo has developed a relationship with the team’s players and has also become a bit of a celebrity among Cape Town City fans. Videos of him leading the team in such pregame rituals have been widely shared and enjoyed on social media.
#MondayMotivation goes to Mateo Manousakis for battling it out with Thuso Phala! nnThereu2019s no limit to this boyu2019s energy!n#iamCityFCpic.twitter.com/YTyb0X3rMg
— Cape Town City FC (@Cape Town City FC) 1523859567
It was recently announced that Vasili Manousakis is leaving Cape Town City for another team, so the future of Mateo’s relationship with the team is a bit up in the air. But even if he isn’t able to continue leading the team in their pregame rituals and dance with them on the sidelines, he has created some awesome memories for everyone involved.
And he’s created some uplifting entertainment for us all to enjoy. Well done, Mateo, and good luck wherever you land.
Welcome to Euphoria Style Watch, your number one destination for where to buy the latest episode’s best outfits. Last night’s episode “Ruminations: Big and Little Bullys,” is probably the funniest the show has ever been. Between Rue’s high-as-fuck Sinatra-backed morning routine to Cal’s run-in with Fez to that Oklahoma bathroom scene and that damn backpack — episode three brought us more laughs than it did drama, maybe for the first time in the history of the show.
That scene’s existence alone makes up for the weird decision to start the episode with a lengthy backstory for a character absolutely nobody likes. A character who is an actual criminal we might remind you, and not in the cool Fezco/Ashtray way.
Anyway, that’s getting too deep into the plot and that’s not what we do here. We’re all about the outfits, and last night’s episode had a lot of good ones. Let’s dive into the five best!
Jules —Charlotte Knowles Yellow Halcyon Long Sleeve
HBO
Jules has been treating the new guy, Elliot, with the same level of suspicion as we the audience ever since he first arrived on the show, but she definitely let her guard down last night and it turns out the two characters have some pretty strong chemistry. We’re sure this is going to create all sorts of problems between Jules, Rue, and Elliot as the season progresses and we’re even more sure that out of the three, Jules will remain the best dressed.
Last night she had a lot of great looks but the stand-out was definitely this sheer long sleeve from Charlotte Knowles’ SS20 collection which Jules paired with black knee-high boots. Who amongst us hasn’t dressed up this much to sit in a dusty attic while Dominic Fike plays guitar? The shirt features contrast stitching, an all-over floral print, and a mock neck.
Find the Charlotte Knowles Yellow Halcyon Long Sleeve-t-shirt here.
Elliot — Fruit of The Loom x Vintage 1995 Rodeo Attitude ‘Thought You Could Ride’
HBO
Speaking of Elliot, does this dude ever not wear a faded graphic t-shirt with red-squiggly writing on it? Seriously, Elliot has one look, and you can probably find an equivalent at any thrift store in your area. We have to admit though, there is a certain allure about Elliot. Maybe it’s because we don’t know anything about him, or maybe it’s that damn Apple logo face tattoo he’s rocking, whatever it is, it’s working for him.
Elliot’s seemingly random t-shirt is actually part of a vintage collection from Fruit of the Loom known as “Rodeo Attitude.” The actual shirt is a little tough to find (like Rue, Elliot rocks actual vintage ‘90s pieces) but a few exist on aftermarket sites like Grailed and Ebay. If getting your hands on the exact piece is too tough, just wait it out or grab one of the other readily available Rodeo Attitude shirts.
Find the Fruit of The Loom 1995 Rodeo Attitude ‘Thought You Could Ride’ t-shirt here.
Rue — Hoodie/Sweats Combo/Oversized T-Shirt
HBO
While most of us look at Rue and see… a mess, in her head she’s listening to Frank Sinatra and dashing through life like Fred Astaire in his prime and if that doesn’t make you love her character, I don’t know what will. For once, Sunday night saw Rue rocking actual attainable clothes, not expensive and super rare vintage pieces that are impossible to find.
The hoodie is a simple Hanes full-zip fleece, which could be found just about anywhere, and the pants are by Online Ceramics and feature Haunted Wagon graphics over the left leg. Rue also wore a pretty dope Oversized Varsity sweater by New York-based label Danielle Guizio during Lexi’s fantasy documentary.
Find the Hanes hoodie here, and the Online Ceramics sweats at aftermarket sites here and here. Find the Oversized Varsity Sweater here.
HBO
Maddy & Cassie — Sunglasses and Swimwear
HBO
Maddy will forever deserve a permanent place in this weekly series as she is Euphoria’s reigning fashion queen, but we have to spread the love a bit this week and include Cassie in there too who tried her hardest to conjure up some of that Maddy magic. Still, I think we can all agree though that Cassie is at her best when she’s not trying to be Maddy (unless you’re Nate) and this pool scene really captures each character’s unique style. I’d like to point out once again that the most preposterous thing about this show is how much time Maddy spends in the pool even though by the show’s timeline we’ve just entered a new year.
Maddy is wearing vintage steampunk-inspired Jean Paul Gaultier sunglasses with a Demi One Piece by Miaou and Cassie is wearing rose-tinted rimless rectangle frames by Laspor with a Kenzie Top by 347.
Buy the Jean Paul Gualtier sunglasses here, the Laspor frames and here, the Miaou one-piece here and the 347 bikini here.
Fez — Ralph Lauren Rugby
HBO
This one is a tough one to source and unfortunately, we’re going to have to admit defeat. While we can’t find this actual shirt, we know for certain that this is a Ralph Lauren zip-up lion logo rugby shirt, but can’t find the actual shirt with the “Polo 1967” branding above the left breast. But… come on, Ralph Lauren rugby shirts are a dime a dozen, there isn’t anything particularly great about this one and you’re likely to find one that better fits your own personal style by not trying to cop this exact colorway.
I promise this isn’t keeping me up at night, I’m a normal person who doesn’t obsess over a fictional character’s hard-to-find shirt.
If you’re curious as to what Fez was rocking, now you know! Shop vintage Ralph Lauren rugby shirts here.
Yes, the myth that pop stars are artificial and not involved in their own process is still persisting, especially in the minds of older generations, who tout a certain rockism over poptimism. Luckily, it isn’t just Taylor who knows about her capabilities, but all the people who have had the pleasure to work with her along the way. One such artist is none other than Jack Antonoff, Bleachers frontman and frequent producer and collaborator of Swiftian anthems. And yes, he’s just as pissed as Taylor was about the debacle of Damon’s accusation.
“I’ve never met Damon Albarn and he’s never been to my studio but apparently he knows more than the rest of us about all those songs Taylor writes and brings in,” he began, with a definitive “Herb” to finish it off. Then he added: “If you were there … cool … go off. if not … maybe …. shut the f*ck up?”
i’ve never met damon albarn and he’s never been to my studio but apparently he knows more than the rest of us about all those songs taylor writes and brings in. herb.
Considering just how many artists have praised their great experience working with Taylor on songs, odds are this is just the beginning of voices chiming in with support for her. But of course, Jack got there first — that’s what good friends do.
“Sourced” bourbon elicits a wide range of reactions from whiskey drinkers. Some still think it’s a dirty word (or practice) in the industry, others look down on brands that don’t create their own mash. In reality, sourcing whiskey is commonplace and has been going on as long as we’ve been making whiskey for commerce in this country. Period.
One of the biggest sources for bourbon (and rye) in the U.S. is MGP of Indiana in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, just over the Ohio River from Kentucky. MGP juice ends up in a lot of bottles of whiskey on your local shelves — just look for “Made in Indiana” somewhere on the label. In part, this is because they allow distillers to come into their facility and contract distill their own whiskey without having to spend millions on a facility. On top of that, distillers at MGP make a long list of mash bills and aging/finishings that are ready to be blended and proofed by master blenders (also known as non-distiller producers) — giving creative upstart brands a ton of flexibility.
It’s kind of like the chance to set up a micro-distillery inside a massive industrial distillery. A chance to be legit (and even content for awards) without having to start from scratch.
With all of that in mind, we’re calling out 20 MGP bourbon whiskeys that we love drinking. The only real litmus with the list below was whether or not the bourbon tastes any good. For those who really get bourbon and the power of blends, that’s all that should matter.
This celebrity whiskey comes from Vampire Diaries actors Paul Wesley and Ian Somerhalder. The juice is from an “undisclosed” source but from Indiana (so, that’s all you need to know). The mash bill is a four-grain recipe of corn, rye, wheat, and malted barley that’s aged for an undisclosed amount of time before proofing all the down to 80 proof and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is light but distinct with hints of apple cider, soft caramel, a touch of singed oak, and plenty of vanilla. The palate leans into notes of marzipan with a fairgrounds caramel apple on a stick that’s just touched with salt and a distant hint of tobacco. The finish is short and sweet (and a bit thin) thanks to that low ABV, but does leave you with a nice sense of lush marzipan and applewood tobacco just touched by vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is super easy to drink, which is the point. It’s accessible, even for the casual bourbon fan, and affordable, which makes it a pretty good candidate for highballs.
This is a blend of two bourbons. The base is a five-year-old, high-rye mash bill bourbon from MGP. That’s cut with a four-year-old bourbon distilled in Mississippi that’s also has a high-rye mash bill.
Tasting Notes:
Caramel and vanilla greet you in classic bourbon form. Then the sip veers into an old library with a pall of tobacco smoke and the lingering presence of old leather. Ripe cherries take you in another direction altogether before the caramel sweetness returns along with the rye spice to finish things off.
Bottom Line:
I can’t overstate how classic this feels from top to bottom. The slightly higher ABV makes this a great candidate for bright and citrus-forward cocktails as well. It might be time to start shaking up those whiskey smashes and sours.
This Texas whiskey is planning on being fully and truly from Texas very soon. For now, the juice is primarily sourced from MGP. Oak & Eden ships those barrels down to Texas where they blend their whiskey and then add the oak spire to recreate a sort of double-barrel finish in the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a Red Hots cinnamon-sweet opening, with plenty of oak, hints of caramel, and a slight touch of woody vanilla and pine. The extra oak creates a dry mouthfeel with a continued spicy/sweet edge that’s welcoming, while hints of orchard fruits mingle with butterscotch and a hint of bitterness. The finish is fairly short, dry, oaky, and resurfaces the Red Hots note for a warming end.
Bottom Line:
I know this feels like a huge gimmick, but the whiskey 100 percent delivers on the taste and mouthfeel. That all being said, I’d still say we’re squarely in cocktail mixing territory with this one. It’s fine over the rocks but a little sweet vermouth and bitters help it really shine.
This whiskey marries Napa Valley winemaking to Ohio Valley whiskey. Winemaker Dave Phinney sources four-year-old bourbons from Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana and brings those to Napa. Once there, the bourbon is filled into Cabernet barrels for final maturation. Finally, the bourbon is cut with pure spring water from California’s Alexander Valley before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Those barrels come through with a note of a dry lumber yard next to caramel apples, butterscotch candy wrappers, and a sliver of vanilla bean. That vanilla drives the palate and comes creamy and thick as apples stewed in eggnog spices kick in with a slight woody maple syrup sweetness and sweet red grapes. That sweet note drives the mid-palate towards a finish that warms with the holiday spices and almost hot apple cider next to a vanilla cookie with a dusting of maple brown sugar.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid example of what a master blender can do with a unique finishing. It’s complex, easy-drinking, and clearly built. It works pretty damn well in a cocktail but is also a nice end-of-the-day pour over some rocks too.
James E. Pepper whiskey has a long and tumultuous history as a brand that was on top of the whiskey world until the late 1950s when everything started falling apart for bourbon. The brand was resurrected in the 2010s and currently sources its high-rye bourbon — 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent malted barley — from MGP in Indiana and Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky. That three to four-year-old juice is vatted and then proofed with water from the old James E. Pepper limestone water well.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with hints of dry cloves soaked in fresh honey with touches of vanilla bean, cinnamon-stewed pear, a hint of popcorn, and mild chocolate powder. The palate adds a nutty base to the chocolate as more warming spice kicks in and leads towards an echo of wet grain, damp wicker, and old vanilla pods. The finish sweetens again thanks to that chocolate-nut vibe as a spice kicks back up with plenty of cloves, a hint of orange marmalade, and vanilla-laced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent old fashioned bourbon. It has a nice spice and orange hint that pairs perfectly with the old-school cocktail.
Pinhook’s contract distilled bourbon is all about refinement. The expression is made from 100 barrels that are matured for 34 months before being small-batched by Pinhook’s Master Taster Sean Josephs. The juice is barely touched with that soft Kentucky limestone water to take the edge off.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a lemon curd vibe with a buttered bread — nearly croissant — feel next to a mild dose of spiced fruits. The taste is toffee sweet but is countered by a powdered dark chocolate bitterness, marzipan smoothness, and plenty of that creamy citrus. The sip ends quietly and fades quickly, leaving you with a nice touch of lemon oils next to dark chocolate powder and a hint of spicy stewed oranges.
Bottom Line:
This, again, is so unique. It’s a little young but the breadiness you get from that youth is well-layered into the overall vibe of the sip and makes perfect sense. Regardless, try it on the rocks and then start mixing up some killer cocktails.
Nulu is barreling hand-selected barrels from MGP for barrel clubs, retailers, and their own brand. Their single barrels — which tend to be four to five years old — are bottled at cask strength with no fussing or filtering whatsoever.
Tasting Notes:
Expect a nose that’s nutty, full of oatmeal raisins cookies with plenty of cinnamon and nutmeg, and a spicy cedar vibe that leans towards peppery tobacco leaves. The palate really amps up the oatmeal raisin cookie vibe with plenty of almost sweet cinnamon, brandied raisins, dark Caro syrup, and a rush of dried tobacco leaves jammed into a cedar box. That dried tobacco adds a layer of cherry on the mid-palate and leads towards a finish that has a layer of suede next to firewood bark with a hint of black soil as it fades away, leaving you with that cherry tobacco and a hint of peppery spice.
Bottom Line:
This is a great example of how beautiful a single barrel from MGP can be. These single barrel picks tend to have serious depth, layered flavor profiles, and almost always go in interesting directions. Just make sure to add a rock or a few drops of water to really dig into this one.
Penelope Bourbon is another great example of what a master blender can do with MGP whiskey. In this case, three barrels were blended — aged three to five years — to create a barrel strength expression that highlights the quality of those casks. The final product ended up being a four-grain bourbon with a mash bill of 74 percent corn, 16 percent wheat, seven percent rye, and three percent malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this bursts forth with peaches, red berries, blueberry, and an almost savory gooseberry next to cotton candy, a touch of toffee, and very light-yet-sweet oak. The palate shines as the peaches and berries combine to make a sort of summer fruit crumble with plenty of butter, dark sugar, and spice alongside a thin line of soft leather, rich vanilla, and more of that sweet oak. The mid-palate sweetens with more cotton candy before diving into a warming and spicy finish that keeps the spice sweet and subtle.
Bottom Line:
The fruitiness of this bourbon is outstanding (even neat). I dig this on two or three rocks, but will easily drink it from a Glencairn with a drop of water. It also makes a hell of a Manhattan.
This whiskey — bottled in Colorado — takes the idea of wheated bourbon to the very edge of its limits. The mash bill carries a whopping 45 percent wheat, pushing this very close to being a wheated whiskey. The sourced juice is then aged for an undisclosed amount of years before it’s batched and cut down to proof with that soft Rocky Mountain spring water Colorado is known for.
Tasting Notes:
You’re drawn in by a big bowl of vanilla ice cream drizzled with salted caramel sauce next to a very faint hint of dried florals. The palate builds on that ice cream, creating a sundae with crushed almonds, creamy toffee brittle, and a hint of eggnog spice. The end is medium-length with a touch of that buttery sweetness carrying the sip to a warm end.
Bottom Line:
I think the best description of this whiskey is that it is just “nice.” It’s so nice to sip, mix, and enjoy. There are no rough edges whatsoever and it feels warming without being “spicy.” It’s just … really nice.
American Prairie is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after sourced whiskeys. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of two to 13-year-old barrels rendered from high-rye, low-rye, and undisclosed source mash bills. The release supports the American Prairie Reserve by highlighting the project and supporting it financially.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with caramel apples next to new leather, vanilla pudding, and sweet buttered corn with a touch of salt. The palate has a nougat svelteness next to creamed corn and Southern biscuits dripping with butter and honey. The mid-palate to finish starts to dry out with vanilla husks and cedar bark but then veers into apple candy.
Bottom Line:
This is a very direct and easy-to-drink bourbon that feels both bold and classic. I really dig this on the rocks to let the leather and buttery underbelly shine through, especially when I’m looking for a corn-forward and mildly sweet bourbon.
Smoke Wagon’s meteoric rise can be attributed to their crew masterfully sourcing and blending some of the best barrels from MGP of Indiana that were made available in the modern era. Case in point, the latest batch from the company was a high-rye bourbon (60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent malted barley) that was an instant hit and was filled into bottles with no fussing at all.
Tasting Notes:
Based on Batch 29, expect a nose full of classic bourbon notes of orange oils, cinnamon stewed apples, caramel with a touch of salt, and peachy wood chips. The palate really embraces the fruit and moves from that peach vibe towards a blackberry crumble that’s just kissed with nutmeg and clove that leads towards a hint of old leather, singed cedar planks, and a late hint of cherry-touched tobacco. That leather, berry tobacco, and cedar drive the finish towards a dry end.
Bottom Line:
I tried this again last week and it’s just freaking delicious. Drink it neat, on the rocks, or mixed into your favorite cocktail. You will not be disappointed.
The juice in this bottle is a cask-strength blend of whiskeys from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. This whiskey is all about the blending process that Stellum employs to make this special and award-winning juice. Basically, the process is a sort of hybrid reverse solera technique where the blend gets more juice to keep the proof high and consistent in flavor as the batch is drained off. It’s a delicate balance of mixing great whiskeys to make something better than the individual parts.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a holiday cake with fatty nuts next to woody spice barks — think anise, clove, and cinnamon — with a nice dose of dried red fruits and honey-dipped over-ripe Granny Smith apples. The palate edges away from the spice towards a powdered sugar sweetness with a hint of dry vanilla. Then a counterpoint bursts onto the scene with a hit of spicy, dried chili pepper flakes next to blackberry pie with a nice dose of cinnamon and nutmeg. The end lingers for just the right amount of time as the spice fades back towards the honeyed sweetness and a final touch of vanilla tobacco buzz lands in the back of the throat.
Bottom Line:
This is a damn near-perfect everyday bourbon. It’s just complex enough to keep your attention while being so easy to drink, you’ll keep coming back for more. All that spice also makes it perfect for Manhattans or Sazeracs.
Old Scout is MGP’s classic high rye bourbon — 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent malt barley — that’s aged for five years. The juice is batched in small quantities and proofed down with West Virginia’s Appalachian water.
Tasting Notes:
The nose draws you in with a soft masa vibe with a mix of Tex-Mex spices (think chili powder and a hint of cumin and garlic powder) that’s countered by cedar park and chocolate-laced tobacco leaves (the nose takes me straight back to my favorite childhood Tex-Mex joint). The taste veers more towards a classic bourbon with cherry tobacco and bales of damp straw next to a smooth vanilla foundation cinnamon-infused dark chocolate and a touch of dry oak. The finish lingers for a bit as vanilla toffees, a smidge of marshmallow, and spicy cherry tobacco round everything out.
Bottom Line:
That nose! It blows me away every time. I’ll admit that the palate is very classic, spicy, fruity bourbon (that’s perfectly good), but that Tex-Mex nose really does it for me as being both unique and nostalgic.
7. Redemption 10 Year Barrel Proof High Rye Bourbon
Redemption has a knack for sourcing some of the best barrels from MGP. This multi-award-winning bourbon starts off with a base mash bill of, you guessed it, 60 percent corn, 36 percent rye, and four percent barley. After ten years of maturation, the barrels are expertly vatted to make a highly sippable bourbon experience. That marriage of bourbons then goes into the bottle, uncut and unfiltered.
Tasting Notes:
There’s woody vanilla and floral honey vibe on the nose with a touch of almost burnt toffee and worn leather. Espresso beans mix with a dab of smoky bacon fat that leads towards a slightly bitter black peppercorn. Slight creamy vanilla leads towards a hint of soft cherry sweetness as the pepperiness edges towards lemon pepper soaked in honey, with a slight note of green reeds at the end. The finish dries out and amps up the spiciness as a hint of dark chocolate lingers on the very finish.
Bottom Line:
This is so drastically different to the other barrels/blends on this list of the exact same mash bill that’s it almost feels like magic. That aside, this is one of the easiest sipping bourbons on the list. Add a rock or drop or two of water and really dig in.
This expression is all about the prowess of the team at Nelson Green Brier. Each of these barrels is hand-selected for its beauty and then bottled at cask strength to let that barrel shine through in the finished product.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with deep vanilla that mingles with hints of dark chocolate sugar cookies with a touch of mint. The palate centers the creamy vanilla while adding in a cinnamon bark vibe with notes of black pepper and floral honey moved into the background. The end is long-ish and carries more of that vanilla cream while that cinnamon becomes slightly chewy with a dried choco-mint tobacco buzz on the tip of the tongue.
Bottom Line:
This is a bottle you save for special occasions (if you can find one). It’s an incredible sipper that, again, is so unique. That chocolate-mint vibe is delectable.
This is sourced from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee bourbons. The hand-selected barrels are sent to New York where they’re blended in small batches (no more than five barrels), proofed with New York limestone mine water, and bottled. What you’re paying for here is the exactness of a whiskey blender finding great barrels and knowing how to marry them to make something bigger and better.
Tasting Notes:
This has a matrix of rich vanilla pudding next to oranges infused with mulled wine spices and … Irish Spring soap. It definitely works and draws you in. The palate is all marzipan and dark chocolate-covered brandy cherries that lead towards a dry maply syrup mid-palate. The finish dries out a bit more while still holding onto the cherry, bitter dark chocolate, and almost woody maple syrup.
Bottom Line:
Every time I taste this I wonder where’s it been all my life. It’s such an easy-drinking bourbon with nice, approachable complexity. Pour some over some rocks and just enjoy it.
This sourced bourbon is built from eleven and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in Armagnac, Cognac, and sherry casks before vatting and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts. A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and cobwebs. A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.
Bottom Line:
These releases are consistently delicious. They will challenge your palate while expanding it, all while tasting damn near perfect. Make sure to add a little water to really let this one bloom in the glass.
3. Nashville Barrel Co. Single Barrel Bourbon #1114, Selected by Fred Minnick
Nashville Barrel Company is going some of the most interesting work with barrels “from an undisclosed distillery in Indiana.” In this case, the single barrel was a seven-year-old bourbon that was bottled as-is. The hook here is that the bottle was personally selected by famed bourbon expert Fred Minnick to support the Spina Bifida Association, which is helping families deal with the condition nationwide.
Tasting Notes:
Expect classic notes of brown sugar and cherry crumble with light vanilla, hints of leather, and a touch of baking spice. The palate is velvety with a ride through soft spices (think nutmeg), a light toffee brittle, hints of spicy tobacco, and a very light echo of marshmallow. The spice, vanilla, and brown sugar drive the finish towards a light but warming end that lingers on the senses.
Bottom Line:
Having tasted through tons of barrels at Nashville Barrel Company, I can attest that their crew is pulling some of the best barrels available on the market. This barrel pick is no different and will make a great addition to any home bar (plus, it tastes damn good).
Also, if this sells out (which it is likely to do very soon), keep an eye on Seelbachs.com for more Nashville Barrel Company picks.
Last year’s Remus Repeal Reserve V is a hell of a whiskey. The MGP of Indiana (now Ross & Squibb) signature bourbon is comprised of nine percent 2005 bourbon with a 21 percent high-rye mash, five percent 2006 bourbon with a very high-rye mash of 36 percent of the sticky grain, 19 percent 2006 bourbon with the same 21 percent high-rye mash, 13 percent 2008 bourbon with that 21 percent rye mash, and 54 percent 2008 bourbon with the 36 percent high-rye mash.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is brilliantly fruity with touches of fresh raspberries, strawberries resting in dry straw, candied cherries, freshly peeled mandarins, apple cores and stems, and a touch of caramel malts. That caramel sweetness merges into a fresh honeycomb next to Dr. Brown’s Cream Soda vanilla flavor and pep while the fruit dries out, leaving you with meaty dried figs, dates, and prunes driving the midpalate toward the finish. A touch of candied ginger spices things up as a fruity but dry tobacco leaf rounds out the end with the faintest touch of walnut shells.
Bottom Line:
Okay, this isn’t “sourced” since it is MGP’s own brand. Still, this is an MGP whiskey and a delicious one at that. This is so easy-drinking while also being perfectly complex and palate expanding.
Barrell Craft Spirits is another craft blendery that’s sourcing some of the best barrels in the game and expertly marrying those barrels. This expression blends 15-year-old bourbons from Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennesse into a final product that reaches new heights for blended bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lot to draw you in with this nose of rich tobacco spiciness next to soft cedar, tart cherry pie filling, saffron stewed pears, salted toffee, and what almost feels like the salted water left after boiling artichokes (seriously). The fruitiness really builds as the cherry leads towards a bowl full of ripe raspberries swimming in cream with a dusting of dark spices and brown sugar that’s countered by a dose of floral tea leaves, culminating with a mildly bitter coffee bean. The end is long and really holds onto the cherry and raspberry fruit while a note of that soft cedar dips back in with a hint of menthol tobacco buzz.
Bottom Line:
These silver label drops from Barrell Craft Spirits are always going to wow. This is a perfect whiskey, full stop. Pour it neat, add a drop or two of water, and enjoy the ride.
The Gilded Age (HBO, 9:00pm) — Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes heads into (as the title suggests) the American Gilded Age with Christine Baranski in a dramatic role and Cynthia Nixon making us all imagine how Miranda Hobbes would fare in Old New York. This story takes place in the highest society of 1880s New York, where old and new money collide, as do the wigs and costumes on familiar faces. Those include Carrie Coon and Morgan Spector, oh and also, Louisa Jacobson happens to be the daughter of Meryl Streep, so you’ll want to hop on that bandwagon early.
Snowpiercer (TNT, 9:00pm) — Somehow, this TV adaptation of the 2013 Bong Joon Ho movie began on a procedural note and then gained momentum in Season 2 before it did the unthinkable: decided to cast Sean Bean and not kill him. Well, Bean’s Mr. Wilford must be hellaciously angry over the split-train thing, and fortunately, Jennifer Connelly will return after Melanie pulled a fast one. This week, Wilford is stressing rules while the pirate train looks for warm spots on Eartg,
4400 (CW, 8:00pm) — The government’s doling out obstacles while Bois Blanc is nervous, and there’s shocking information heading toward Jharrel.
Ordinary Joe (NBC, 10:00pm) — James Wolk’s still playing three Joes, including a cop and a nurse and a rock star. Music Joe is not doing well while Nurse Joe is on a road trip, and Cop Joe is desperate to impress.
Kenan (NBC, 8:00pm) — Kenan has a new secret girlfriend, and he’s at odds with Mika, all while she’s being accused of being a workaholic.
The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon — Tiffany Haddish, Paris Hilton, Earl Sweatshirt
Late Night With Seth Meyers — Milo Ventimiglia, James Austin Johnson, Larnell Lewis
In case you missed this recent pick:
Servant: Season 3 (Apple TV+ series) — M. Night Shyamalan wraps up his current showrunning and directing duties with his cult-focused series that should wrap up what’s going on with that spooky nanny. Baby Jericho’s returned, and the tension’s all the way up to eleven, but the horror still has another round to go before either releasing or destroying this entire cast of characters.
As Jackass Forever prepares to hit theaters next month, Steve-O is pulling double duty as the wild stuntman also kicks off his new comedy tour, The Bucket List, which he hopes will bring him towards the final evolution in his career, where his life will still be in imminent danger, but at least Marc Maron will finally respect him. Maybe. It’s a lot.
In a lengthy profile that goes all the way back to his misadventures in the sixth grade, Steve-O (real name: Stephen Glover) opens up about his whirlwind life of working in carnivals, starring in Jackass, and his well-document struggles with substance abuse and recovery. While Steve-O openly admits that his career until now was never part of a grand design and was mostly him flying by the seat of his pants, he does have an oddly specific plan for moving past his Jackass persona and going out in a blaze of glory as just Steve Glover, stand-up comedian. Naturally, it involves getting breast implants and having a gun fired at his face. Via Men’s Health:
To get to this oasis, Glover has mapped out what he calls a “delusional vision.” First, Jackass director Tremaine will watch The Bucket List and agree to help him present it to Netflix, which will buy and distribute it, enabling Glover to play his next shows in arenas. “That felt grandiose and kind of crazy, but I can’t help it,” he says of dreaming aloud of something on that scale. His final outing will be the Gone Too Far tour and will feature, among other stunts, Glover receiving breast implants (“huge, hairy man titties,” as he says); getting a penis tattooed over his eyebrow; and having a bullet shot through his open jaw, which will cause comedy “purists” like Marc Maron to take him seriously as a stand-up. Then he will finally be free from the blessed trap of being Steve-O: generating enough attention to fulfill his primal need but in a way that keeps him from garnering the esteem he truly craves.
Later in the interview, Steve-O reveals that he’s been concerned about his stage name going all the way back to 1996 and was afraid the nickname would stick. Clearly, he was right, so we wish him the best of luck in untethering himself from the Steve-O moniker. And with the whole “bullet through the mouth thing.” Although, maybe he should reconsider that one. Maybe. Just think about it, Steve-O.
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