A chippy first quarter during Game 2 between the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies saw the Warriors lose multiple starters as the result of plays that Steve Kerr classified as “dirty.” One such moment came when Draymond Green went for a loose ball and caught an elbow to the face by Grizzlies big man Xavier Tillman.
Green was down on the ground in pain after, and once he got up, he started making his way into the locker room. The TNT Overtime feed caught Green making his way into the back, and while it is unclear exactly what happened, a visibly frustrated Green flipped off the fans in attendance at FedExForum.
Green left with just under nine minutes remaining in the first, and shortly after he made his way back onto the floor for the start of the second, the Warriors announced that he would be good to go for the remainder of the game after receiving some stitches. Additionally, Green appears to be playing with some swelling over his right eye.
Draymond Green received stitches for a right eye laceration and has returned to the game.
Right before Green left the game, Warriors guard Gary Payton II was clotheslined while going up for a layup by Grizzlies wing Dillon Brooks. After a review, Brooks was tossed from the game for a flagrant 2, while Payton was eventually ruled out with a left elbow injury.
Actress Geffen Kaminer is making history for Israeli television: being the first autistic performer to play a character with autism.
The Times of Israel reported that the eighteen year old will appear in the upcoming series “East Side,” starring alongside Israeli actor and model Yehuda Levi as his beloved daughter Maya.
Other Israeli shows have featured autistic characters, such as the acclaimed comedy series “On The Spectrum,” which centers around three roommates on the spectrum (hence the title) trying to navigate life and love. However, until Kaminer, these characters have always been portrayed by neurotypical actors.
For Kaminer, winning the role was a fairly standard actor story. She saw an online casting call, signed up, and went through several auditions before getting the offer. The role was simply a perfect fit.
Even though she was diagnosed with autism at age 6, Kaminar’s parents were advised not to tell her until the age of 9. She noted how this made childhood particularly difficult. “It’s really frustrating to be autistic, especially during adolescence,” she told The Times of Israel. “Basically, I don’t feel like everyone else. I don’t know what’s different for me because I don’t know what’s happening with them.”
Despite having a passion for acting, Kaminar felt that “nothing on television represented [her.]” So to play a character who was also on the spectrum seems to be a dream come true.
More authentic representation of neurodivergence in television is a growing trend worldwide. Amazon Prime’s “As We See It” follows a very similar storyline to “On The Spectrum”: three twenty somethings who are on the autism spectrum live together as roommates. Only this time, the three characters are actually portrayed by actors who are autistic.
Show creator Jason Katims told Forbes that the mindful casting choice was “important…because I wanted to get it as right as we could” adding that the attention to detail didn’t stop with the casting. “It was also really important, for the same reason, to have people on both sides of the camera who identify as on the spectrum.”
Similarly, in 2020 Disney came out with an animated short film titled, “Loop,” which not only featured a non verbal character as the lead, but is also played by non-speaking actress named Madison Bandy.
These efforts do much more than add a layer of accuracy. When most of our understanding of autism comes from fictional stereotypes, we run the risk of forgetting the nuance and complexities that come with individuals. Authentic representation can be a power educator to help us understand the real life experiences of those on the spectrum, on an empathetic level. Which can, in turn, help aid against discrimination, abelsim, and oversimplification of the disorder. As Altogether Autism contributor Rachel Wiltshire writes, “a better understanding of autism means it is safer for autistic people to come out. And when autistic people can live authentically autistic lives, they can flourish.”
Whether casting neurodivergent actors like Kaminar to play autistic roles, or placing more storytelling authority in the hands of neurodivergent individuals, the result is more likely than not to result in better representation. And that makes for not only more engaging entertainment, but entertainment that inspires us to value different points of view.
College is expensive. Parents work multiple jobs, put pressure on their children to perform at the top of their class in order to earn merit scholarships, all in the hopes for college to be mostly paid in full. Inevitably many students and parents have to take out student loans in an effort to fill in the gaps left by financial aid.
In the case of one Twitter user, Michelle Miller, her mother agreed to pay back half of Michelle’s student loans to ease the burden on the new graduate. After graduation the daughter owed approximately $30,000 and, split between the two of them, it meant they would each need to pay back $15,000.
Michelle lamented on Twitter about how her mother insisted on paying back her agreed-upon portion of the student loans though the daughter offered to take over payments. When Michelle’s mother informed her that the original $15,000 turned into $40,000 after interest, Michelle decided to save money in preparation to take over payments. However, her mother refused to allow it. Miller’s mother was expected to pay $400 a month on the student loans, but this would cut into her retirement, leaving her below the poverty level. To her mother, it was worth it to hold up her end of the bargain. Unfortunately her mother became unexpectedly ill and passed away before she was able to retire or pay back the loans. When going through her mother’s paperwork after her death, Michelle was met with a shock.
The loan amount had doubled. Michelle’s mother hid that the interest rate on the loans had brought the grand total to $80k that she could never afford to pay back. But this story is not unique. Many borrowers go into debt thinking the benefit of the degree will outweigh the burden of student loan debt but the cost of an education continues to skyrocket and the interest rate on loans makes paying it back nearly impossible. When you go to school and take out loans, you expect to be able to afford monthly payments and hope to pay it back in a timely manner, eventually freeing up income, but that’s not always the case. A lot of people find themselves in a similar situation as Michelle’s mother. They take out a dollar amount that is repayable, only to look up and see they’ve repaid the original balance but they still owe more than they originally agreed to borrow.
If stories like Michelle’s are the norm, why aren’t we doing more to regulate student loan companies? Presidential candidates like to talk about student loan forgiveness, and some have come up with actionable plans, but it doesn’t solve the long term issue of student loan practices. The truth of the matter is that children who three months prior had to ask permission to use the bathroom are now expected to understand the long term implications of borrowing money from a company that doesn’t care that the average person can’t pay it back plus interest.
Seventeen- and 18-year olds with a dream of attending college and questionable loan practices is a perfect storm for continued crisis in the student loan arena. Until we can figure out how to better regulate the lending companies in charge of student loans, the next generation will repeat the cycle. People shouldn’t have to choose between pursuing their dreams and taking debt to the grave.
The Memphis Grizzlies entered Game 2 of their series against the Golden State Warriors in an 0-1 hole after dropping Game 1 on their home court. Things went pretty well early on during Tuesday night’s tilt, as they opened up the game on an 8-0 run, before one of their starters got ejected for a Flagrant 2 foul.
Gary Payton II ran out ahead of Draymond Green in transition, and was able to receive a pass from Golden State’s veteran point-forward that let him run into a pretty clear lane. Dillon Brooks tried to chase him down, but when Payton rose up for a layup, Brooks was still on the ground.
Regardless, Brooks tried to keep him from scoring. Instead of getting the ball, though, Brooks clotheslined Payton, which led to him hitting the ground hard.
Gary Payton II takes a hard fall after the foul from Dillon Brooks.
The foul drew quite the response out of Golden State’s bench, with both Steve Kerr and Klay Thompson expressing their anger at Brooks.
Steve Kerr screaming down at the Memphis bench after that Dillon Brooks foul and ejection: “Get the f*** out of here.” Klay Thompson: “That’s bull****.” As upset as I’ve seen them at a foul.
The officials ended up going to the monitor to take a look at this and assessed Brooks a flagrant 2 foul, which led to his automatic ejection. It marks the second game in a row during this series where a key player got tossed, as Green was assessed a flagrant 2 for a foul on Brandon Clarke in Game 1. At the time of his ejection, Brooks had no points on 0-for-3 shooting.
After an ugly offensive performance in a Game 1 loss over the weekend, the Boston Celtics entered Tuesday’s Game 2 against the Milwaukee Bucks with a sense of urgency. If nothing else, the Celtics could not afford to drop the first two games at home and, with 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart ruled out of action with a thigh contusion before tip-off, Boston had little margin for error. The Celtics responded in kind, however, building a 25-point halftime lead and holding the advantage wire-to-wire in a 109-86 win.
Boston’s offense was the culprit of its issues in the series opener, but that was not in the case at the outset in Game 2. The Celtics zoomed to an 18-3 run at the outset and dominated on both ends of the floor. Milwaukee opened by missing ten of its first eleven shots, including six straight misses from Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Boston held Milwaukee to only three points in more than six minutes.
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 3, 2022
The Celtics connected on six of their first seven attempts from three-point range and, after an uneven performance in Game 1, Jaylen Brown wasted no time asserting himself. Brown scored 17 points in the first quarter, setting a new playoff career high in the process, and he connected on six of his first seven shots.
Milwaukee’s offense finally came to life in the latter portion of the first quarter, but Boston still held an 11-point lead after 12 minutes, largely as a result of 75 percent three-point shooting. The Celtics then produced a 10-4 run to begin the second quarter, taking a 17-point lead. In addition to stellar defense, Brown remained hot with yet another three-pointer, and Boston was rolling downhill.
Ultimately, the Celtics led by 25 points at the break, with Milwaukee kicking the ball around with seven turnovers in the second quarter. Boston took advantage of that carelessness, with Brown continuing to lead a prolific offense. He finished with 25 points in the first half, making nine of ten shots and all five of his three-pointers, and Boston shot 13-for-20 from three-point range with 17 assists.
The Bucks did bring additional intensity to begin the third quarter in an attempt to narrow the margin. After a nightmare first half, Antetokounmpo scored 12 points in the first seven minutes of the second half, fueling the Bucks on offense. In addition, Milwaukee held Boston to only seven points in the first seven and a half minutes, and a 10-0 run brought the Bucks within 16 points.
Boston managed to dodge the haymaker from Milwaukee, however, keeping a 17-point lead at the end of the third quarter. While Milwaukee shot 60 percent in the period and Antetokounmpo scored 18 points on his own, the Bucks committed seven turnovers, and the Celtics rescued things offensively down the stretch of the quarter, headlined by Jayson Tatum.
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 4, 2022
Most of the fourth quarter was a slog, with seemingly unending official reviews and a general lack of flow. Boston kept control amid the drudgery, though the Bucks slowly climbed within 12 at 94-82 with 4:30 to go. However, the closing kick was around the corner for the Celtics, with Boston using an 8-0 run and back-to-back three-pointers from Tatum and Grant Williams to end any threat from Milwaukee.
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 4, 2022
Though much of the damage was done in the opening minutes from the Celtics, it was an impressive bounce-back effort on the whole, and Boston never trailed in the game. Brown and Tatum combined for 59 points on efficient shooting, and Grant Williams added six three-pointers, 21 points, and high-end defense. As a team, the Celtics shot 20-for-43 from three-point range, and with Milwaukee shooting only 3-for-18 from beyond the arc, the math swung toward Boston.
For the Bucks, there is solace to be taken in the unsustainable nature of the three-point margin in this game. However, Antetokounmpo hasn’t been able to find efficiency in the series, and Milwaukee generated only 16 assists compared to 17 turnovers. The series will now shift back to Milwaukee, though, and both teams will be well-rested after an unusual three-day break in advance of Saturday’s Game 3. That game could be pivotal in deciding the series, but the Celtics needed a win on Tuesday and they were able to secure one.
This year is lining up to be a pretty big one for Post Malone. The singer announced that his fourth album Twelve Carat Toothache will arrive on June 3 and it’ll be his first full-length release since 2019’s Hollywood’s Bleeding. He’s teased the album with a couple of singles and previews of tracks on Instagram, but Twelve Carat Toothache is not the only thing that’s coming for Malone in 2022. The singer just announced that he is expecting his first child with his longtime girlfriend. TMZ reports that Posty shared the news during a private party for friends and family over the weekend.
Post Malone shared his excitement about his upcoming baby in a statement to TMZ. “I’m excited for this next chapter in my life, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, and for since I could remember I was sad,” he said. “Time to take care of my body and my family and friends, and spread as much love as we can every day.”
As for Twelve Carat Toothache, Post Malone previously confirmed that the project will include features from The Weeknd, Doja Cat, Roddy Ricch, Robin Pecknold, and The Kid Laroi. Posty even went as far as to preview records from the upcoming project which includes “Happy” with Doja, “Cooped Up” with Roddy, and “Love/Hate Letter To Alcohol” with Robin Pecknold of Fleet Foxes.
Roddy Ricch is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
We seem to have forgotten how to perform one of the most popular behaviors throughout human history, nothing. The closest we come to it these days is sleeping or resting. But when was the last time you did absolutely nothing?
When was the last time you stared out of a window for a long period of time? Can you remember the last time you sat in a park and just looked around? Have you ever just laid on your back and looked deep into the sky?
We live in a world where something is expected of us every moment. Either we’re working, socializing, cooking, cleaning, eating, drinking, traveling, scrolling through social media, or watching television. We’re always going somewhere or trying to get something.
We live in a culture that abhors doing nothing which is evident in our frantic work schedules and constant need to be entertained.
Imagine if you had the monk-like peace of mind to just put a stop to all of the doing and lived completely in what Eckhart Tolle calls “The Now.” Seems impossible, right?
In the “Tao Te Ching,” philosopher Lao Tzu challenges people to balance all of the something they’re constantly up to by also learning to embrace the nothing. “When nothing is done, nothing is left undone,” the philosopher famously said.
Dr. Manvir Singh, a research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Toulouse and a Ph.D. from Harvard’s Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, called attention to our inability to do nothing on Twitter recently.
Dr. Singh shared a tweet thread that highlighted a study from the ‘70s and ‘80s in small-scale non-industrial societies where researchers noted activities people engaged in throughout the day. The shocking fact—at least from today’s perspective—is that idling or “doing nothing” was one of their favorite activities.
In the 1970s & 80s, anthropologists working in small-scale, non-industrial societies fastidiously noted down what people were doing throughout the day. I’ve been exploring the data & am struck by one of the most popular activities: doing nothing. [thread] pic.twitter.com/Y3YuZUU55O
Background: The anthropologists (e.g., Bob Bailey, pictured) visited random people during waking hours & recorded what they were doing, building a representative sample of time use. Most of these data were collected while an anthropologist lived with the community for a year+. pic.twitter.com/cI025d3FSM
The researchers typically chose among ~60 activity codes, one of which was “Idle, doing nothing”. This is different from napping, chatting, fixing tools, tidying up, & idleness b/c of illness. As far as I can tell, it’s really about doing nothing at all, at least apparently. pic.twitter.com/yqaT9sdWku
Here are data collected in ’80-81 for the Efé, who lived mostly by hunting & gathering in the Ituri Rainforest of Central Africa. The median adult spent ~27% of their waking time doing nothing (in green). It was the most common activity. pic.twitter.com/EL5abCMjq7
Here are the data for two Machiguenga communities in Peru, collected in ’72-’73 (left) and ’86-’87 (right). The Machiguenga combined small-scale horticulture with foraging. Again, “doing nothing” leads the pack, either as number one or in the top 3. pic.twitter.com/FlhXlHoN9Z
“Doing nothing” didn’t always win. For the Madurese (Indonesia), it ranked 12th, perhaps reflecting the tiresome lives of more full-time agriculturalists. Still, across 8 diverse communities “doing nothing” came in 4th behind agri work, learning/teaching, & socializing (see plot) pic.twitter.com/ashWpnxMR7
Most of the high-ranking activities in these plots are well-studied by psychologists. But how much do we know about doing nothing? Not much. Living in fast-paced, industrialized societies with constant access to entertainment, it’s easy to lose sight of the value of doing nothing pic.twitter.com/6bqFgF72TO
These data were collected in the 70s & 80s but were digitized (I believe) by @JoHenrich & then released in 2019 with this paper led by @rabhui: https://t.co/7UWhrIhrAf
Finally, I’ve been exploring these data in preparation for my talk at the Sophia Club (hosted by @aeon) on June 14th in NYC! If you’re in the city that night, come & chat about leisure, idleness, & work across cultures:https://t.co/wtaeXDurnZ
I was just thinking how people feel the need to react immediately to everything all the time. Many simply cant sit still & listen or take in information for a long period of time without the need go react or do something
Ready to get started doing nothing? I’ve found that one of the healthy byproducts of regular meditation practice is learning to appreciate doing nothing. A simple mindfulness meditation practice (which you can easily learn here) teaches you to set aside ponderous thoughts and to feel fulfilled existing in the moment without having to be productive or entertained.
In the Western world, we are constantly searching for a sense of fulfillment. In the Eastern philosophy of Taoism, a person can only be filled if they are first empty. So by taking the time to empty ourselves of sensory input, ponderous thoughts, or the desire to go somewhere or do something, we are opening ourselves up to new possibilities of fulfillment.
At the end of 2020, Teyana Taylor announced her retirement from the music industry after airing out her frustrations with her label Def Jam. The announcement came after she released her third album The Album which stood as one of the better R&B projects in 2020. Some wondered if they would receive a chance to say goodbye to the beloved singer, and Teyana gave them that with The Last Rose Petal tour last fall. That tour came to a close at the end of November 2021 which insinuated that Teyana’s retirement would begin, but as we now know, that is not the case.
On Tuesday, Teyana announced that she will once again hit the road thanks to The Last Rose Petal 2 tour. In a post about the new tour, Teyana explained her decision to head out on the road again. “TLRP2 is for all the cities that I did not get to hit during part 1,” she wrote. “However If you see a city on part 2 that I already did in part 1 those cites are getting encores because the venues was not big enough to hold the amount of people that showed up.”
The Last Rose Part 2 tour will begin June 19 in Washington DC with the Something In The Water Festival. Almost two months later, things will resume with a show in Los Angeles and The Last Rose Part 2 tour will continue for a little over a month before coming to an end on September 8 in Paris.
You can check out the full list of dates in the post above. Tickets will go on sale this Friday 5/6 and they can be purchased here.
With Cinco de Mayo on the horizon (what better time to splurge on a nice bottle of booze to share with friends and family?) we’re going to start breaking down the finalists in the agave spirits — tequila, mezcal, even a Peruvian agave liquor. With so much premium spirit to choose from, you should able to find something that piques your interest.
For this list, I’m keeping it very straightforward. I’ve pulled all the finalists from the agave spirits sections that actually placed in the finals (blanco/unaged tequila, reposado tequila, añejo tequila, extra añejo tequila, mezcal, and “other agave spirits”). I’m listing them by category and adding tasting notes where I can. Some of these are pretty scarce, so for bottles I haven’t personally tasted, I’ve filled in tasting notes from the bottler/distiller, but in some cases, even those are hard to find.
In any case, we’re not talking about just “double gold” here. These are the bottles that stood out as the best of the double gold; the cream that rose to the top, recognized above and beyond their peers by professionals who know. These are the bottles you want to search for. Let’s dive in!
This tequila is made in the Jalisco highlands with Weber agave from a single estate. Those agave pinas are tasked to NOM 1445, Cía. Tequilera Los Alambiques, where old stone ovens roast them, then a stone tahona wheel crushes the pinas to extract the juice. That juice is then transferred to old wood fermenters that are open-air, allowing wild yeasts to start the fermentation process. After two distillations in copper pot stills, the tequila is cut with local water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this is like a plate full of roasted agave chunks next to artichoke hearts soaked in olive oil covered in lemon oils with plenty of fresh mint, fresh hibiscus, and cracked black pepper. The palate really marries the slow-roasted agave to the lemon and pepper while a little bit of potting soil draws everything back to a finish full of white pepper, dried florals, sweetgrass, and a dusting of cinnamon.
Bottom Line:
This is a super soft and smooth sipping blanco. There’s serious depth but it’s not hot or off-putting in any way. Overall, I dig this on the rocks with a little lime, but it also works wonders in a cocktail.
This tequila hails from just outside of Tequila, Mexico. The pinas go through the autoclave (high-pressure steam extraction) process to get the juices ready for fermentation in steel tanks with open-air fermenting. After being twice distilled, the juice is cut with water and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This is very peppery with a mix of cracked black pepper mixed with soft white pepper and a hint of red chili flake with a touch of orange zest and river rock on the nose. The palate largely delivers on that nose while layering in sharp agave woodiness with a hint of aloe, very faint mint, and a whisper of cottage cheese. The finish is short and peppery and almost vodka-esque in its cleanness.
Bottom Line:
I’ve only really had this while making cocktails, so that’s the way I’d go with this one.
This comes from the Jorge Salles Cuervo y Sucesores distillery which grows its Blue Weber agave up in the highlands and brings it down to Tequila to turn the pinas into tequila. The ripple in the process is the old cement tanks used to ferment the agave juice after the autoclave extraction. From there, the fermented juice is twice distilled and cut with local natural spring water for bottling.
This tequila from Destiladora del Valle de Tequila is a mix of old stone ovens and steel tanks for fermentation. What’s interesting is that Destiladora del Valle de Tequila currently makes 158 tequila brands!
This tequila comes from Tequilera Puerta de Hierro in the lower Valley of Jalisco. Overall, it’s a pretty standard stone oven to steel tank to double distillation process.
“With a luminous crystalline color, with silvery and straw-colored tones, it offers a warm flavor with spicy and herbaceous notes.”
Bottom Line:
This is another tequila that has a nice enough bottle but with little information about it out there. Its distillery, NOM 1477, makes 28 other labels. But that doesn’t really tell you much about this expression/brand.
This “premium” tequila is made in the southern “Los Altos” region of Jalisco at the Fabrica de Tequila Don Nacho distillery (NOM 1508), which only makes this and one other small brand of tequila. The juice is made from piñas cooked in old stone ovens and then fermented with local spring water in open stainless tanks. After the usual distillation, that hot juice is loaded into both used and new American white oak barrels for a short maturation.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of dry cedar on the nose that leads to this mix of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, old vanilla extract bottles, and a hint of that slow-roasted agave with a very thin sliver of ashiness. The palate has a cream soda vibe with the agave taking on a sweeter edge next to a creamy caramel on the mid-palate. The finish leans away from the sweetness towards a peppery dark chocolate bar with hints of winter spices and peach pits.
Bottom Line:
I dig this a lot. There’s a nice base that makes this a decent shooter or sipper on the rocks. But that peppery/chocolate profile helps this stand out as a dark and tasty cocktail tequila.
Hailing from NOM 1438, Destiladora del Valle de Tequila in Tequila, Mexico (the aforementioned home to 158 tequila brands), this tequila has a little more nuance. The agave piñas are roasted in both old stone ovens and autoclave. The mash ferments in open-air stainless tanks before the standard double distillation in copper pot stills. The juice is then aged in used whiskey barrels for an undisclosed amount of time.
Tasting Notes:
This is a bourbon lover’s tequila, with a nose brimming with vanilla beans, caramel apples, floral agave, and a nice bitter chocolate edge with a black potting soil whisper. The palate largely delivers on the nose with more vanilla and dark chocolate (now touched by cinnamon and clove) with a more robust roasted agave vibe leading to dry grass and porch wicker. The finish has tiny flourishes of pancake syrup and black pepper with a touch of sweet oak on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a pretty solid sipper all around. It has a nice, almost bourbon feel to it, with plenty of spice, grassiness, and agave still in play. It feels familiar and fresh at the same time.
Rounding out this list of great tequilas, Lobos 1707 also comes from the southern Los Altos region of Jalisco (NOM 1460, Compañia Tequilera de Arandas distillery). The front end of the tequila-making process is pretty much the same — Weber, autoclave, ex-bourbon barrels, etc. — with the finishing on this one standing out. After six months in bourbon barrels, this is aged in Pedro Ximinez sherry casks for a final rest.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of sour cherry on the nose alongside a base of roasted agave, winter spices, and a hint of old oak barrels from a dusty cellar. The palate marries that agave and oak into an earthy note that’s part dry moss and part dry firewood with the agave lurking in the background. The mid-palate to finish has the cottage cheese vibe with pineapple and black pepper making appearances before a dry grassiness and oakiness round out the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another easy sipper that’s well-suited for cocktails. I really like that cottage cheese/pepper profile on these tequilas, but I can see how that’s a tad offputting. Still, this is an easy sipper/mixer worth grabbing for your own bar.
This tequila comes from the Ciénega (wetlands) and Highlands of Jalisco. The process Integradora San Agustin distillery is pretty common with stone overs, steel tanks, copper stills, and deep well water. The whiskey ages in used bourbon and new white American oak before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
This sounds sweet and oaky. I can dig that. Overall, the price isn’t too out of control, but I think I’d try this at a bar before committing to a bottle.
Don Julio is pretty well known for making damn fine tequila. This spirit comes from Diageo México Operaciones in Jalisco’s Ciénega, though the agave is from the Highlands. The difference here is that the spirit is distilled three times before resting in used American oak, ex-bourbon, and new American white oak barrels for a spell. Then the tequila is color filtered to make it clear again before proofing with deep well water and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This tequila is a bit of a mind trick. The nose is full of vanilla, woody spice, dried orange peels, rich toffee, honeycombs, grilled pineapple, and plenty of raw agave. The palate really leans into the vanilla with a creaminess leading to crushed almonds rolled in toffee candy and then dusted with dark chocolate. The mid-palate veers slightly toward dried florals, more of that dried orange peel, and a hint of an old cigar humidor.
Bottom Line:
Not gonna lie, it’s weird this is clear but tastes like it should be dark brown. That aside, this is a damn fine sip of tequila. It’s damn near perfect with a single rock in a big glass.
Back at Destiladora del Valle de Tequila (NOM 1438), we get Siempre Tequila. This expression goes through stone ovens, roller mills, steel fermenters, and copper stills before aging in used oak and used bourbon barrels. The just is then blended, cut with natural spring water, and bottled.
“You can taste alluring notes of toffee, salted caramel, chocolate, vanilla, and peppercorns followed by a lasting-lasting, warm finish. Enjoy in a snifter with dark chocolate and mixed nuts.”
Bottom Line:
This sounds lovely. I might actually go out and buy this out of all of these and give it a shot.
Made in the Jalisco Highlands at NOM 1468, Grupo Tequilero Mexico, this tequila keeps things pretty standard up until the aging process. The juice rests in a combination of used French oak and new American white oak barrels. When those barrels are in their prime, they’re blended, cut with deep well water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
This is subtle from top to bottom with a nose full of brown butter, cinnamon sticks, vanilla pods, singed agave spears, and woody tobacco stems. The palate leans into the spice with anise and clove joining the cinnamon, a touch of black pepper, and agave. The mid-palate veers toward salted caramel with a hint of nori lurking in the background before the woody spices kick back in at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is subtle, yes, but it’s also very complex. There’s a lurking smokiness that feels like something green was just singed but the fire is already smudged out. It’s kind of fascinating and worth taking more time with.
Rancho Sierra Mar
Rancho Sierra Mar
ABV: 40%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Tequila:
There is very little known about this one. It’s made at the Tequila Las Americas distillery (NOM 1480) with stone overs, open-air fermentation, copper stills, and old bourbon barrels. But little else is available.
Everything about this tequila is a “vibe.” There’s a whole section of their website devoted to “lifestyle” but not telling you about their tequila. It’s made at NOM 1610 in the southern Highlands at Casa Tequilera Dinastía Arandina. Beyond that, the details are under wraps.
This brand comes from Sazerac (of Buffalo Trace fame) and Casa San Matias of Tequila San Matias de Jalisco. This expression is, however, made in Valles Centrales Oaxaca by 10 master mezcaleros working together. Beyond that, the rest is kept under wraps like most Sazerac products.
“Powerful aromas of baked pineapple and canned pineapple juice with an earthy core. It is all spice upfront in the mouth and quickly moves to roasted tropical fruits, tender young ginger, and green bell peppers.”
Bottom Line:
Pineapple, spice, and peppers sound like a great mix on a mezcal. I’m going to have to track this one down.
This mezcal comes from mezcalero Don Abel Lopez in Santiago Matatlán, the Oaxacan town known as the World Capital Of Mezcal. This expression is made from 100 percent organic Espandin agave that’s roasted slowly underground before it’s slowly distilled in small batches. It’s then bottled as-is after proofing.
Tasting Notes:
This is very grassy — sweetgrass, dry straw, alfalfa, freshly mowed lawn — with hints of smoked honey, burnt orange rinds, and a savory green note, kind of like an artichoke soaked in saltwater on the nose. The palate leans more into the smokiness but now it’s attached to the agave with warm, sandy dirt, a savory herb garden, and orange syrup. The end feels like rosemary stems that have been singed and then ground into the smoked honey next to a deeply charred agave that’s still smoldering.
Bottom Line:
This is bold mezcal. While it’s pretty intense, a rock or two will calm it down and bring out more of the orange, honey, and herbal notes, which means this is a great cocktail candidate.
Vago makes a lot of great mezcals. This expression specifically uses a mix of agaves (wild and cultivated) that are at their peak when it’s time to make this mezcal. Mezcalero Salomon “Tio Rey” Rodriguez picks an assortment of plants, hand grinds them, roasts them in the ground, and the works clay pot stills. All of this gives each release of this expression its own feel.
“Although every Ensamble en Barro batch is unique, they are generally rich, earthy, and full-bodied. The mineral and clay tones clearly define its style.”
Bottom Line:
These are always phenomenal. And although I haven’t tried this exact expression yet, I can’t imagine that it’s not great too.
This mezcal from Tlanipatla in Guerrero (on the Pacific coast) is all about low and slow traditional mezcal making. The mash is made from Agave Cupreata before going into a slow roasting, fermenting, and distilling process in the hills above the ocean. The juice is then cut with local spring water before bottling.
“Aroma: Subtle aroma of cooked agave, with a slight smell of wet earth. Taste: Smoked throughout, with delicate citrus notes and a captivating flavor of sweet fruits. Finish: Penetrating on the palate, filled with the soul of the agave Cupreata characteristic of Guerrero.”
Bottom Line:
Wet earth, sweet fruits, and “the soul of the agave” have me hooked. This is another bottle I’m probably going to go out and buy immediately.
Coming from the state of Michoacán, this mezcal is made with 100 percent Espadincillo, which is indigenous to the local area. The process is then very similar to the standard for mezcal with slow roasting, clay pot, and a lot of fire before bottling the spirit as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Hints of burnt citrus as sandy soil mingles with green banana leaves, a touch of sweetgrass, and plenty of hardwood charcoal that still feels a little warm from the fire mingle on the nose. The palate leans into dark citrus with a balance of dried agave and wet rainforest floor with and almost sticky orange vibe. The end adds in a line of citrus-laced smoke with plenty of dark woody smolder.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a classic that hits pretty hard. I coughed when I first sipped it. Once I got past that, it was a smooth, smoky, and citrusy ride. Though I did pour it over ice to get deeper into the flavor profile.
Raumen Mezcal
Mezcal Raumen
ABV: 50%
Average Price: Limited Availability
The Mezcal:
There’s very little about this mezcal out there besides this YouTube video. It’s worth a watch to learn how mezcal is made in general.
Tasting Notes:
None available.
Bottom Line:
I’d love to try this if it’s ever available a little more widely. Until then, I’ll just keep enjoying that YouTube video.
This Peruvian agave spirit is made from 100 percent agave grown in the north-central mountains of Peru. The distillate goes through a similar process of roasting, fermentation, and distillation as tequila with this spirit spending one to three years mellowing in new American oak barrels in the Andes. The juice is then blended, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Festival season is in full swing, and so far in 2022, the music world has been graced with strong showcases that display some of the best talents from different corners of the music world. Coachella is a couple of weeks removed from its two weekends of performances and it joins other festivals like Sol Blume, SXSW, Lollapalooza, Dreamville Fest, and more that have put on shows this year. Others are just weeks or months away from their own showcases, and it includes the HARD Summer Music Festival which just announced the lineup for its 2022 edition.
This year’s HARD Summer Music Festival, which will take over the NOS Event Center in San Bernardino during the weekend of July 29-31, will be headlined by Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Uzi Vert, and Porter Robinson. The announcement comes after Megan Thee Stallion shined brightly at last month’s Coachella Festival while Lil Uzi Vert and Porter Robinson are gearing up for additional festival appearances of their own, those being Something In The Water and Osheaga.
In addition to Megan, Lil Uzi, and Porter, the 2022 HARD Summer Music Festival will also feature performances from Joji, Gunna, 100 Gecs, Amine, Koffee, Masego, Denzel Curry, Ski Mask The Slump God, Three 6 Mafia, Duckwrth, and more.
You can view the full lineup for the 2022 HARD Summer Music Festival in the flyer above. Tickets for the festival will be on sale Friday 5/6 at 10 am PST here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
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