Beyonce is classy in many ways, including the fact that she often sends thank-you notes to epople. In August, Madonna posted the one she received from the Renaissance performer: “Thank you, Queen. I’m so grateful for you. You have opened so many doors for so many women. You are masterpiece genius,” she wrote.
Syd, known for her role in the collective Odd Future, is the latest collaborator to share a note she received from the one and only Beyonce. However, this one has more people questioning the meaning. It reads: “Thank you for contributing so much to the film. I’m looking at the footage and you’re incredible. I’m forever grateful. B.”
Fans think a #RENAISSANCE film is coming following a thank you note Beyoncé wrote to musician, Syd:
Could it be true? A Renaissance film? It’s possible, considering the beloved Lemonade movie. “I’m grateful that this body of work has resonated so deeply with so many people,” Beyonce wrote on Instagram on the fifth anniversary of Lemonade last year, alongside images from the Lemonade movie. “I’m so thankful for all the beautiful souls involved in making one of my favorite pieces of art. As I celebrate five years of LEMONADE, I encourage everyone to continue healing, loving, forgiving and uplifting.” She added, “I hope you find joy today.”
The end of the year brings another big budget epic about old Hollywood starring Margot Robbie and Brad Pitt. It’s called Babylon, from Whiplash, La La Land, and First Man director Damien Chazelle, and it goes all the way back to the late 1920s, during the film industry’s uneasy transition from the “silent” era to the infancy of synch sound. In Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Robbie played a real historical figure (albeit one who avoided the same grisly fate). But is she (or Pitt) playing a real person in Babylon?
The answer is no. Robbie’s character, starlet Nellie LaRoy, may not have ever existed, but like most of the cast, she’s playing a composite, a mash-up of sorts comprised of Clara Bow, Jeanne Eagels, Joan Crawford, and Alma Rubens. The same goes for Pitt’s aging matinee idol Jack Conrad, who has bits of John Gilbert, Clark Gable, and Douglas Fairbanks in his DNA.
In fact, right now it appears only one actor is playing an actual person. That would be Max Minghella, who’s taking on the role of Irvin Thalberg, the “Boy Wonder,” who became the head of production at MGM at the ripe age of 26. He died young, too, succumbing to pneumonia just over a decade later, at the age of 37.
Babylon follows a Mexican-American immigrant (Diego Calva) as he enters the Hollywood system, first as an editor, during perhaps its wildest era (though you wouldn’t know it watching the more lighthearted depiction in the classic musical Singin’ in the Rain). It was a time of debauched Jazz Age bacchanalias, as witnessed in the film’s bonkers trailer, which features such sights as a hopped-up Robbie threatening to fight a dangerous snake. Meanwhile, the industry was in the midst of being upturned by new technology, which would create new jobs while also destroying many others, and not just the “silent” stars who never transitioned to a medium that suddenly boasted speech.
When Babylon comes out on limited release on Dec. 23 and in wide release on Jan. 7. It will be a bumpy — and long (read: 188 minutes) — ride.
While sour beers are nothing new in the history of beer, they’ve become very popular in the American craft beer world over the last decade. They’ve been brewed for centuries but for some reason, American beer drinkers are really embracing them lately. Specifically, in the last five years, the popularity of sour beers has increased dramatically as drinkers seem to be loving this tart, acidic beer style.
Don’t believe us? Visit your local craft brewery and see if they aren’t selling a fruited sour or gose.
For those unaware, the term “sour beer” is an umbrella term that includes many beer styles. This includes traditional lambics, geuze, Flanders red ales, Berliner Weisses, German-style goses, and even fruited sours. They’re known for their sour, acidic, and tart flavor notes. Many of these include different fruit flavors, while the gose-style takes it one step further and adds salt into the mix.
Sour beers are great for the fall months because they’re yeasty, tart, and (in many cases) drink more like a wine than a classic beer. They range in alcohol but are usually lower than most fall beer styles. We love them and brewers agree. So we asked a handful of well-known brewers and craft beer experts to tell us their favorite sour beers for autumn. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks.
The Shades Thai Tom Kha
The Shades
Jody Valenta, co-president and COO of Roadhouse Brewing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Shades Thai Tom Kha. Honestly, this brew is consumable all day every day, but the coconut, lemongrass, galangal, kafir leaf, and lactose just work so well together to provide a lighter beer that’s still perfect to put in your pack for winter excursions or to sip around the fire.
Amorphic The Horse You Rode Out On
Amorphic
Garth E. Beyer, certified Cicerone® and owner and founder of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
ABV: 6.5%
Average Price: Limited Availability
Why This Beer?
The sour I’m grabbing is the one that makes me feel like it’s not fall/winter because I want to drink something that takes me away from cold, damp weather. For that, I’m drinking Amorphic Beer’s The Horse You Rode Out On which contains loads of cactus fruit and hibiscus. The end flavor tastes like a watermelon jolly rancher and makes you forget it’s below freezing outside.
Blue Owl’s Professor Black, a dark cherry sour stout. It is not super sour, but the tartness really brings out the dark cherry and the darker malts provide balance and a good base. A nice balance between tart fruit and bold malts. A must-try this fall.
Hopfenstark Boson de Higgs
Hopfenstark
Daniel Gadala-Maria, brewer at Finback Brewery in Glendale, New York
Boson de Higgs by Hopfenstark of Quebec, Canada. Crushable at 3.8% ABV, this beer plays a really interesting game between the acid and smoke. Tart enough to be thirst-quenching, while satisfying my craving for more savory flavors the cool weather brings on. A very cool beer.
Rodenbach Grand Cru is an absolute classic when it comes to sour beers. Extraordinarily complex with just the right amounts of acidity, residual sweetness, wood, and fermentation character. There’s a reason it constantly gets added to “best” lists. It’s just a well-made, tart, perfect beer.
Tart of Darkness from The Bruery. The roasted character of the stout coupled with the slight vanilla and oak flavors from the barrel collide gracefully with intense tartness produced by the bacteria and wild yeast that is used to give this beer its signature flavor. They meld together to give you a sour, dark, bold beer. Perfect if you are in the mood to board the tart train on a winter’s night.
This is a party in your mouth and the river of flavors runs deep.
Kriek Lou Pepe by Cantillon. I wish I remembered more Cicerone-approved lingo to describe this beer, but I don’t. First, you see a mesmerizing red color with a beautiful pinkish head which already takes you to a different realm. The aroma is that of red wine poured into a glass that had champagne. The flavor is incredible, I know that’s not a canonic flavor, but that’s what I experienced.
Cherry, tart, intense, Europe, history, the smell of rain on a stone-made road surrounded by a bit of moss.
Another classic and the sour beer that got me into sour beer is New Belgium Brewing’s La Folie. Assertively tart initially, but as your palate gets used to it and the beer warms, complex notes of sweet malt, tart cherry, plum, and dried dates begin to appear. This beer is a true journey of flavor.
I’ve really come to like Allagash Haunted House which is a dark hoppy ale. It’s not like the rest of the fall beers, but somehow still tastes like fall. Smooth, dark hoppiness is a great fall recipe. This Belgian-style ale is also yeasty, funky, slightly sour, and highly memorable.
I used to love to drink Lindeman’s Faro Lambic. It was a younger Lambic that was sweetened and was just insanely drinkable while still having some of that great funky Lambic character that wasn’t too sour and crazy. Maybe I’ll try one again this fall.
Hanson of Sonoma/Humboldt/St. George/Greenhouse/istock/Uproxx
In its most basic form, vodka is a crystal-clear distilled spirit that’s comprised mostly of water and ethanol. If that doesn’t sound enticing to you, we get it. It’s unaged and quite often intentionally absent of flavor. While connoisseurs will tell you that approach is patently wrong and that well-made, high-quality vodkas can be extremely flavorful, it’s unarguable that much of the vodka sector is driven by what mixes easily.
Of course, if you don’t like neutral spirits and don’t taste much difference between basic expressions, there’s always flavored vodka.
Yes, we get it. Flavored vodka can be overly sweet or loaded with strange, generic, synthetic flavors that make you wish you were simply drinking regular vodkas instead. But they aren’t all nightmare-inducing. In recent years, there have been a surprising number of palatable, even memorable flavored vodkas hitting the market.
We found eight flavored vodkas that aren’t completely devoid of flavor but also aren’t cloyingly sweet and unbearable. Keep scrolling to see where they ranked.
Ketel One is a big name in the vodka world. This Dutch brand is known for its high-quality, flavorful vodka. Its Oranje ramps up the flavor with the addition of the flavors of Valencia and Mandarin oranges. Fruity, citrus, and a great base for your favorite cocktail.
Tasting Notes:
Not surprisingly, the nose is completely citrus-centric. There are notes of lemon zest and orange peel and really that’s it. But that’s to be expected. The palate is more of the same. It doesn’t taste super generic, but it’s just orange with just a hint of spice and really that’s it.
Bottom Line:
Ketel One Oranje isn’t overly exciting and that’s the point. There is a ton of orange flavor, but it’s not overly sweet. It’s just kind of boring.
Polish brand Belvedere is renowned for its high-quality vodkas. It’s no surprise that it makes a pretty decent line of flavored vodkas. The pinnacle of its Organic Infusions line is its blackberry and lemongrass-flavored vodka. It’s made with no extra additives, pesticide chemicals, and added sugar.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of lemon zest, ripe berries, and just a hint of peppery sage. Drinking it reveals more berries, lemon, baking spices, and light vanilla. There are a ton of flavors going on with this vodka and that makes it a little muddled — there’s almost too much going on.
Bottom Line:
This vodka can best be described as busy. While the flavors aren’t sugary or overly bold, there are just too many flavors and none really stand out.
If you simply grab a bottle of each of St. George’s flavor vodka lineup, you’ll likely be fairly happy. But, if you only buy one, make it St. George Green Chile Vodka. Perfect for sipping neat or as the base for a bloody Mary, this vodka is flavored with five California-grown peppers (serranos, habaneros, jalapeños, and red and yellow bell peppers) as well as lime peel and cilantro.
Tasting Notes:
This is a very fragrant vodka with notes of lemon zest, cilantro, and peppery spice making strong appearances. The palate tastes like jalapeños, cilantro-filled salsa, citrus zest, and more cracked black pepper. It’s a very spicy vodka that definitely isn’t for everyone.
Bottom Line:
It’s warming and spicy, but not overly hot. There are enough fresh flavors to make this the perfect base for a bloody Mary. It is a little too much for some drinkers though.
This Texas-made vodka is sugar-free and flavored with peach and orange blossom. It’s made with no carbs and artificial flavors. A great fruity, citrus alternative for your favorite refreshing gin-based cocktail any time of the year.
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of ripe peach, orange, vanilla, and light spices great your nose before your first sip. The flavor follows suit. It’s surprisingly smooth with a ton of juicy, fruity peach up front that moves into bright, tangy orange. It’s fruity, slightly sweet, and memorable.
Bottom Line:
Sometimes when you combine multiple flavors in flavored vodka, they can seem a little murky and muddled. This one isn’t. Both flavors shine through, but it’s not overly sweet or sugary.
With the rise in popularity of cannabis and weed-centric products in the last few years, it should come as no surprise that there’s a hemp-flavored vodka. This award-winning vodka is infused with locally-sourced hemp to give it an earthy, herbal, piney flavor.
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this vodka’s nose. It’s so herbal and earthy, it almost smells like a gin. Pine needles, citrus zest, fresh-cut grass, and herbal, floral notes are noticeable. The palate is surprisingly botanical with more pine, dank pine, and light vanilla. The ending is a mix of sweetness and spicy pepper.
Bottom Line:
This is a very unique vodka and we say that in the best way possible. It’s herbal, earthy, piney, and dank. You’d have a hard time convincing someone this isn’t a gin though. Even our staffers.
One look at this vodka and you know you’re in for something different. This orange-hued vodka is gluten-free, small batch, filtered through lava rocks, and infused with dried California-sourced apricots.
Tasting Notes:
One sniff and you literally feel like you’re smelling a bowl of dried apricots as opposed to vodka. While you can’t really smell anything else, this aroma is totally inviting and asks you to take a sip. The palate, while ripe peach and apricot centered also has notes of vanilla, lemon zest, and light spice. Overall, a fruity, slightly tart, delicious, easily mixable vodka.
Bottom Line:
Don’t let this vodka’s bold color dissuade you from buying it. It’s fruity, sweet, citrusy, and well-suited as the base for your favorite fresh vodka cocktails.
The folks at Hanson of Sonoma Distillery noticed that a local farm was growing Meyer lemons. This made them realize that the tart fruit would be the perfect complimentary flavor to their popular vodka. They’re hand-peeled and macerated in the brand’s Organic Original Vodka.
Tasting Notes:
Another vodka that smells more like a gin, it’s highlighted by the aromas of lemon peel and gentle spices. The nose is actually fairly mild which is a good thing. The citrus is also there on the palate, but it’s not in your face, it’s gently in the background throughout while earthy, botanical flavors make an appearance as well. It’s lightly flavored but has enough citrus to make it a great base for a gin & tonic.
Bottom Line:
The true appeal of this vodka lies in its subtlety. It has a nice tart kick of lemon zest, but it’s so much more than that. A truly special flavored vodka, for sure.
Could there be better playmates than vodka and cucumber? We don’t think so. This award-winning vodka is 100% organic, gluten-free, and flavored with crisp, refreshing cucumber. It’s subtle, fresh, and highly mixable.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find fresh cucumbers, light citrus peel, vanilla, and some pepper. The cucumber does dominate and it’s really inviting. The palate is crisp and light with more cucumber, citrus, vanilla, and herbal, earthy flavors. It’s very refreshing and shines most when it’s just mixed with soda water.
Bottom Line:
This might be the most refreshing, crisp, flavorful vodka on the market. The cucumber and citrus flavors are exceptional. It’s the kind of bottle you’ll always want to have on your home bar for mixing fresh cocktails.
This piece, which has been lightly edited, originally appeared on Mark’s Patreon. To subscribe, click here.
In case you were wondering how things are going in Orlando, we recently saw them close a game against the Dallas Mavericks with this lineup.
Just want to remind people that this lineup actually closed a game, it was not a mirage, and they outscored the Mavericks in their 151 seconds of shared court time*
“Chaos is a ladder built by 7 foot wingspans” – Littlefinger, Game of Thrones, abridged
Chuma Okeke/Franz Wagner/Paolo Banchero/Wendell Carter Jr./Bol Bol is, for my money, the wackiest, funkiest, and most unhinged lineup we’ve seen in a game this season without question. I loved every second of it — 151 seconds, to be exact — as they actually outscored the Mavs by one in their time on court. All five players are 6’6 or taller (Okeke is the shortest at 6′ 6) and has a plus wingspan. If you haven’t watched this game, I so strongly encourage you to do so.
This is Orlando’s ethos, a direct result of their past few years of scouting, draft philosophy, and willingness to experiment to be different. We’ll see how that actually plays out during the coming era of basketball in Orlando, but the results have been intriguing to track without question. Banchero, the top pick in the 2022 draft, has rightfully commandeered headlines and dazzled with highlights. Averaging 22.7 points on close to league average efficiency while being a plus playmaker across your first seven games as a rookie at 6’10, that’s pretty damn impressive!
The collective shooting of the Magic, currently just 27th in team three-point percentage, is slightly indicative of what their shooting talent is. It’s also a product of a slow start and due to their lack of guard play — Jalen Suggs has played two games and Cole Anthony just four. They’ve been forced into the wacky zone due to injury, which stinks, because injuries stink. On the other hand, it makes for some absurd 10:17 P.M. EST television.
Lost in the sauce this season has been Franz Wagner’s improvement. Now, you might look at Wagner’s box score and scoff, but that would be a mistake. Wagner has struggled from deep early. But his exploits inside the arc have been all the more impressive considering that and the overall shooting of the team at present.
His usage has increased, partially out of necessity. Cleaning the Glass has him listed as the point guard in lineups 8 percent of his total minutes this season; it seems like that should be significantly higher. He’s often running lineups even if he’s not the shortest or even close to shortest player on the court, something that isn’t easily parsed out by data, given how much diversification the Orlando offense has in handlers — every player seemingly has gotten opportunities to bring the ball up, which I love.
Franz has found an extra tinge of aggression, seeing red a little more often. What makes that so fascinating is how he finishes inside the arc. So often in watching Franz, I rarely think “that was an aggressive take,” but his finishing is an illusion, in that sense. He’s aggressive in getting to the rim, and will more than occasionally uncork a rim-rattling slam, but his finishing is often craft-based.
That’s not something I’d routinely attribute to a high-level forward driver. His patience and use of angles are reminiscent of watching a below the rim guard sneak their way into craft finishes through limbs in traffic. He’s still most comfortable finishing with his right, but has an adept ability to adjust mid-air to either hand to cushion himself against length and rim protection.
It’s the kind of thing that feels like bad process. You get that crafty finishing guard feel, right? If you’ve ever watched Jaden Hardy, you’ve seen attempts like this routinely. With Wagner’s deft touch, he somewhat bucks the bad process label for me. When you can pull off these funky floaters that have even more separation due to his size and length, by all means Franz, go to work!
Noah Vonleh is in such a bind here. Franz is one of the best at his size at driving through the nail. His strides are so long, he can hit that overhead swing through gather to keep the ball secure, and then a step later, he’s gliding into a floater/finger roll that can’t really be contested. He’s incredible at using his full length. It seems minute, but having the ability and consistent understanding to not just be big, but utilize your own size to the 100th percentile is a due part of what makes Franz so special.
I’m so interested to see how teams start to key in on Franz doing his inside hand finishes, but at the same time, it’s not easy to hone in on one thing he’ll do. He’s really strong at mixing up his finishing package. Wagner is very much a combo puncher. He revels in keeping his opponents guessing by throwing jabs, rangy hooks, and feints from every angle.
Evan Mobley, among other rim protectors who have been handed the same left to right scoop, looked like a batter expecting a fastball or curve, and wound up with a 74 mile per hour knuckle that painted the bottom right corner. You just kind of sit there stunned — “Oh, that was quick as hell and he went inside hand? Against me?” It’s an awesome off-speed pitch to have.
Wagner isn’t getting to the rim all that much more, and he’s only finishing slightly better than he did there last season (up two percent), but when factoring in the improving process, aggression, and what the offensive environment has been, this is intriguing stuff.
The interior passing between him, Paolo, and Wendell has enamored early. Yes, the spacing is weird and the shooting has been rough. I’d love to see the team add a vet or two who can really help ease some of that burden. There’s one player on this team older than 25, Terrence Ross. Adding any shooting guard/small forward hybrid who can move themselves and move the ball while getting threes up on volume is something I’d love to see.
I remain more intrigued by this team than any other in the NBA from a pure amusement factor, scouting perspective, and overall basketball philosophy and understanding point of view. Franz Wagner is a substantial reason for that, and his continued growth into one of the premier young players in the league is something to keep on your radar.
November is here and, on Tuesday, the College Football Playoff selection committee released its first top-25 ranking of the 2022 season. At this relatively early juncture, there is a lot of football left to be played, headlined by massive battle on Saturday between the Georgia Bulldogs and Tennessee Volunteers, but the early rankings are often instructive. In the first edition, Tennessee comes in at the top of the heap on the strength of wins Alabama, LSU, and Kentucky.
The rest of the top four features the Ohio State Buckeyes at No. 2, the Georgia Bulldogs at No. 3, and the Clemson Tigers at No. 4, meaning that quartet of teams would earn playoff entry if the season ended today. Here is a look at the full top 25 at this juncture:
1. Tennessee
2. Ohio State
3. Georgia
4. Clemson
5. Michigan
6. Alabama
7. TCU
8. Oregon
9. USC
10. LSU
11. Ole Miss
12. UCLA
13. Kansas State
14. Utah
15. Penn State
16. Illinois
17. North Carolina
18. Oklahoma State
19. Tulane
20. Syracuse
21. Wake Forest
22. NC State
23. Oregon State
24. Texas
25. UCF
The winner of Saturday’s tilt between Georgia and Tennessee has the inside track for No. 1 next week, with Ohio State heavily favored to remain unbeaten until a late November showdown with Michigan. With those four teams facing each other, Clemson has arguably the clearest path, but the Tigers likely need to run the table given the relatively “down” nature of the ACC.
LSU is the highest-rated two-loss team but, as in most years, the SEC champion projects to receive a bump, so even the Tigers have a path to the final four. No matter what, more intriguing football is on the way, and two of the top three teams in the nation meet on Saturday for the first major domino post-rankings release.
The Supreme Court shaped by former president Donald Trump has proven itself to be a destructive force, decimating Roe v. Wade and much else besides. But every now and then they unpredictably do the right thing. For instance, Lindsey Graham has spent months trying to weasel his way out of a subpoena issued over the summer that would force him to testify about his involvement in attempts to overturn the 2020 election in Georgia. But surprise surprise: the Supremes won’t let him.
As per CNN, the bench declined to block said subpoena, which would have Graham testify in front of a grand jury in Atlanta, scheduled for November 17. Graham had cited the Constitution’s Speech or Debate clause, which protects lawmakers from certain criminal or civil proceedings pertaining to their legislative duties. But the Supremes were not having it. None of them even wrote a dissent on the order.
Now here’s the rub: Though Graham will now have to testify about allegedly sketchy calls he made to Georgia election officials in 2020, he will have the ability to object to or challenge certain questions. That means the scope of the testimony could wind up being limited.
After the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Graham briefly turned on Trump, only to soon return to his side. It remains to be seen how much of that has to do with his role in the failed attempt to keep Trump in power. In late summer, he came under fire for claiming there would “riots in the streets” if Trump was indicted — comments he awkwardly tried to deny saying.
November is the best month for new whiskeys releases of the entire year. There’s a glut that touches on all styles and regions. It’s also the month when the super rare bottles become available, adding to the sparkle of it all. That means it’s time to call out our 25 favorite bottles of whisk(e)y that we think you should track down this month. And let us tell you right off: it’s a hell of a selection.
Before we dive in, I’d be remiss not to point out that some of the whiskeys listed below are going to be hard(ish) to find. There is so much good stuff hitting shelves right now but some of it is very allocated. That means that the rarer stuff is going to be available via state liquor board lotteries, distillery-only, and by sheer blind luck when you walk into a very good liquor store. Otherwise, those higher-end bottles are going to be marked up pretty heavily on the aftermarket. I’ve listed the prices for those particular bottles with “MSRP” instead of “Average Price” because of this.
Essentially, the price of those bottles will vary too wildly depending on where you actually run across them.
Lastly, I didn’t rank these. This is about great whisk(e)y. All of these bottles are worthy of your time and money. But ranking a peated single malt over a sherry-finished rye whiskey doesn’t really mean anything since they’re two different beasts. With all of that in mind, let’s dive in and find you a great whiskey to add to your bar cart this month!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
291 out in Colorado is an award darling distillery and a crowd-pleaser as well. This whiskey is made with shorter aging in new American white oak with treated Aspen staves in that barrel to accelerate the maturation process. That whiskey is then transferred to old 291 barrels that were used to age maple syrup in Wisconsin for Lincoln County Reserve Maple Syrup. Finally, those barrels were batched and bottled at cask strength as-is.
Tasting Notes:
You feel the maple syrup from the first nose with a layered sense of cinnamon toast with fig jam next to mild hints of pancakes on a buttery griddle with rich toffee and singed cedar in the background. The palate is lush and almost thick with a sense of custard-heavy cinnamon toast dusted with nutmeg, powdered sugar, and dark chocolate powder next to some serious ABV warmth that’s spiced with winter spices. The heat lingers through the mid-palate toward a viscous-y end with more of that rich maple syrup next to stacks of french toast, winter spice, and apple fritter.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty hot on the palate. I’d recommend a rock or two to calm it down and really let the flavor notes shine through.
This uncut and unfiltered version of Redwood Empire’s beloved bourbon is a four-grain whiskey built from a blend of California, Kentucky, and Indiana whiskeys. The mash ends up being 74% corn, 20% raw rye, 4.5% malt barley, and a mere 1.5% wheat. The barrels in the final blend range from four to 12 years old with the older stuff coming from the Ohio Valley.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a soft sense of classic bourbon on the nose with a rich and dark cherry by way of a vanilla pod, light caramel sauce, and pecan waffles with a glug of pancake syrup and a dollop of cinnamon-brown sugar butter next to a whisper of old boot leather. The palate has a soft creamed honey sweetness with a twinge of Cherry Coke next to buttery toffee dipped in crushed roasted almonds with a hint of Mounds Bar and chewy caramel. A good dose of ABV heat kicks up on the mid-palate with a mulled wine spiciness and a touch of sour cherry. The end is nutty and full of dark cherry tobacco just kissed with dark chocolate and dark brown spices.
Bottom Line:
This is simply quintessential bourbon. It’s easy drinking with a big kick that never overpowers. Give it a shot over some rocks or in your next old fashioned.
Nashtucky Special Release Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 8 Years
This whiskey is part of the new line from the famed Nashville Barrel Company. In this case, barrels were filled in Kentucky and then sent down to Nashville to age for eight years, colliding the worlds of Kentucky bourbon with the Tennessee climate. The results are bottled as-is one barrel at a time.
Tasting Notes:
Old lawn furniture with a hint of dry grass mixes on the nose with salted caramels, figs, dates, and prunes, a mix of wintry spices, a dash of white pepper, and some light stone fruit (think fresh apricot and plum). The palate leans into spiced fig jam with a sense of spiced Christmas cake, burnt sugar, and candied citrus countered by dry sweetgrass braided with cedar bark next to singed wild sage and a hint of strawberry tobacco. The end has a mild sense of warmth next to pear fruit leather and apricot jam with a hint of dark chocolate and dried strawberry tobacco in an old leather pouch.
Bottom Line:
This is really good whiskey. The balance is spot on and this takes you on a journey. It also makes one hell of a Manhattan.
Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch no. B2205
This new release from Huber Farm’s Starlight Distillery (the distillery to know if you’re in the know) is made from their high-corn mash with a sweet mash method (each batch is fresh) in their old copper pot still. The whiskey is barreled in Canton barrels and left to age on the farm for four years before it’s batched (only 20 barrels) and proofed down to 100 proof for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with dark stewed cherries and spiced prune compote next to cinnamon waffles with a hint of maple syrup and dark chocolate chips. The palate is pure silk with notes of Cherry Coke next to clove-studded oranges dipped in dark chocolate with a flake of salt with whispers of apple fritters, eggnog spices, and singed cherry bark with maybe a hint of apple wood in the background. The end has a subtle warmth thanks to wintry mulled wine spices that lead to fresh pipe tobacco kissed with dates and chocolate and packed into an old cedar box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
This is a damn near perfect pour of whiskey. It’s also a massively well-hidden gem that you might just be able to find right now. If you do find it, try it neat, on the rocks, and in your favorite cocktail.
Clonakilty Port Cask Finish Irish Whiskey Batch no. 035
This fan-favorite whiskey just released its latest batch. The juice in this one is a nine-year-old Irish grain whiskey blended with a classic Irish single malt. The whiskey was then proofed down slightly and re-loaded into Port casks from the famed Douro Valley. Those barrels were stored next to the Atlantic Ocean in Ireland until they were just right.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with bright fruit — orange, lime, and lemon zest next to peach skins and juicy apricots — next to light notes of brown spices, raisins, and lightly sweetened oak staves with a hint of must. The palate leans into the stone fruit with a stewed vibe next to dried red chili flakes, cinnamon, cardamom, and a hint of orange chocolate with whispers of lemon-lime soda. The end leans into the dark spices on the finish with a plummy vibe, a hint more of that soft oak, and a final dash of peppercorn.
Bottom Line:
This is a very easy-drinking, crowd-pleasing Irish whiskey. It has depth but remains very accessible. It also makes great cocktails.
This brand-new expression from the multi-award-winning Master Blender, Victoria Eady-Butler, is a true traveling whiskey. The whiskey is made up in Canada with 100 percent locally grown rye, according to American straight rye whiskey specifications. That hot juice is then sent to New York where it is barreled and aged for at least four years. Finally, Eady-Butler steps in and selects the honey barrels, and ships them to Tennessee where she blends this whiskey and bottles it as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a hint of fresh sourdough rye bread (the real good stuff you still get in Central Europe) next to a hint of fennel and almost woody black currants with a touch of soft cardamon. The palate leans toward dry wicker and fresh green herbs with a snap of spiciness (almost chive) next to woody cinnamon and allspice berries with a hint of spicy orange chocolate. There’s a hint of salt on the backend with a wonderfully layered dry cedar bark, herbal tobacco note, and a touch of dried nasturtium that ultimately leads to a silky vanilla/cinnamon finish.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent rye whiskey. I like it over a rock or two or in a Manhattan but it totally works as a neat sipper too.
Filibuster Distillery Bottled-in-Bond Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years
This Virginias whiskey is a grain-to-glass experience. The juice is made from locally-grown grains — 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley — and local spring water in the Shenandoah Valley. After five years of mellowing in Appalachia, a small bundle of barrels is batched and proofed to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a waft of old porch wicker next to floral honey, burnt orange, black tea leaves, and a classic sense of woody cherry and vanilla. The palate creams the honey while adding in soft oak and cherry pie filling with a hint of vanilla malt next to mulled wine spices — heavy with star anise, clove, nutmeg, and cinnamon with a pinch of mace or cardamom. The end has a dark chocolate-covered espresso bean vibe that leads to a mild dried cranberry note next to a strawberry-rhubarb-walnut crumble with a scoop of vanilla malted ice cream that finished back at the old porch wicker braided with dark cherry tobacco and dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the biggest surprises of the recent releases to hit my desk. This is just super solid all around. It’s a nice sipper that works wonders in a high-quality cocktail too.
Alberta Premium 2022 Limited Edition Cask Strength Rye
This year’s Alberta Premium Cask Strength Rye is made exclusively with classic Canadian Prairie rye grains grown locally in Alberta. Glacial spring water from the Rocky Mountains is in the mix as well as new white oak barrel aging. Once those barrels hit just the right spot, they’re batched and bottled with no proofing at all.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a bold sense of buttery and dark toffee on the nose with rich and oily vanilla pods, dark blackberry jam, mulled wine spices (star anise, allspice, clove, cinnamon), brandy-soaked raisins and dates, dry Earl Grey tea leaves, and a hint of dark cacao nibs. The palate builds on that with tart black currants dipped in salted dark chocolate next to a hint of espresso cream, and caraway-encrusted sourdough rye bread (the real stuff from Central Europe, not the bullshit rye you get in the Americas) that leads to a huge cinnamon spiciness on the mid-palate. The end rounds off that cinnamon Hot Tamale spiciness with a sweet sense of vanilla white cake bespeckled with dried cranberries and shredded blackberry tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is, again, delicious. This is also a bottle that you might actually be able to find. I love this stuff on the rocks with just a splash of fizzy mineral water and a dash of Angostura bitters.
Starward Vitalis 15th Anniversary Limited Release Single Malt Australian Whisky
This brand-new limited edition whisky from Australia’s biggest brand celebrates the 15th anniversary of the distillery. The whisky in this bottle commemorates the brand’s finishing program that made it famous. The whisky was blended from six different barrel types, focusing on tawny port, rum, bourbon, and Apera barrels between 11 and four years old.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with rich, buttery toffee candy next to rum raisin, salted dark chocolate bars, grilled pineapple, bruised apricots, and tangerine skins. The palate leans into the raisin vibe with black-tea-soaked dates, stewed prunes, and mashed dried apricot next to tart red currants with a hint of mango skin and savory papaya. That’s all countered by a mid-palate full of toasted coffee beans and creamy mocha latte notes next to a hint of dark and warm spiciness on the back of the finish with a dash of tart berry tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold whisky that never overpowers any note. It’s welcoming and soft with a deep flavor profile. It’s really just freakin’ good.
This version of Jefferson’s famed Oceans Series sailed through the North Sea, around Europe, along the Atlantic Seaboard, and through the Panama Canal before ending up in New York City. Once there, the whiskey was batched and proofed down with New York City’s famed water (which is unfiltered and from closer to the Catskills).
Tasting Notes:
There’s a nice sense of soft caramel chews on the nose with a dash of cigar tobacco and old humidors next to old leather cloves, burnt orange, and a hint of saline. The palate leans into brash winter spices with spicy and woody cinnamon, fresh nutmeg, cloves, allspice, and a hint of cardamom next to lush crème brûlée with a hint of that cigar vibe. The end stays strong with the spices and tobacco next to a soft vanilla creaminess and slightly salted pasta water finish.
Bottom Line:
This feels like a gimmick. But … who cares if the whiskey is good? This has a nice profile that’s both familiar and unique. It’s a nice balance. And what better whiskey can there be to make a Manhattan than one with New York water?
This is Sagamore Spirit’s signature rye whiskey (95/5 rye/malted barley) that’s aged for four long years. That whiskey is then re-barreled into 132-gallon Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for an additional 18-month-long rest. Finally, those barrels are batched, proofed a tad, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a deep mix of old oak staves dipped in a mash of dates, figs, and prunes with cinnamon, black licorice, and clove next to soft leather pouches full of fresh pipe tobacco with a hint of apricot and blackberry in the mix. The palate opens with soft marzipan laced with orange oils and dipped in salted dark chocolate with sticky toffee pudding, minced meat pieces, orange marmalade, and creamy honey. The end leans into the dark and almost bitter dark chocolate with a hint of espresso bean before a mild sense of old oak leads to a nutty and dark orange-forward finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a really tasty whiskey. It’s versatile and satisfying.
Kirkland Signature Single Barrel by Barton 1792 Master Distillers
This Costco release is sourced from Sazerac’s other Kentucky distillery, Barton 1792 Distillery down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey in the bottle is very likely the same distillate/barrels as 1792 Full Proof. However, this is proofed down a tiny bit below that at 120 proof instead of 125 proof, adding some nuance to this release.
Tasting Notes:
This is a classic nose full of salted caramel next to dried red chili, Mounds bars, mulled wine spices, and creamy vanilla malt milkshakes with a cherry on top. The palate really leans into the sour mulled wine focusing on star anise, cardamom, allspice, cinnamon, and maybe even some cumin next o brown sugar clumps, creamy eggnog, and a cherry-dark chocolate tobacco vibe with a slightly woody edge. The end into the spiciness and wood with a hint of black potting soil, firewood bark, and warm cinnamon in a cherry-apple hot buttered rum cider.
Bottom Line:
This is probably the best value on this list. It’s a deeply flavored whiskey that doesn’t blow out your palate with those high ABVs. It’s damn good for a budget single barrel liter of booze from Costco.
This limited-edition release celebrates the 30th Anniversary of Knob Creek, which started back in 1992 during the darkest days of bourbon. The juice is Beam’s standard mash bill that’s distilled at a slightly different temperature and treated with a little more care during aging by placing barrels in very specific locations throughout their vast warehouses. After 18 long years, the best of the best barrels are small batched, and just proofed before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Dark molasses and pecan clusters with salted dark chocolate lead to brown butter, old figs, and salted caramel with a woody sense of cherry and apple bark next to cinnamon-laced cedar sticks with burnt orange. The palate is full of lush vanilla notes next to singed cherry bark, apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks, star anise, salted black licorice, and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans with a hint of dried red chili spice turning up the heat on the mid-palate. The end has a floral honey sweetness that balances everything toward orange blossoms and bruised peaches, cherry tobacco, and clove tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is great whiskey. If you’re a bourbon acolyte, then this is a must-buy right now.
This whisky starts with heavily peated malts with phenol levels above 170ppm. Translation: this is a peat monster. From there, mad scientist Dr. Bill Lumsden selected the peatiest of the peaty barrels for a batch and dumped them into Ardbeg’s special tun (mixing vat) for a final rest before adding a little Islay spring water and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
This is massively peated from the jump with freshly lain asphalt mingling with fireplace ash, old Weber grills left out in the rain, and hurricane lamp oil with a burnt wick and maybe some burnt apple chips next to smoldering hickory. The palate opens with burnt cacao nibs and over-roasted espresso beans with a clear peatiness tied to burnt oyster shells and fresh Ace Bandages with a mix of star anise, salted black licorice, clove, and fennel next to Mounds bars. The end has a heavily smoked vibe that’s kind of like smudging some wild sage while boiling heavily roasted coffee on the stove with a sense of an electric-coil burner raging in bright orange underneath the pot.
Bottom Line:
Shifting entirely, this just dropped and is not for the light of heart. This is a true peat monster that’ll be adored by whisky folks seeking out the big phenols. If you’re not ready for that, maybe check out the Oban below.
Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels Cask Strength
This modern classic is a yearly limited release from the beloved Lousiville distiller. The juice is made from a mix of locally sourced barrels that are finished in Ruby Port casks. The best of the best are hand-selected by Angel’s Envy’s team for as-is batching and bottling with only 14,000 odd bottles making out this year.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a deep sense of blackberry jam over a Southern biscuit with plenty of brown butter, vanilla sauce, and apple fruit leather with a dash of cinnamon, allspice, and star anise next to a whisper of cherry cream soda and orange-chocolate tobacco packed into a cedar box. The palate is soft and supple with a brandy butter vibe next to mince meat pie with powdered sugar icing, meaty dates, black tea, and rich Black Forest cake. The end subtly meanders through shaved dark chocolate and stewed cherry, eventually landing on a vanilla-laced tobacco leaf rolled up with apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and old wicker canes.
Bottom Line:
This was just delicious and really feels like a holiday vibe whiskey.
This year’s return of the Stagg is hewn from whiskey distilled all the way back in 2007 with Kentucky corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. The juice was filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds). Those barrels were then stored in the famed Warehouse K on the first and fifth floors over 15 years, wherein 75% of the liquid was lost to the angels. Finally, the barrels were batched and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey is hot. Your nose is met with buttery pecan waffles loaded with dark salted chocolate chips and dripping with maple syrup that feels expensive next to darkly roasted espresso beans, singed vanilla husks, and dried sour cherries next to a medley of holiday spices. The palate leans into those spices with a clear sense of sharp cinnamon, old clove buds, allspice berries, and whole nutmeg bulbs next to a hint of star anise and maybe some cardamom before that darkly roasted coffee jumps back in with a deeply stewed cherry in a dark treacle syrup before the ABVs buzz hard on the mid-palate. The end amps up the woodiness with the spices and adds in a sense of old cedar bark, dark chocolate nibs, and a cherry-tobacco buzziness.
Bottom Line:
It’s back! Rejoice, taters! This year’s George T. Stagg BTAC is an ABV monster. You’ll definitely need a rock to calm it down. If you don’t, you’re lying.
This brand-new limited edition Octomore from Bruichladdich is all about Islay. The whisky is made from heavily peated malts grown on the island (most malts are shipping in from the mainland) back in 2015. In 2016, the whisky was distilled right by the sea at Bruichladdich and then loaded into first-fill, ex-American whiskey casks and second-fill European oak casks from the Rivesaltes region of France and the Ribera del Duero region of Spain. After five years, the casks were vatted and then bottled completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is a subtle mix of salted caramel with sweet caramel malts, apricot jam, gingerbread, and a touch of nasturtium with a whisper of smoked apples and pears before the ashen peat starts sneaking in. The palate opens with smoked brown sugar next to rich marzipan with a hint of Almond Joy next to Kiwi boot wax, orange marmalade, dried roses, lemon pepper, and a hint of oyster liquor. The end has a caramel maltiness that’s just kissed with sea salt and potpourri cut with mild dark spices and more of that marzipan, finishing on a light fruit soda vibe.
Bottom Line:
This whisky kicks around in the peat bog for a while but then layers in some seriously delectable notes. I like the complexity of this one. It takes you somewhere and feels fresh and old at the same time.
This is the second major holiday release from Chicken Cock. This year’s super rare whiskey is made from a classic mash of 70% corn, 21% rye, and 9% malted barley. That whiskey was aged for an undisclosed amount of years before it was re-barreled into 32 French cognac barrels. Those 32 barrels were then batched, proofed, and bottled as-is for this release.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is supple and full of creamed honey, moist marzipan, peaches and cream ice cream with a hint of waffle cone, and fresh plums dashed with clove and star anise. The palate leans into the plums with a spiced cake vibe next to rich Black Forest Cake, candied dates, rum-raisin, and banana bread with plenty of butter, cinnamon, and walnut with a twist of fresh orange zest. The end embraces the orange and adds in salted dark chocolate tobacco with a hint of brown butter, pecan shells, and cedar boughs.
Bottom Line:
This is subtle and delicious. It’s pricy but we’ll never see this bottle again.
Cardhu 16-Year-Old 2022 Diageo Single Malt Special Releases Collection
This Speyside unpeated malt was aged in refill and re-charred American oak bourbon barrels for 16 years. That whisky was then refilled into Jamaican pot still rum-seasoned casks for a final rest before vatting and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a definite sense of aura of funky rumminess with a hint of barrel char and grilled tropical fruits with plenty of brown spices — clove, allspice, nutmeg — surrounded by creamy lemon meringue pie, mango lassi, and freshly washed sheets flapping in the summer breeze (it’s wildly engaging and kind of weird but I love it). The palate has a rummy toffee syrup mood with spiced rum cocktails cut with banana bread, walnuts, and brown butter with a hint of brandy-soaked oak staves. The end has a light black pepperiness with more of that rummy barrel funk and soft and sweet (not acidic) tropical fruit.
Bottom Line:
This is a brilliant unpeated malt. It’s devilishly simple with a truly great flavor profile. It’s fruity and fresh and embracing. If you add a rock or a little water, it’ll really bloom in the glass with deeper fruit and creamy flavor notes.
Willett Distillery Kiamichi A Family Reunion Whiskey Aged 5 Years
This whiskey from the new Kings of Leon’s collaboration is their entry point to the trio of bottles released this year. The juice is a 12-barrel blend a mix of two Willett rye mash bills that were aged in both char 5 oak (a very heavy alligator char) and 24-month cured oak from Hoffmeister Cooperage. Those extremely rare barrels were then batched and just kissed with water and then bottled in only 2,780 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Wow! This nose is gorgeous with subtle notes of tart cherries tossed with flakes of salt next to dark plum jam laced with soft cinnamon, ground clove, and nutmeg, vanilla pound cake with poppy seeds, red and orange nasturtiums, floral honey, and salted cashews. The taste is fruity but moves more toward pineapple cores, peach skins, and lemon pith next to a soft dry sweetgrass braid twisted up with wild sage and cedar bark with notes of pine-infused honey, old black tea leaves, and cinnamon sticks that have just been singed on the mid-palate. The end is lush and beautifully layered with real sourdough rye crusts, honey-dipped Graham Crackers, dark chocolate-dipped sour cherries, and a hint of walnut bread with plenty of wintry spices and butter.
Bottom Line:
This is one of my favorite whiskeys of the year.
Oban 10-Year-Old 2022 Diageo Single Malt Special Releases Collection
This lightly peated Highland whisky from the tiny Oban Distillery is rendered from refill and new American oak barrels. That whisky is vatted and then refilled into Amontillado-seasoned casks for a final rest before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lithe sense of lemon/lime saltwater taffy wrapped in white wax paper with a hint of lime leaves and wild sage next to salted smoked lemons and tangerines with a hint of really good and cloudy extra virgin olive oil speckled with smoked sea salt and freshly cracked red peppercorns. The palate is silken and full of layers of smoked grapes, smoked plums, and salted chili pepper candies with a fleeting sense of violet and lavender creaminess tied to a lush vanilla underbelly. The end has a mild woody chili pepper spiciness that’s dry and leads to a limber finish with warmth, lightly caramelized malts, and smoked apricot jam with brandy cream.
Bottom Line:
This might well be the best of the new Special Releases from Diageo. It’s just haunting and mesmerizing. There’s nothing quite like it yet it transports you straight to Oban (if you’ve been there).
Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve 15 Years Old 2022 Release
This is where the “Pappy Van Winkle” line starts in earnest. The juice in this expression is pulled from barrels that are at least 15 years old. Once batched, the whiskey is just touched with water to bring it down to a sturdy 107-proof.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with freshly fried sourdough fritters dusted with ground almonds, sharp cinnamon, cloves, orange zest, burnt sugars, and maple frosting with a hint of old vanilla pods next to soft figs. The palate leans into rich toffee with a sense of minced meat pies covered in powdered sugar frosting right next to sticky toffee pudding with salted caramel, orange zest, and tons of brown wintry spice countered by a moment of sour mulled red wine cut with dark maple syrup. The end has a soft cedar vibe that leads to vanilla and dark cherry tobacco leaves and a hint of pine next to old white moss.
Bottom Line:
This is the best new release from the Pappy line this year. The 15-year-old just hit right and clear this time around. You’ll get the hype immediately about Pappy the moment you raise this to your senses. Plus, these are hitting shelves this month, so you might get lucky.
Back in the spring of 2005, a humble bourbon was made with Kentucky distiller’s corn, Minnesota rye, and North Dakota barley. That hot juice was then filled into new white oak from Independent Stave from Missouri with a #4 char level (55 seconds) and stacked in Buffalo Trace’s warehouses H, K, and L on floors one and four. It was left alone for 17 years, which allowed 70% of the whiskey to be lost to the angels. In 2022, the barrels were batched and the bourbon was proofed down to 101 proof and was bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose subtly draws you in with soft pipe tobacco that feels fresh and vibrant next to dried sour cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate and rolled in vanilla seeds and vanilla-laced streusel with a good dose of woody maple syrup with this fleeting hint of red brick, moldy cellar beams, and soft and sandy cellar dirt floor. Old maple trees dripping with sap lead to a rich salted caramel candy vibe next to rich vanilla pound cake topped with a creamy dark chocolate frosting and bespeckled with orange zest, dried cranberries bits, and crushed espresso beans. The mid-palate takes on a woody spiciness with a whisper of apple bark that informs a spiced Christmas cake full of soft cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, mace, and maybe some anise and dried dark fruits with creamy eggnog baseline next to old Whether’s Originals wrapped up in dry tobacco leaves and stacked in a musty pine box for safekeeping.
Bottom Line:
This is a perfect bourbon.
The Last Drop Signature Blend No. 28 A Blend Of Kentucky Straight Whiskeys
This blend is from Buffalo Trace’s Master Blender Drew Mayville, who’s been at the distillery since 2004. Mayville created this blend by sampling bourbons and ryes from the rarest and sometimes oldest barrels of whiskey in Buffalo Trace’s vast and numerous warehouses. While the exact details of the final blend are unknown, we do that the whiskeys in this blend are some of the rarest that the distillery had on its ricks. And since it is a blend of bourbon and rye whiskey, this is technically a “blended straight whiskey.”
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this feels like the dark red brick and black mold with the old rickhouse beams, dirt floors, sour mash fermenters, and green grass with fall leaves crunching under feet at Buffalo Trace Distillery. It then deepens into sticky toffee pudding, old dried-up figs, black-tea-soaked dates, burnt orange, cinnamon sticks, dried ancho chilis, firewood pitch, and a creamy underbelly of vanilla and toffee. The palate warms with an ABV buzz that leads to soft vanilla cream with tart but dark berries floating next to orange zest and salted caramel. There’s a sense of old boot leather and Kiwi boot cream next to waxy cacao nibs, cherry cream soda, pecan and dark chocolate clusters, pistachios, and roasted root veg — think caramelized parsnips and carrots next to a Yorkshire pudding. The end becomes a luxuriously soft and creamy sip of stewed black cherries with anise and clove next to holly bushes and fir needles with a little bunch of spices — cinnamon sticks, star anise, dried rose, a stick of pine, dried orange peel — tied with an old waxy piece of twine.
Bottom Line:
This is amazing. Truly a one-of-a-kind whiskey everyone should at least get to try once in their lifetime.
Michter’s Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 20 Years Old 2022 Release
Master Distiller Dan McKee personally selects these (at least) 20-year-old barrels from their rickhouses based on, well, excellence. The bourbon is bottled as-is with no cutting with water.
Tasting Notes:
Imagine a nose full of dark and sweet cherries smothered in rummy molasses with a touch of dried roses, roasted almonds, and cedar bark all leading towards the soft — almost wet — tobacco leaves with a hint of dry apple and pear next to lush vanilla and wintry mulled wine spices. The palate doesn’t veer too far from those notes while adding in a touch of burnt ends from vanilla pods with a light clove spice that leans more towards that tobacco than woody cinnamon sticks and star anise next to a hint of dried sage and fleeting, almost spicy mint with a touch of singed marshmallow. The finish really embraces the cherry but more towards the stem and seed as the nuttiness leans into moist marzipan, orange oils, and chewy fresh tobacco with a hint of leather and cedar.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the absolute best bourbons money can buy … right now. You might actually be able to find one of these too (if you’re in the right region).
With so many tours going on this fall, some musicians decided to dress up for their performances at the end of October. That includes Harry Styles, who’s been promoting his album Harry’s House with an expansive tour that featured a special date for Halloween. It is of course referred to as Harryween, and it took place at the Forum in Los Angeles.
For this event, the “As it Was” singer dressed up as Danny Zuko from Grease and covered “Hopelessly Devoted To You.” He honored the late Olivia Newton-John with photos of her on the stage and a performance of her duet with John Travolta, “You’re the One That I Want,” done with his bandmates.
Harryween was a major deal, so much so that two fans posted early on in October that they were camping out for almost an entire month for the show. “Hey everyone!” said the fan named Ally, while her friend Arli sat in a lawn chair. “Just want to let you know, we have started camping out for the Harryween show.” Fans in the comments were questioning whether or not the video was actually real — camping culture has only intensified with the rise of TikTok, but so have jokes.
Watch Styles’ rendition of “Hopelessly Devoted To You” above.
It’s a sneaker that needs no introduction, one that launched 40 years ago and still remains quite possibly Nike’s most beloved and best-selling silhouette. It stands the test of time and solidified itself as a streetwear staple before streetwear was even a thing. So it’s safe to say it’s not going anywhere.
We’re talking about the mighty Air Force 1. Designed by Bruce Kilgore (who also designed the Air Jordan 2 with Peter Moore) and released in 1982, the AF-1 was Nike’s first real shot at making a basketball shoe worthy of the court.
It seems hard to believe, but prior to the AF-1, Nike’s main focus was running shoes. With the AF-1, the brand was attempting to create something explicitly made for court performance, and with its new Nike Air technology and Kilgore’s unconventional (at the time) design, the AF-1 was that shoe. Grab a pair of your AF-1s (we know you have at least one), flip them around and take a look at the outsole, that swirling crop-circle-esque traction pattern doesn’t look like much today, but at the time it represented something brand new.
Kilgore ditched the traditional herringbone traction pattern of Nike sneakers for something that worked with the constant pivoting and fast action needed by modern players, coupled with the NIKE AIR technology — a flexible airbag that provided a slight spring in the step — Nike had one of the first sneakers that actively attempted to compliment and enhance a player’s on-court performance. Sure, just about every basketball sneaker does that these days… but it all started here!
In celebration of Nike’s greatest (non-MJ) silhouette, we’re naming all the best colorways to ever hit the Air Force 1. Let’s dive in! And to check out El-P from Run the Jewels getting a pair of custom AF-1s, watch his episode of Uproxx’s Fresh Pair with Just Blaze and Katty Customs, below.
Air Force 1 High — White/Silver, 1983
Goat
The low-top AF-1 is the sneaker’s most popular form but early on in the sneaker’s lineage, the high was all that was offered and the sneaker still looks great with that higher profile and ankle strap. One of the strongest early colorways was this white and silver makeup which features a leather upper with a metallic swoosh and a matching outsole. This sneaker dropped after the initial run of AF-1 colorways and the sneaker was briefly discontinued the following year before its relaunch in 1986. Is the White/Silver to blame?
We’re going to guess “no.” If anything, this sneaker probably kept the silhouette in the public consciousness which is why it’s been given several re-releases since its initial drop.
The sneaker was last re-released in 2015 with a women’s size exclusive dropping holiday season of last year. Even though we’re only a year out I think this sneaker is deserving of a full-size run re-release in 2023. Who is going to argue with that?
It’s hard to believe that the most iconic colorway of the AF-1 didn’t drop until more than a decade into its production. The low top white on white AF-1 is what probably comes to mind when you think about the shoe and many would argue that the silhouette never looked better than this.
We agree that the leather upper in all white with a matching white swoosh is the ultimate form of this sneaker. If sneakerheads everywhere had to choose a single color for this shoe to be released in for the foreseeable future, it would be without a doubt a crisp pair of white-on-white AF-1s. The look of a perfect pair is probably single-handedly keeping the sneaker-cleaning business alive. I’m all for sneakers with wear and tear, but this AF-1 deserves to look as clean and crispy as possible at all times.
The most recent re-release of this perfect colorway dropped in 2018 and updated the design with a full-grain leather upper. They are still on the aftermarket for fairly reasonable prices.
Probably the only mid-top Jordan to make our list, the Independence Day is too much of a fully realized concept not to earn a spot here. The shoe is named after the aircraft that shuttles the President around, so making the sneaker red, white and blue is a no-brainer. It’s maybe the only other shoe aside from a Nike Cortez that looks good in this tired and overplayed color combination.
The Independence Day features a white leather upper with shimmering blue paneling and a small red jeweled swoosh with a matching embroidered swoosh at the mid-ankle strap. There is a sleekness to this speaker that speaks to its late ’90s release date. Now the general public prefers oversized wrap-around Swooshes, but there is something about the way the three-dimensional jeweled swoosh looks on a mid-top AF-1 that just looks right.
The most recent release of this shoe dropped in April of this year. Why didn’t it release on Independence Day? Our guess is it would’ve been a little too on the nose, and considering this is a red, white, and blue AF-1, it’s already dangerously close to being cheesy.
With the AF-1 the general consensus is the simpler the better, but then you see a design like the Cocoa Snake and it makes you question that. The Cocoa Snake is a bit more flashy than your typical AF-1 but it’s undeniably fresh.
Featuring a white leather base with snakeskin paneling on the heel and toe wrap with a black swoosh, heel tab, and outsole, the Cocoa Snake plays on the classic colorways of the AF-1 (black and white) but elevates it just a touch with faux snakeskin, resulting in a sneaker that rides the line between casual and luxury footwear. This sneaker is way past its prime to really exist on the aftermarket, but luckily Complex dropped a pair in 2018 as a Complexcon exclusive that is still readily available on aftermarket sites.
The AF-1 White/White may be the most iconic colorway of the sneaker, but the Linen is hands down a fan favorite. Just look at this thing! It features a leather upper in beige and sports a pastel pink swoosh with a pink outsole. It’s far from the first sneaker to be accented in pink tones, but it single-handedly started a sneaker trend of accenting in bright pinks and is almost always a hit, whether it shows up on an SB Dunk or a Jordan. Thank the Linen for popularizing the trend and ending the drab days of dark-colored kicks.
The Linen was originally released as a Japanese exclusive but has since come stateside with a 2016 re-release via Kith as part of Art Basel Miami. I think we’re due for another re-release and I’m willing to bet a lot of sneakerheads would second that!
Another Japanese exclusive, the Wheat Mocha featured a workwear-inspired design (long before workwear became popular in the States) and sported an ultra-smooth nubuck upper in tan with chocolate brown accents and a translucent gum midsole. Japan has always had a deep appreciation for streetwear, and the country has been rewarded with easily the best Air Force 1 drops of all time.
The Wheat Mocha is unique in that it looks like something that could fit on the construction site (it’s not steel-toed, so don’t do that) as well as at any sort of fancy function, making it one of the most versatile designs the AF-1 has ever had. Nike has since released a high-top version of the sneaker but it looks best in its original low-top form.
As we mentioned before, when it comes to the AF-1 simpler just looks better and the Courir proves it. Featuring a black leather upper with a white midsole and swoosh, the AF-1 Courir is a near-perfect design, and what really puts it over the top is that gum outsole adding another point of contrast that perfectly compliments the white and black makeup. Three strong colors is all an AF-1 needs to look great.
The sneaker was originally released as a Europe exclusive and remains one of the hardest pairs to find. It looks like anyone who has a pair wants to hold on to them.
Made by the design collective of Hiroshi Fujiwara, Tinker Hatfield, and Mark Parker (known collectively as HTM) this AF-1 is easily one of the top five colorways that have ever graced this silhouette. The HTM 1 features a stark black softened leather upper with white contrast stitching, HTM branding, and was released with custom hang tags and a special box. The original HTM concept was to combine unexpected colors and materials and I’d say the HTM 1 doesn’t really satisfy that concept. That doesn’t necessarily matter though, because the sneakers look great regardless and were put together by three absolute legends.
As dope as the design is, this sneaker was dropped in an incredibly limited capacity making it one of the rarest AF-1s to ever hit the market. Like the Linen, this is long overdue for a re-release.
Made in collaboration with NYC graffiti artist Stash, this AF-1 which dropped in 2003 is one of the finest high-top iterations of the sneaker to date. The fact that it came out nearly a decade ago is ridiculous.
Featuring mesh panels over a cotton and leather upper, Stash’ AF-1 featured reflective spray can nozzle patterning across the panels with a suede Swoosh and a translucent outsole. The sneakers dropped in a special red suitcase in a limited run of just 1,000 distributed between the cities of New York, London, and Tokyo. Tokyo received the lion’s share of the sneaker with 500 pairs sent to the city while London and New York received only 250 each.
On the aftermarket, prices for this nearly 10-year-old shoe are still in the thousands, which isn’t prohibitively expensive for a collector’s item, but good luck finding a pair in your size. To date, Stash has dropped a few more renditions of the AF-1 but none look quite as good as this drop.
Created by famed Nike designer Mark Smith, this laser-etched AF-1 features a tan leather upper with brown laces and a swirling design atop a pure white midsole. This might be a controversial statement but I think this is one of the few designs that feels better to look at than wear, it looks like it belongs under a museum display case, not strapped to someone’s feet.
The sneaker is alternatively known as the ‘Cashmere Laser,’ which I never understood because this sneaker features absolutely no cashmere whatsoever. The cashmere in question is in reference to the beige colorway used on the upper. Don’t be scared Nike, give us an actual cashmere AF-1 — we’ll wear it!
The Sakura Ueno is yet another Japanese-exclusive AF-1 that fills us with envy. Featuring an off-white suede upper with bright pink accents and laser-etched cherry blossoms, and embroidered details, the Sakura features simple color blocking and an elegant design. Embroidered Ueno branding adorns the hill which is a reference to Japan’s Ueno Park, a popular spot that is home to thousands of cherry blossom trees and serves as the main location of Japan’s cherry blossom festival.
If you compare the laser etching on this sneaker to the Mark Smith design, you’ll find that it’s much more tastefully done here. I’m not sure why the sneaker world was obsessed with laser etching in the ‘00s, but the Sakura actually makes the case for why it works.
Made specifically for the HBO television show Entourage this sneaker of the same name features a beautiful university blue on white leather upper and was designed by LA sneaker boutique Undefeated. This sneaker dropped at a time when the idea of sneakerheads first started to slip into the mainstream thanks in part to an episode of Entourage in which Turtle hunts down a pair of coveted Blue Fukijama Air Force 1s.
Who is Fukijama? Nobody, it’s a fictional character… but it sure sounded real. A rich dude’s fried named Turtle hunting town a pair of sneakers designed by a mononym artist from Japan? You could make a whole series out of that!
The sneaker makes reference to both LA and Queens, the adopted and original home of Entourage’s Turtle and feathers laser etching on the back panels with a black patent leather swoosh. What did I say about this era and laser etching? The sneakerheads of the ’00s went absolutely nuts for it. This pair of sneakers still exists on aftermarket sites today for a prohibitively expensive price.
Released as a Halloween exclusive, the Savage Beast is one of the wildest AF-1 designs in the sneaker’s history and is maybe the best Halloween sneaker of all time. Featuring an orange pony hair upper, lace jewels, with a frayed canvas Swoosh, the Savage Beast exudes crunchy hippie vibes and was undoubtedly a direct influence on the Grateful Dead Dunks that were released over a decade later.
Will wearing a pair make you look like a Muppet? Yes, but who doesn’t love the Muppets? The fuzzy design was actually meant to be a reference to the Looney Tunes character Gossamer which makes it one of the most obscure sneaker references of all time. Who asked for a Gossamer-inspired sneaker? Why Gossamer and not, you know, Bugs?
It’s a sneaker that inspires so many questions and that’s part of what makes it great.
Made in collaboration with Hong Kong-based label CLOT in celebration of Chinese New Year, this AF-1 features a bright red upper with etchings throughout with black laces and a matching black swoosh over a translucent midsole.
The sneaker was released with a special hexagonal box reminiscent of Chinese candy boxes. The design has seen all sorts of color variations since this initial drop, including a Rose Gold, Blue, and White Silk iteration. All of those are great but nothing really beats the original in its bright vibrant red. We don’t know for sure if this sneaker inspired the Yeezy Red Octobers but at the time it was one of the only sneakers to rock this vibrant red colorway.
Released as part of Virgil Abloh’s legendary ‘The Ten’ collection, the Off-White AF-1 was an attempt to reconstruct the design of one of the most legendary sneakers of all time, and whether you’re a fan or not, it definitely worked. This feels like an AF-1 and like something totally new at the same time. Featuring a translucent multi-fabric upper over a translucent midsole, a design style Abloh dubbed “ghosting,” this Off-White rendition served as the perfect deconstruction of the original design and was one of 10 sneakers that inspired the deconstructionist sneaker movement.
The Swoosh features a cross stitch swoosh outline, classic Abloh ‘Air’ and ‘shoelaces’ quotes at the midsole and laces, production detail text on the inner shoe and that iconic orange Off-White tab hanging off the Swoosh. It’s one of the few designs of the sneaker that looks radically different but still works.
Supreme x Comme des Garçons SHIRT x Nike — Air Force 1, 2018
Goat
Supreme has made a lot of AF-1s, and for the most part, they’re all just fine — good designs that don’t really offer anything new. But this three-way collaboration between Supreme, CDG, and Nike is something else. Featuring a textured black leather upper with a white split swoosh and midsole, this sneaker takes a gimmick (split swooshes) and actually makes it work.
It’s a sneaker that attempts and succeeds at having things both ways, it features a classic black and white colorway, with a small change-up that manages to make the old look new. The back heel has Supreme and CDG branding in a simple minimalist font that doesn’t distract the eye but still reminds onlookers of its heritage.
Released to coincide with Virgil Abloh’s exhibit at Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art, this sneaker was a MOCA exclusive that combined some of Nike’s most beloved colors into a single shoe. The main base of the sneaker is done up in University Blue with a silver metallic swoosh that pays tribute to an early AF-1, with a University Red tab in place of the Off-White usual Orange.
The tag on this sneaker is offset and while it’s not nearly as deconstructed as ‘The Ten,” it does still have some remnants of that original design, like the cross-stitched Swoosh, the text on the laces, and those ridiculous zip ties that are attached to every Off-White collaboration. The sneaker looks best without the zip tie in our opinion.
Travis Scott x Nike Air Force 1 — Cactus Jack, 2019
Goat
It’s far from the best Travis Scott Nike collaboration, but the Cactus Jack AF-1 is a modern classic in both the Air Force 1 and Cactus Jack lineage. Featuring a graphic and busy canvas upper with two different swoosh colors (brown on the outer, black on the inner), the Cactus Jack features a gum sole, green stitching along the midsole, Cactus Jack branding, and a corduroy zip-up lace shroud.
Can we do without the lace shroud? Absolutely, and luckily, it’s removable! For a while this was one of the best Cactus Jack sneakers but since its release Travis Scott has given us many more, particularly focusing on Jordan silhouettes. We get that the Jordans are hot, but here is to hoping the Cactus Jack brand spends a little more time on the non-Jordan silhouettes in Nike’s roster.
LeBron James rocked this pair of Off-White AF-1s at the pre-game tunnel during 2021’s NBA All-Star Game, the Lemonade couldn’t look more different than Abloh’s first AF-1. Featuring a loud mustard yellow colorway with a silver Swoosh outlined in contrast stitching, the Lemonade sports a foam tongue with woven tags.
Aside from the silver swoosh and the black production notes on the outer panels, this entire sneaker from the outsole to midsole, to upper, to tongue and laces, is one color. You’d think that would only work in an all-white or all-black colorway, leave it to Abloh to crush expectations and assumptions.
Stüssy x Nike Air Force 1 — Black/White, 2022
GOAT
Nike has been showing a lot of love to the high-top and mid-rise Jordan this year which makes us wonder if we’re about to enter a phase where the higher profile AF-1s take precedence over the low-top. For some people, that’ll never be the case, but for new sneakerheads on the scene who have no allegiance towards the low-top design, anything could happen!
This sneaker was made in collaboration with Southern California skatewear brand Stüssy and featured an all-leather upper with a white base and black paneling. Stüssy’s sloppy logo is a trademark of the brand, but they smartly decided to keep it simple here with an all-caps rendition embroidered on the mid-foot strap with simple ‘SS’ emblems at the heel.
It was released alongside an accompanying apparel collection and together with this sneaker, it’s the most exciting collaboration Stüssy has dropped in years.
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