Month: February 2022

Tequila is an interesting elixir. The Mexican-made agave-based spirit has had a full-on renaissance in recent years, with more and more refined, high-quality, and sometimes pricy expressions being released. And while there’s certainly a place for slow sipping a well-made tequila on the rocks or neat, this vegetal spirit is also great for shots.

If you’re using a tequila for shots, there’s a pretty good chance you aren’t going to grab a bottle of añejo or extra añejo. Blanco (or silver, plata, or white) tequila and reposado expressions are the way to go. Also, you should stay far away from anything that comes in a plastic bottle with a handle and is less than the price of a Starbucks latte. Why torture yourself?

There are a lot of good-value tequilas that are perfect for a nice evening shooter. To find the best, we asked a handful of notable bartenders to name their favorite tequilas for shots. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.

1800 Silver

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

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27

Why This Tequila?

1800 Silver Tequila is double distilled from 100 percent Blue Weber agave. That gives it a well-rounded and fruity flavor. This tequila is so refreshing and smooth, making it a perfect and easy shot, especially when followed by a lime.

Casamigos Reposado

Eric Cohen, lead bartender The Kimpton Sawyer in Sacramento

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $47

Why This Tequila?

Casamigos Reposado is my pick for a tequila to shoot. It is very smooth, decently priced, and one of the best reposados I’ve tried. Vanilla and caramel are the two flavors that stick out most.

Nosotros Reposado

Alejandro Mendoza, restaurant and bar manager at Hotel SLO in San Luis Obispo, California

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $38

Why This Tequila?

Nosotros Reposado is my pick for shots, It goes down easy but also has a great flavor profile of vanilla and vegetal agave sweetness. It’s aged in French oak, which gives it a sweet taste.

Don Fulano Blanco Fuerte

Nick Gergen, beverage director at Juniper and Ivy in San Diego

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $45

Why This Tequila?

Don Fulano Fuerte would be my choice for a neat pour to sip and enjoy or as a shot. It’s the high proof bottling of their blanco and shows more vegetal notes in it which I’m keen on in my agave spirits.

Ocho Plata

Eric Johnson, beverage director at Waverly in San Diego

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $49

Why This Tequila?

I prefer a tequila like Ocho Plata to sip on. I’d shoot it, but it is a bit pricy. There are flavors of black pepper, tropical fruit, and hints of earthiness but that can change year to year based on the farming locations. This slow-cooked artisanal tequila is pure and will not have any additives.

El Sativo Blanco

Josh Curtis, bar director at Malibu Beach Inn in Malibu, California

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $38

Why This Tequila?

El Sativo Blanco is an organic tequila because they are following proper artisanal practices that shine through in the natural flavors of the agave plant and not a lot of additives. That also means that you won’t be wrecked when you wake up the next day.

Espolon Blanco

Christopher Devern, lead bartender of Red Owl Tavern in Philadelphia

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

Why This Tequila?

This 100 percent agave tequila won’t break the bank and won’t leave you with a massive hangover like some cheap tequilas are known for. No promises depending on how many shots you plan on taking though! Please drink responsibly.

There are floral/sweet agave notes on the nose with some tropical, vanilla, and peppery tasting notes.

Casamigos Blanco

Heather Buelna, lead bartender at Sun Outdoors San Diego Bay in San Diego

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $48

Why This Tequila?

Wow, there are so many different places to take people when they are looking for tequila. As Patron shots became more and more popular, that flavor profile tends to be what people think of when they are looking to shoot tequila. While I love a good Patron, for my money, I would rather sip (and sell) a Casmigos any day. It is so balanced with the agave notes and tropical fruits and it won’t have anyone making that “tequila face.”

Writer’s Pick: Patron Silver

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $43

Why This Tequila?

There’s a reason Patron is such a big name in the tequila world. When it comes to shots, it’s difficult to beat the classic flavor of Patron Silver with its notes of vanilla beans, vegetal, sweet agave, and ripe pineapple. It’s smooth, mellow, and goes down easy every time. Isn’t that exactly what you want in a tequila shot?

Writer’s Pick: Fortaleza Blanco

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

Why This Tequila?

In a world of harsh, burning tequila shots that are choked down quickly, Fortaleza Blanco is a peppery, sweet, and slightly smoky oasis. It’s just as good as a shot as it is on the rocks or as the base for your favorite tequila-centric cocktail. It’s definitely a versatile bottle.

Editor’s Pick: Jose Cuervo Reserva De La Familia Platino

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $63

Why This Tequila?

Yes, I’m calling out a Cuervo as one of the best tequila shooters you can get. But this isn’t any old average Cuervo. Reserva De La Familia Platino is the good stuff that’s made low-and-slow in one of the oldest still operating distilleries in the Americas. This unaged tequila is made from estate-grown agave grown right outside of Tequila, Mexico. After close to ten years, the pinas are harvested and trucked into the center of Tequila where they’re slow-roasted in fire-heated brick ovens. Those roasted pinas are then shredded and sent into open fermenters for an extra-long fermentation before double distilling in old-school stills.

The result is a truly phenomenal white, or blanco, tequila that truly wows. From the nose, every stereotype one might have about white tequila is dispelled thanks to a matrix of freshly cracked black pepper spicing up fatty cottage cheese curds next to apples soaked in fresh and floral honey with a hint of fresh green herbs sneaking in the background. The palate leans into those peppercorns but counters it with floral honey sweetness, savory pumpkin flesh, and a dry layer of baled hay. The finish lingers for just the right amount of time while settling into freshly ground cinnamon, a touch of dried hibiscus, and a soft honeycomb.

Trust me, you won’t need any lemon or salt with this one. — Zach Johnston

Showtime’s Billions returned for its sixth season last month, but the series was missing some of its familiar faces.

Damian Lewis played Bobby Axelrod, the ambitious hedge fund manager of Axe Capital. Lewis announced he would be departing the series to spend more time with his family in London, where season five of the series was filmed. Lewis’ wife, actress Helen McCroy, died of cancer last spring.

At the end of season five, Axelrod fled to Switzerland. Director Brian Koppelman did say the departure was open-ended. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he said, “The goodbyes on Billions and the hellos on Billions are never permanent; nothing is etched in stone. But that said, Damian’s time as a regular on Billions has come to an end.”

“We feel really honored and lucky to have had five years of being able to know that Damian Lewis was Bobby Axelrod,” Koppelman added. “But, again, not saying it’s goodbye forever.” So, there is still hope that Axe will return one day, perhaps if they move production to London? On this is for sure, fans are definitely missing him from the current Billions season.

The actor has been cast in a limited series titled A Spy Among Friends, alongside Guy Pierce. No release date has been set.

The Masked Singer cinematic universe just seems to get weirder and weirder as the seasons progress. The show reached a new low when disgraced former New York City mayor and occasional attorney to Donald Trump Rudy Giuliani was unmasked last week on the game show. Many people did not like that.

Celebrity judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke reportedly stormed out after the reveal. As it turns out, Thicke followed only to check on Jeong, his friend and co-star, not in any sort of act of protest. Jeong, on the other hand, was pissed off. A source close to the show told People Magazine, “Ken felt disrespected and was livid to see Rudy was under the mask which is why he walked off. There’s no way he could hide his feelings.”

The source also confirmed that Thicke did not run off stage because of Guiliani. “Robin actually followed him because he and Ken are very close friends and he wanted to check on him. Robin didn’t storm out because of Giuliani.” Thicke ran after his pal Jeong to make sure he was okay, but definitely not because of various questionable, bad and dangerous things that Giuliani has done (there are a lot).

Jeong famously worked as a doctor before becoming an actor, which is reportedly part of the reason he was upset about Giuliani being on the show, since the former attorney was a part of the Trump administration which mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic from the start.

According to the source, other judges Jenny McCarthy (who is a known for her strong stance against vaccines, which could be a coincidence) and Nicole Scherzinger stayed around to chat with the former Trump staffer.

Whether you’re a passionate football fanatic, a game day appetizers connoisseur, or you’re just excited to see some of hip-hop’s biggest names take the half-time stage (performers include Eminem, Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige, Snoop Dogg, and Kendrick Lamar), chances are you’re tuning in to Super Bowl LVI next weekend.

The LA Rams and Cincinnati Bengals are going head to head Sunday, February 13th at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles and the world is hyped. Especially the people sleeping here:

To celebrate the Super Bowl and all of the travel, parties, and game-day festivities that come with it, Courtyard by Marriott transformed a SoFi Stadium box suite into a classic Courtyard hotel suite as a part of the 2022 Super Bowl Sleepover Suite contest. Fans entered by sharing their most cherished NFL experiences involving travel, and one winner was selected to spend the night before the game in the iconic Super Bowl Sleepover Suite.

Taylor Lautner, a long-time NFL fan and star of the new Netflix football flick, Home Team, partnered with Courtyard for the Sleepover Suite’s big reveal.

“I’m a die-hard NFL fan,” Lautner tells UPROXX. “You can’t buy this experience. It’s only provided and I would do anything to win this. This is such a cool experience to be the first people to wake up on Super Bowl Sunday in SoFi Stadium. It’s like a dream.”

To say we’re jealous of the winning contestant is an understatement. While they’re living out their Super Bowl Sunday dreams, we’ll be stuffing our faces full of Super Bowl weekend snacks and pitchers of beer.

There’s been a whole lot of smoke in recent weeks about the Philadelphia 76ers trying to pursue James Harden when he hits free agency this summer. According to a new report by Shams Charania of The Athletic, Philly might be able to get a reunion between Harden and Daryl Morey a little bit earlier than that.

Charania reports that the Sixers are expected to see if they can convince the Brooklyn Nets to part ways with their star guard. The catch: Brooklyn is apparently open to the idea of having a conversation, one that would theoretically involve sending Ben Simmons to the Nets.

With the NBA trade deadline just days away on Feb. 10, the 76ers are expected to pursue Harden in the coming days and the Nets are believed to be open to discussing a deal, sources with knowledge of the situation tell The Athletic. There’s expectation that both the 76ers and Nets will engage in dialogue on a deal around Simmons for Harden this week, multiple sources say, with Philadelphia holding a chest of role players in Seth Curry, Tyrese Maxey and Matisse Thybulle that could sweeten a potential package. Still, there’s no urgency for Nets officials, who have had the steadfast belief that the current core, as is, has the means necessary for a championship. However, it’s believed that an opening exists should an offer elevate the team and make the roster more well-rounded as the franchise pursues a championship.

The two teams are heading in different directions right now. While Philly has not had Simmons’ services this season as he looks for a trade, the Sixers have won seven of their last 10 and moved to third place in the Eastern Conference, with only one game separating them and the 1-seed. The Nets, meanwhile, have dropped six in a row and have fallen all the day down to sixth place, and there’s only a 1.5 game cushion between themselves and a spot in the play-in tournament.

Previously, it had been reported that Brooklyn wasn’t interested in taking calls on Harden before the deadline.

When Cordae released his second album From A Bird’s Eye View a few weeks ago, one of the clear standout tracks was “Chronicles” featuring H.E.R. and Lil Durk. It became an instant favorite from the album and hopefully, he continues moving in that soulful direction on his future output. Until then, though, fans can be thankful that when the Maryland rapper agreed to appear on A Colors Show, the popular YouTube music channel, he brought a simmering solo rendition of “Chronicles” with him.

Of course, the running theme of A Colors Show stems from the vibrant backgrounds that artists perform before, and in Cordae’s, the cool, sky blue backdrop accents the mellow vibe of the song. Without his guest artists, it’s down to him to sing the chorus — a task he’s suited for, showing off his vocal range as he tunes in completely with his eyes closed, feeling the vibe.

Before the album’s release, Cordae also performed “Chronicles” as part of his stripped-down set for NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, while fans will be able to catch him performing it live on his From A Bird’s Eye View Tour which began last night in Dallas and runs through March 19.

Watch Cordae’s performance of “Chronicles” for A COLORS Show above.

Cordae is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

After a thrilling 2021 WNBA season that saw the Phoenix Mercury and Chicago Sky go from the do-or-die first round all the way to the WNBA Finals, both teams fortified their rosters with intriguing new pieces in the first week of free agency. Meanwhile, elite players like A’ja Wilson, Breanna Stewart, and Arike Ogunbowale re-upped with their teams, setting the stage for what should be a wide-open championship race in 2022.

Here are our grades for what each team did in the first week of free agency:

Atlanta Dream: C+

The headline for Atlanta is re-signing Tiffany Hayes, who after opting out of the Bubble season in 2020 picked up where she left off for the Dream in 2021, putting up production and efficiency numbers in line with her All-Star campaign in 2017. At 32, Hayes doesn’t necessarily figure to be part of Atlanta’s nucleus as they continue to rebuild, but she is a franchise icon, having played in the city her entire career at a high level and becoming a prominent figure in the city’s basketball community. The Dream also re-signed Monique Billings and Nia Coffey and traded for backup center Kia Vaughn, but they lost longtime defensive anchor Elizabeth Williams. Atlanta’s season will be about whether new ownership, a new general manager, and a new head coach can align on a vision for the franchise.

Chicago Sky: Incomplete

There may be no greater drama in the WNBA right now than the alleged standoff between the 2021 champion Sky and star point guard Courtney Vandersloot. Russian basketball powerhouse UMMC Ekaterinburg is reportedly considering paying Vandersloot for the 2022 WNBA season in order to keep her fresh and committed to their team come next winter. This comess after Chicago’s offer to re-sign Vandersloot, who is coming off an All-Star campaign and made close to the veteran maximum in 2021, was reportedly “disrespectful” in Vandersloot’s eyes. It’s a move Ekat has made before, paying Diana Taurasi her WNBA salary in 2015 when she, like Vandersloot, was 33 in the tail end of her prime. WNBA players make millions overseas and relative pennies in the U.S.

While the Vandersloot drama (which likely explains why her wife, Allie Quigley, is also still a free agent) makes it impossible to grade Chicago’s offseason, the Sky have done well to tune up their title team on the margins. They re-signed Finals MVP Kahleah Copper to a lucrative new deal that locks her in long-term, and they replaced departed starting center Stefanie Dolson with 2019 Finals MVP Emma Meesseman. Candace Parker isn’t going anywhere. And in a trade Thursday, the Sky also acquired point guard Julie Allemand, a similar player to Vandersloot and a teammate of Meesseman’s on the Belgian national team.

Connecticut Sun: A

Connecticut has kept its championship core intact remarkably well, as Jonquel Jones, Alyssa Thomas, and Jasmine Thomas have now all been teammates in Connecticut since 2016. They will stay that way for longer now that 2021 WNBA MVP Jones is back on a two-year max deal. Add in likely Hall of Famer DeWanna Bonner and solid drafting over the years and you get a pretty good idea of how the Sun have been in at least the WNBA semifinals for the past three seasons. They are rock solid.

If anything, their continuity got even better in free agency as they brought back fan favorite Courtney Williams on a reasonable one-year deal, the second-leading scorer from their 2019 Finals team. Williams won’t help Connecticut’s shooting woes, but she may be able to bring some juice to their defense, which was pulled apart by the Sky in last year’s semifinals.

Dallas Wings: A

Could Dallas finally put a core together and move forward? They signed franchise centerpiece Arike Ogunbowale to an extension on her rookie contract, and for the first time in a long time, the Wings have opted for a quiet offseason. That will be refreshing to fans who watched the team flail for a half-decade, ruining relationships with both Skylar Diggins-Smith and Liz Cambage and ultimately tearing down a playoff team.

After a postseason berth in 2021, Dallas has a chance to build a promising young team around Ogunbowale, with the likes of Satou Sabally, Marina Mabrey, and Allisha Gray blossoming last year. And that’s not to mention Charli Collier and Awak Kuier, the versatile post players Dallas drafted in 2021.

Indiana Fever: B

Since the legendary Tamika Catchings retired from her playing career, the Fever have been caught in purgatory. For every promising move they make, there seem to be one or two head-scratchers that hold them back. Such was the case this offseason, as Catchings (now general manager) wowed WNBA fans by releasing 2021 No. 4 overall pick Kysre Gondrezick after a rookie season in which she played just 19 games. But Catchings followed that up by getting fantastic value on the trade market, sliding in as the third team in the Chicago-Phoenix deal that sent Allemand to the Sky.

That trade landed the Fever three first-round picks, plus two more second-rounders. It sets Indiana up to own the 2022 WNBA Draft, with the second, seventh, and 10th overall picks at their disposal. This class has an incredible top-three of blue chip prospects, and this deal could really help the Fever jump start a rebuild that has gone on too long.

Las Vegas Aces: A+

Take a team that was first in offense and second in defense in 2021, add in Becky Hammon as head coach, and it’s hard not to be bullish on the Aces’ chances to finally win their first championship in 2022. Las Vegas will bring back 2020 MVP A’ja Wilson on a maximum two-year deal in addition to a tremendous supporting cast that includes Chelsea Gray, Kelsey Plum, Dearica Hamby, and Jackie Young. They have the best blend of talent in the WNBA.

Of course, the elephant in the room for the Aces despite their prolific roster is the likely departure of Liz Cambage, who has seemingly not had discussions on a new contract with the team and this week publicly criticized the contract Hammon to head to Las Vegas. But while the Aces did play better in 2021 with Cambage on the floor, their fortunes have always been tied to Wilson. When Wilson was the sole star big on the roster in 2020, she won MVP and took Las Vegas to the Finals. A more perimeter-oriented version of this team without Cambage should be just fine.

Los Angeles Sparks: B-

A year after sending two young prospects to Chicago for point forward Gabby Williams, the Sparks sent Williams to Seattle without ever seeing her take the floor in purple and gold. In exchange, they received shooting forward Katie Lou Samuelson and this year’s No. 9 pick, but many of the bigger dominos are still yet to fall for L.A., as the future of Chiney Ogwumike is uncertain, and rumors linger about whether Cambage could ultimately wind up with the Sparks.

Minnesota Lynx: B

It’s impossible to be too down on the Lynx after they announced franchise icon Sylvia Fowles will return for her 15th and final season in 2022. But the big problem for Minnesota remains that they do not have a player they trust to go get a bucket late in a playoff-type environment. Rookie of the Year Crystal Dangerfield is seemingly too small, while recent additions Aerial Powers and Kayla McBride don’t have the shot creation juice and All-Star Napheesa Collier doesn’t fully have the trust of the coaching staff in those spots. The Lynx added veteran Angel McCoughtry, but after several major injuries in the past few seasons, she doesn’t figure to be a clear solution to that issue.

New York Liberty: A

New York added one of the winningest coaches in WNBA history in Sandy Brondello, then signed a new center in Stefanie Dolson who should fit beautifully into Brondello’s offense, which is driven by post players who can screen, pass, and shoot from the elbow. All that’s left is for former No. 1 overall pick Sabrina Ionescu to take a long-awaited leap.

Phoenix Mercury: A-

Once again, Phoenix is swinging for a moonshot. After failing to develop former top-10 pick Alanna Smith and declining an option on her, the Mercury are diving head-on into building a super team. They offloaded inconsistent guard Bria Hartley in the three-way deal with Chicago and Indiana, which gave them the cap flexibility to sign another younger player, former All-Star wing Diamond DeShields. The move also created space to add another high-level player in future Hall of Fame inductee Tina Charles, adding even more firepower and star status to the roster.

How those two fit with Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and co. remains to be seen, as does the impact of newcomer head coach Vanessa Nygaard, but the Mercury can’t be faulted for not trying. This could be Taurasi’s final season, and everyone in Phoenix wants one more ring.

Seattle Storm: B+

That was too close for comfort. Both of Seattle’s star free agents, Jewell Loyd and Breanna Stewart, took meetings with New York before returning to the Storm on one-year deals. That means they will once again be title contenders in 2022, but after what will likely be the final season of the legendary Sue Bird’s career, the Storm dynasty could finally fracture. In the meantime, newly added role players Gabby Williams and Briann January should give Seattle solid depth to make another run.

Washington Mystics: A

The Mystics have been smart so far, re-signing young All-Star Myisha Hines-Allen and stockpiling familiar faces for depth and defense. But really, this grade jumps to an A because of the positive news surrounding 2019 MVP Elena Delle Donne, who told reporters recently that she has been pain-free for months following years of back injuries, and is in “phenomenal” shape physically.

It’s a bright spot in the music industry that artists are beginning consider the climate impact that their tour schedules have and are taking steps to help. Buses and airplanes burn A LOT of fuel and it’s flat out no bueno for the planet and our receding ozone layer. Coldplay famously chose to to tour their album Everyday Life in 2019 citing environmental concerns. Like Coldplay, Ed Sheeran is also looking for ways to make touring sustainable for the environment and plans on taking an electric camper fan on his next tour. Now Big Thief, one of the biggest (and quite frankly, best) bands on the indie circuit, are doing their part.

The band announced on Twitter that they will be contributing 1% of their gross touring income from this year and last year as well to EarthPercent. The charity was founded by ambient music demigod Brian Eno and as the band explains, gives funds “to organizations fighting the climate emergency in the most impactful ways.” This is a timely decision as Big Thief is set to go out on tour later this month in support of their new album out next week, Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You.

The band went on to say that “The hope is that something like this could spread to our peers, especially those making money and maybe even become a standard for artists and those around the music industry (labels, DSPs, publishers, managers, booking agents, etc).” Which is really the best net result of their effort, as well as what Coldplay and Sheeran have been championing: Lead by example and hope that others take note. Bravo Big Thief.

For more information on EarthPercent, visit their website at earthpercent.org.

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

David Lynch has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg‘s semi-autobiographical, coming-of-age film, The Fabelmans. Lynch’s role is top-secret, but, knowing him, it will probably be absurdly wonderful. The Fabelmans is loosely based on Spielberg’s upbringing in Arizona when he first found an interest in movies.

The all-star ensemble cast includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Judd Hirsch, Sam Rechner, Oakes Fegley, Chloe East, Julia Butters, among others. Williams and Dano are reportedly taking the role of Spielberg’s parents, while Rogen’s part is a reference to Spielberg’s uncle. Newcomer Gabriel LaBelle will star as Sammy, who is based on Spielberg himself. The film began production last summer, and is expected to hit theaters this Thanksgiving.

This is the first time the two iconic directors have worked together, despite working in similar circles. Spielberg is fresh off the press tour for 2021’s smash West Wide Story, which was adapted by a screenplay by longtime collaborator Tony Kushner, who also co-wrote The Fabelmans.

Lynch hasn’t worked on a major motion picture since 2006’s experimental film Inland Empire, which famously did not land Laura Dern an Oscar. He most recently directed the 2017 Twin Peaks revival series, and has kept up a daily routine of reporting on the weather every day since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With 2 Chainz dropping his new album, Dope Don’t Sell Itself, today, the Atlanta rapper dropped by The Late Show for a stirring performance of “Lost Kings” featuring Lil Durk and Sleepy Rose. The song addresses America’s prevalent problem with gun violence — particularly when the victims are young Black men — while the performance was offered as a tribute to several of the rappers who were slain in the past few years, including Nipsey Hussle, Pop Smoke, and Young Dolph, photos of whom are projected behind the performers.

Along with last night’s performance, the rollout for Dope Don’t Sell Itself included the release of videos for “Million Dollars Worth Of Game” featuring 42 Dugg, “Pop Music” with Beatking and Moneybagg Yo, and the “Laffy Taffy”-sampling “Neighbors Know My Name,” as well as an eyebrow-raising freestyle over Pharcyde’s “Passin’ Me By” on the LA Leakers radio show. The album itself has already received rave reviews on Twitter, and features guest appearances from Lil Baby, Roddy Ricch, Stove God Cooks, Symba, Swae Lee, and more. Before the album’s release, 2 Chainz claimed that it would be his last trap-focused album and if that’s true, he’s bowing out at the top of his game.

Watch 2 Chainz’s “Lost Kings” performance on The Late Show above.
Some artists mentioned here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.