Star-Lord is still the worst Marvel hero, as the Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 trailer seemingly confirms with giggles from Drax the Destroyer. Both of them get knocked in the head with a ball, but who did you enjoy watching while getting nailed the most?
Yes, that’s too much of a tangent, but this is gleeful madness on display. C’mon, Avengers fans haven’t even recovered from seeing that controversial Bucky joke in the Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, and James Gunn is already rolling out more comic-book loving fuel, even as he toils away on that top-secret DC project. That can always wait because this trailer is worth the “We Are Groot” moment and more. It’s one last rodeo for these guys, at least while they’re together.
The trailer contains nods to Gamora and more emotion from my man, Rocket Raccoon, with accompaniment from “In the Meantime” by Spacehog. From the official synopsis:
In Marvel Studios “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” our beloved band of misfits are looking a bit different these days. Peter Quill, still reeling from the loss of Gamora, must rally his team around him to defend the universe along with protecting one of their own. A mission that, if not completed successfully, could quite possibly lead to the end of the Guardians as we know them.
Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 arrives on May 5, 2023.
Paramore’s sixth album, This Is Why, is scheduled to drop on February 10th, 2023, and the band has been methodically teasing and dropping new music in the process. Now after a TikTok clip seemed to indicate that the next single on the way from the new album would be “The News,” the band went ahead and confirmed that via their official Twitter account today.
In their latest TikTok post, Paramore actually played a snippet of “The News,” along with a video of singer Hayley Williams writing the 12-8 release date on a CD that she put in a package to be sent out. The post was tagged with the handle for user @gwizzle, a fan account that the video makes it seem will receive the package with the recording of the track before it drops. You can hear Williams singing the tune over math rock drumming as the track plays and just as you’re sucked into it, the music stops. This is what we call an effective teaser.
Looking at the tracklist for This Is Why, we see that “The News” is the second track off of the upcoming album. It follows the already released, opening title track, “This Is Why.”
Whether they’re being baked for your loved ones (or just yourself), the one thing we should all be able to agree on is that holiday treats go better with a warm beverage sipped straight from a steaming mug. And while this list will certainly up your stocking game, we won’t blame you if you give these gifts a little early (or stick them in your own stocking). Plus, each of our top picks are from ethical, sustainable, incredibly unique brands who have all agreed to donate 10% of sales made through this gift guide to Feeding America, to help alleviate hunger for people in need this holiday season.
Peace Coffee – Organic and fair trade, in addition to being women and LGBTQ+ led, Peace Coffee brings freshly roasted small-batch coffees straight to your door. Gift their Decaf French Roast to serve after the holiday dinner, or a Seasonal Coffee Subscription so dashing, beans will be brewed as soon as they’re pulled from the stocking. And if you feel like you need to give yourself a little boost to get through this holiday season, check out their signature blends like Birchwood Breakfast Blend or Black Squirrel Espresso.
Verdant Tea – Sustainable, small family, farm-to-table Verdant Teas are unmatched in quality and taste. Perfect for the foodie or travel bug, these teas bring the very best of China’s tea country straight to your door. Gift something unique like a tea tasting kit featuring six individual farmers, or a 2018 white tea aged with mandarin peel from the Wu Family. And for those bigger stockings, consider adding a Golden Ginko Glass Brew Mug or Long-Handle Contemporary Glass Teapot.
Javamelts – Enjoy gifting these naturally-flavored sugars that bring your morning cup of joe or holiday baking to that gourmet level. The French Vanilla and Mocha sugar packets are ideal for traveling, and if it’s your S.O.’s first time meeting your family, the least you can do is sweeten up their morning coffee after a restless night sleeping on your mother’s lumpy couch. Or, if you’re hosting the holidays, make this show-stopping caramel chai martini, because isn’t it more fun to drink your desserts?
Burlap & Barrel – These premium, ethically-sourced spices have never been available in the US before Burlap & Barrel partnered with farmers from different regions around the world. Give the foodie in your life the Chef’s Collection, which includes spices like Black Urfa Chili and Tomato Powder. For the home cook, give the Salt and Pepper Collection, with blends like Black Lime and Chili Salt. Feel like giving a bit of both? Build your own set of spices and move this present from the stocking to the box under the tree.
Behrens – You may need a real heavy-duty stocking, but if you have a sustainable-loving chef on your list, you can always gift them Behrens’ indoor kitchen composting pail. Not only does it compost any food scraps quickly and effectively, but it looks great on your kitchen counter doing it. And if your chef is lucky enough to enjoy a warm, outdoor holiday season, consider giving them some of Behrens fantastic gardening and party products to throw an outdoor holiday get-together that’ll make all their snow-dwelling friends jealous.
Gem Joy – While the baker on your list is waiting for their next treat to come out of the oven, why not gift them the fun of a Gem Joy augmented reality bracelet? These beautiful gems allow you to feel like a sorceress and have enchanting encounters like flying with dragons and riding with unicorns. Play games, learn, and explore new worlds any time you want a little break from the holiday commotion.
Upworthy has earned revenue through a partnership and/or may earn a portion of sales revenue from purchases made through links on our site.
A handy guide to answering the age-old question “Is the bartender flirting with me?” went viral on social media this week, and we’re here for it.
Titled “Why the Female Cashier Is Being Nice to You” and offering two possible answers (either “She is uncontrollably sexually attracted to you” or “Because that’s literally her fucking job you cretin”), the entire pie chart was filled in to mark the latter answer at 100%.
Exeter’s Beer Cellar shared the photo alongside a message asking men to please stop trying to kiss their female bartenders’ hands.
u201cThis is definitely our favourite sign in the bar. Also if dudes could stop trying to kiss our female bartender’s hands that would be great.u201d
“[As a woman,] you’re obviously pressured to give A+ customer service, and loads of people would interpret common hospitality as romantic interest,” Charlotte Mullin, the sign’s designer, told Mashable. “I wanted to make it clear that female staff are nice to you because they have to be! And, of course, most of us are decent human beings and would be nice to you anyway, but in no way does this mean we’re dying for your dick.”
That pressure to give “A+ customer service” is partially because bartenders and wait staff rely on earning tips from customers. This kind of harassment is just one more reason to get rid of tipping altogether.
@BeerCellarExe “what does not paying people a livable fucking wage and making them work for tips look like?” – for $800— Ara T. Howard (@Ara T. Howard)1495764814.0
Beer Cellar made sure people knew that yes, their employees get paid a living wage.
u201cAlso for those saying we should take harassment for increased tips a) we get paid a living wage and b) we have a v professional tip jaru201d
The Girl Scouts’ guide to help parents talk to their daughters about weight and body image is kind of amazing.
The guide, titled “Yes, Your Daughter Just Called Herself Fat,” written by Girl Scouts’ developmental psychologist, Andrea Bastiani Archibald, includes a step-by-step look at responding to your child should they come home one day from school saying, “I’m fat.”
u201cHow to Deal When Your Daughter Calls Herself Fat: https://t.co/tSydjTX5C4u201d
First of all, it breaks down just how prevalent fat-shaming is in our culture:
“According to studies, a whopping 80 percent of 10-year-olds are afraid of being fat. Why? Because they’re constantly surrounded by both subtle and direct messages that curvier or heavier girls aren’t as well liked, aren’t as likely to succeed in business, and in general, aren’t going to have as much fun or happiness in their lives.”
Second of all, it explains why the knee-jerk response “You’re not fat. You’re beautiful!” that so many of us have actually isn’t helpful.
Honestly, this part is so good that I’m just going to include the whole thing (which in its own awesome way, features the only reference to “The Dress” that won’t make you want to scream):
“[I]f she really sees her body in a certain way, simply telling her to stop seeing it that way isn’t going to help much. Remember that infamous dress on social media a few years back that some people thought was blue and some thought was gold—and how frustrating it was when those who saw it differently insisted that you were seeing it wrong and tried to get you to see it their way? That’s kind of how your girl is going to feel when you tell her that her body simply isn’t the way she thinks it is. …by essentially telling her that she’s not fat, she’s pretty, you’re reinforcing the idea that fatter, rounder, curvier or heavier bodies aren’t beautiful — which simply isn’t true. There are endless ways to be beautiful, and your daughter will grow up with a much healthier relationship to her body if you teach her that in a genuine way from a young age.”
This is such an important message that we don’t hear often enough. Calling someone fat isn’t bad because being fat is inherently bad, but it is bad to call someone fat as an insult because it implies that there’s something wrong with larger bodies.
Fat is just another type of body, andall types of bodies are OK.
The guide also features some great steps parents can take if their daughters feel negatively about their body fat.
1. Don’t assume you know where she’s coming from.
“A better approach is to pause for a moment and ask your daughter why she thinks she’s fat,” the guide advises. “Is it because her clothes are fitting differently than they used to or that a size she used to wear doesn’t feel comfortable anymore?”
Maybe her discomfort has to do more with the bodies of her classmates or what she’s seeing in the media. Or maybe she is fat, and really just needs you to tell her that’s OK too. Getting to the root of what’s causing body image issues is an important first step.
Again, the guide warns against those knee-jerk reactions: “If she says she thinks her legs are bigger or her tummy is rounder than those of her friends, those may actually be correct observations — and there’s nothing wrong with acknowledging that.”
2. Set a good example for her!
Kids pick things up from their parents all the time and internalize those messages even if parents aren’t trying to pass them on. This is just as much about setting a good example as anything else.
“Another reason your girl might call herself fat is because she’s heard you do the same to yourself,” reads the guide. “Your daughter listens to everything you say — and if you’re picking yourself apart in front of the mirror or complaining about your weight, there’s a good chance that she’ll follow in your self-disparaging footsteps.”
u201cModel Positive Self-Esteem and Body Image for Improved Self-Confidence http://t.co/RT48qvSzzMu201d
That means giving yourself a bit of a break too. Just as you don’t want her to have to try to live up to unrealistic beauty standards, remind yourself that you don’t have to either.
“Identify parts of your body that serve you well and make note of the things you really do love about the way you look,” says the guide. “Healthy habits like eating right and exercise are good for everyone and should be a daily part of your routine, but fixating on your body and how it could or should be different isn’t healthy for anyone.”
3. Pay attention to the kind of media she’s consuming and make sure she’s seeing a variety of body types being celebrated.
TV, movies, and advertising are chock-full of messages meant to instill shame around body appearance, especially in girls and women. A bit of emotional counterprograming can go a long way. For example, check out the upcoming children’s book “Glitter Stripes“; and for older girls, Hulu’s “My Mad Fat Diary,” Melissa McCarthy’s performance in “Ghostbusters,” and Chrissie Metz in “This Is Us,” and Lynn Champlin on “My Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” are great body-positive/fat-positive representations in the media.
Video of plus-size blogger posted on Girl Scouts Twitter page below:
The guide advises parents to “go the extra mile to compensate for some of the less-healthy messages your daughter may be getting from other sources” by exposing them to accomplished women of all shapes and sizes.
“She needs to know you don’t have to be a certain size or shape to make it big in life.”
Other topics include how to raise your children to be leaders, how to stand up to bullying, and how to be the best they can be in school. They’re all great in their own ways, but the body image article stands out especially.
Thanks to the Girl Scouts, parents can now feel equipped to handle this potentially difficult conversation.
Sometimes, life takes us on unexpected detours. One day you follow an impulse and suddenly you have a brand new purpose.
Such was the case for Isimeme Udu (who also goes by Naomi), who not only managed to become an overnight musical success on TikTok, she did it while pursuing a Master of Science degree from Dartmouth College.
Her musical persona, Hemlocke Springs, came from a random-name generator site—a strategy made famous by Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino)—and is reminiscent of pop stars with eccentric vocal stylings and bold fashion choices like Kate Bush and Marina. She jokes that people have ascribed her sound to countless genres and similar artists. If you ask her, it’s all “regular shemgular pop.”
Right now, Udu has more than 235,000 loyal followers on TikTok, something she didn’t exactly anticipate as a full-time medical student. But immediately after releasing the bridge of her then upcoming single “girlfriend,” the video amassed a million views, was used in more than 60,000 subsequent TikToks and even got the attention of Khalid, who can be seen bopping along to the catchy tune. And since the song’s release on Nov 2, it has racked up more than 9 million streams on Spotify.
The song has on more than one occasion been called an “awkward Black girl anthem” by listeners, and Udu herself has become a role model for Black women who want to let their weirdness shine.
It has also been lovingly embraced by people on the autism spectrum, who find ecstatic release in the ultra funky beat.
Udu didn’t expect anyone to even listen to “girlfriend,” much less for it to achieve such overwhelming success. She shared in an interview with People that she would previously post a song onto her SoundCloud, then ”remove it literally one minute later.” Making secret music became a habit for seven years.
When she finally decided to keep her songs up, she released a song called “gimme all ur luv,” which also caught celebrity attention from the likes of Bella Hadid and Grimes. No easy task, given the huge amount of content from aspiring artists on the platform.
Though it wasn’t part of the plan, Udu is embracing her seemingly destined career as an artist. She shared with People that she has since finished out a “hellish” final semester at Dartmouth, but fully switched gears for the time being. She has signed with a record label, is working on an album and hopes to perform live one day. “I’ve been practicing in my room with a hairbrush,” she quipped.
Hemlocke Springs, of course, isn’t the only artist to find unexpected fame on TikTok. Though the platform making music more accessible has some potential drawbacks—especially when the need for constant output and hacking the algorithm supersedes quality—it has undeniably helped people express themselves in ways that might defer from the traditional or mainstream. I mean, would this music or “goblin metal” or musical mashups of cat noises have been as widely embraced only a few years ago? I think not. And it’s a good thing that we are celebrating uniqueness. Clearly, it means a lot to a lot of people.
Also, if you’ve been looking for a sign that you should actually pursue your own weird passions—be it music or art or some kind of avant-garde gardening—this is it.
Television shows rarely know when they will end. Historically, the only television shows that are in control of when they will end are the popular, award-winning ones like Seinfeld or Game of Thrones (and in some cases, these shows must go on longer than desired). It’s even rarer for a television show to end itself after only two seasons by choice because shows that end at season two are usually canceled. The exception is Andor, the best television show of the year. The first season of Andor, the Disney+ Star Wars show that is so much better than all of the others that it is embarrassing (all respect to Grogu) is the first of only two seasons. The show’s success is partly (okay, mostly) because it knows the end is happening sooner rather than later, and every frame has a purpose.
Andor’s limited run (two seasons with twelve episodes) was designed in a finite, condensed way so that everyone involved from writers to designers to actors would not have to devote half a decade or more of their lives to it. Diego Luna would not have to play a character he played in 2016 but years younger despite being years older longer than he wanted to or needed to, and Tony Gilroy, a busy guy who is behind some of the best films of the 21st century like Michael Clayton, wouldn’t be stuck in a Star Wars funk, unable to put his energy into other projects. Andor’s two-season run also makes it possible for extraordinary actors such as Stellan Skarsgård, Genevieve O’Reilly, Andy Serkis, and an impressive roster of Britain’s most talented theater actors to participate without making major sacrifices to their careers.
Time is always running out on Andor, but the show still takes its time to focus and uses its Mad Men-like short stories within a whole structure to do so. First, it focused on Cassian’s backstory. Then it focused on the team of rebels Cassian works with on an Empire heist. Then it focuses on the Imperial prison Cassian is trapped in. Along the way, it indulges in the culture of different planets in the Star Wars universe and establishes characters we may never see again, all while moving the story forward in a tight, cohesive way. The season, and its near-perfect season finale that brings all the necessary storylines together, would not be as successful if the end weren’t in sight. Andor’s end is so close that every single frame has to matter and build to something.
In the peak TV era, it is more common for a series to go on and on and on, even when it had no intention of doing so (Big Little Lies, The Flight Attendant to unsuccessful degrees, The White Lotus to a successful degree). As much as I – and the other twelve people who watch Andor – would like to see Tony Gilroy’s Star Wars indefinitely, its finality and focus make it so unique. Even if Andor wanted to include a Skywalker or two, or a little gratuitous scene with Emperor Palpatine or Darth Vader (it would never, by the way), there isn’t time. More shows should confidently be just two seasons to save everyone – especially the consumers of television – some time.
What isn’t quite as hard to define are under-the-radar bourbons that I think deserve more hype. I get to sample a seemingly endless amount of whisk(e)ys throughout the year — seriously, I’m into the mid-1,000s for 2022 so far. That means I see a lot of bourbons that fly under the radar of the mainstream whiskey media machine.
Below are the 20 bourbons that I think deserve more hype. These are the bottles that are straight delicious and under the radar when compared to the overly hyped bottles that get too much enough attention. And sure, you might have already heard of some of these, and if so, congratulations, but that’s not the point.
I’ve selected bourbons that aren’t from huge mega-brands. So sorry, overhyped bottles like Wild Turkey Rare Breed, everything from Heaven Hill and Sazerac, Jack Daniel’s limited releases, Beam’s whole line, all of Willett, and other big names are absent from the below list. That doesn’t mean that some of these bourbons aren’t sourced or contract distilled by big-name distilleries. This is about the little blending house or craft distillery that makes an amazing bourbon for us to enjoy that you may not have heard of or tried yet. Phew. Anyway, let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This whiskey is a sourced masterpiece of Kentucky bourbon that’s bottled down in Texas. The mash bill is corn heavy with 78.5% corn next to 13% rye and 8.5% malted barley. That hot juice is left in barrels in Kentucky for 15 long years before they’re shipped to Texas, blended, and bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
This is classic bourbon with a deep sense of buttery toffee next to dark cherries with a sour edge, slightly tannic oak, a hint of worn boot leather, and a spicy tobacco leaf. The palate hits on a soft ginger snap with sharp cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg leading to a handful of allspice berries before wet brown sugar and maple candy kick in and mellows the mid-palate toward dark cherry tobacco wrapped up with old wicker canes and pine needles. The end subtly drops toward old oak staves, cellar floor, and caramel/cinnamon syrup with a dash more of that tobacco.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This is one of those bottles that whiskey super geeks will know about but that’s about it, especially if you’re in Kentucky. Outside of there, this is pretty niche stuff. Overall, we’re talking about an excellent bourbon blend that really hits some high marks for such a high age statement.
Red Line Cask Strength Single Barrel Straight Bourbon
This whiskey from Red Line is sourced from hand-selected barrels from MGP of Indiana. The team at Red Line picked six-year-old barrels of MGP’s iconic high-rye bourbon mash of 75% corn, 21% rye, and only 4% malted barley. Those barrels were vatted and then bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
There’s a lovely sweetness that arrives on the nose with a hint of burnt sugars and brown butter just starting to coalesce into caramel with a flake of salt and a sense of rum-raisin and an echo of charred oak. The palate leans into a light apple compote with a hint of plum and plenty of wintry spices next to vanilla and wicker before the warmth of the ABVs peak on the mid-palate. The end is soft and supple with a sense of spiced prune jam, old porch wicker, and allspice berries.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This is a testament to both MGP’s beautiful bourbon and Red Line’s prowess as a truly great blender/bottler. This tiny shingle is starting to get a little exposure thanks to big awards but it’s still under the radar if you’re not deep in the bourbon world.
Old Carter Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Very Small Batch 2-KY
Old Carter is a hidden-away bottler right off Whiskey Row in Louisville. It’s still very insider. Their process is all about finding great barrels of whiskey, blending them, and bottling them for whiskey lovers in the know. In this case, that was a three-barrel small batch blend that yielded only 688 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
A thickness comes through on the nose with creamy vanilla and maple syrup vibe with a buttery underbelly accented by old corn husks, woody cinnamon, allspice, and lush nutmeg with a hint of hazelnut. Thick salted caramel sauce vibes with a black-tea-soaked date feel as cinnamon syrup and smoldering orchard wood leads to a big mid-palate Kentucky hug. That warmth fades quickly as hints of dried cranberry tobacco and cedar braids filled with wicker and sweetgrass end the sip on a dry note with a touch of floral honey lurking underneath it all.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Old Carter is one of the best blenders/bottlers working in Kentucky today. Their ability to source incredible barrels of whiskey and then create bespoke and straight fire blends is second to none right now.
This sourced whiskey celebrates both Kentucky’s bourbon heritage and U.S. Senators from the Bluegrass state. The sourced juice is made with a mash of 78.5% corn, 13% rye, and 8.5% malted barley. The whiskey is left alone for 15 years before the team at Kentucky Senator Spirits blends and bottles this one without filtering or proofing.
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey opens with a medley of dry cedar, black cherries, burnt toffee, buttered sourdough pancake, old leather, cinnamon bark, and spiced chewy tobacco. The palate leans into the woody spices with cloves and anise taking center stage as soft maple syrup and pecan-cinnamon-butter create a spiced/sweet/creamy vibe on the palate. In the end, more woodsy spices mingle with rich cherry tobacco as old oak, salted caramel, and vanilla cream pie round everything out.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This is another whiskey that’s just beautiful from top to bottom. This super-niche and rare brand is pretty off-the-radar if you’re not in Kentucky. Still, this is a highly coveted bottle of bourbon that you actually might bump into at a very high-end liquor store. So keep an eye out.
Middle West Straight Wheated Whiskey Michelone Reserve
This Ohio whiskey is all about grain-to-glass. The juice is made from a mash of sweet yellow corn, soft red winter wheat, dark pumpernickel rye, and Two-Row malted barley. The whiskey spends about four years in oak before it’s bottled as is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
A hint of sourdough doughnuts dusted with cinnamon and sugar leads to maple syrup, coconut cream pie, marzipan, and a hint of toffee. The palate dries out toward an almond nutshell before hitting a rum-raisin/Cherry Coke vibe next to woody winter spices on the mid-palate. That spicy warmth fades toward cedar bark, Almond Joy, and spiced cherry tobacco on the finish with a hint more of that warm doughnut from the nose.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Middle West makes the best bourbon in Ohio. Outside of that state, you might not have ever heard of it — or even realize that you’re already drinking it (it’s the original source for brands like Horse Soldier, for instance). This bottle, at cask strength, is one of the better craft bourbons you can buy right now and worth the extra effort to source if you’re not in the Ohio Valley.
This Alabama whiskey is all about that grain-to-glass experience. What really stands out, though, is that this whiskey aged for only four years yet has a deep profile. The whiskey takes on a dark hew thanks to it being stored at the top of the rickhouse in hot and balmy Alabama. The results are bottled from a single one of those barrels without any cutting or fussing.
Tasting Notes:
The nose on this one starts with cornbread that’s been baked in lard in a cast-iron skillet with an almost burnt crust, plenty of salted butter, and a dollop of honey that’s been cut with orange oils. The palate takes that cornbread, crumbles it up, and mixes in fresh cracked Tellicherry black peppercorns, dried roses, a touch of cedar, and a mild echo of orange-laced tobacco leaves. Finally, the sip layers in a wintry spice combo that leans toward cinnamon sticks soaked in mulled wine and apple cider that leads towards a soft finish with a dried mint that’s… almost menthol tobacco.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This was getting some serious hype in 2021 and then kind of fell off the radar in 2022. That’s a shame as this is excellent whiskey.
This expression is made from last year’s instant-classic Stellum Bourbon barrels. The ripple here is that the blend of this bourbon was created from specific rare barrels used for Stelllum that were blended until the exact moment of the vernal equinox. That whiskey was then bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Fresh chili peppers greet you with a sense of soft malted grains, old leather gloves, dried sweetgrass, and a flourish of creamy toffee underneath it all. The palate leans into leathery stone fruit with fresh and floral honey, sharp woody cinnamon, burnt orange rinds, and bright clove berries. The end created an orange creamed pudding with a hint of green tea, black dirt, chocolate-covered espresso beans, and old oak staves from a cellar.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Stellum — part of Barrell Craft Spirits in Kentucky — is one of the better bourbon blends on the market today. This stuff is pretty rare, which gives it a patina of “niche.” That said, it’s super accessible on the palate with a wonderful flavor profile that runs deep. Really any Stellum Bourbon or Rye will be a great find, but this expression truly rises above the rest.
The whiskey is a sourced bourbon. The juice is made in Kentucky, where it’s also aged. The team at Frank August then takes roughly 10 to 15 barrels per batch and builds this bourbon painstakingly to fit their desired flavor profile. The whiskey is then lightly proofed down to 100 proof before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
The nose is pure classic bourbon with hints of salted caramel with a twinge of soft grains next to spicy cherry syrup, a whisper of sour apple, and a touch of aged oak staves soaked in mulled wine. The palate moves on from the soft grains towards rum-soaked raisins with a warm winter spice matrix — cinnamon, ginger, clove, allspice — before a brown sugar/rock candy sweetness takes over on the mid-palate. The finish is long and sweet with a nice dose of sharp cinnamon and soft nutmeg that leads to a supple vanilla cream with a thin line of dry cedar and tobacco spice just touched with dark cherry on the very end.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This new bourbon from blender/bottler Frank August has had a pretty small initial release this year. Hopefully, that’ll expand going into 2023 as this is the really good stuff through and through.
The latest batch of Redwood Empire’s Grizzly Beast is a four-grain bourbon. The California whiskey was made with 69% corn, 22% rye, 5% malted barley, and a mere 4% wheat. After five years of maturation, 26 barrels were picked for this batch. Those barrels were vatted and the whiskey was just kissed with pure water from a local Russian River Valley aquifer.
Tasting Notes:
Cherry pie with plenty of winter spice leads off on the nose with buttery brown sugar, tart red berries, and walnut shells. The palate opens with burnt orange, salted caramel, and more of those tart berries swimming in rich vanilla cream before a hint of spicy warmth arrives. The end leans into brown sugar and winter spice-laced butter with walnut tobacco leaves wrapped in vanilla husks and cedar bark.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Redwood Empire is one of those small distillers/blenders that has a fiercely loyal fan base that’s still pretty small — the distillery doesn’t even have a consumer side yet. That’s all going to change as the Sonoma, California distillery grows and becomes a true titan of West Coast whiskey over the next few years.
This Colorado crafty whiskey gets a lot of attention from bourbon drinkers in the know. The mash is made from 64% corn, 21% malted barley, and 15% Abruzzi Heritage Rye, which Master Distiller Todd Leopold malted at his malting house at the distillery in Denver. That mash ran through a classic pot still before it was barreled and left to rest for five years.
Tasting Notes:
The floral and spicy nature of that Abruzzi rye really comes out on the nose with a touch of candied apples, Quik chocolate milk powder, and the faintest hint of sourdough rye with a light smear of salted butter. The taste leans into stewed pears with nutmeg and clove spices leading the way as Almond Roca and green peppercorns jostle for space on your palate. The end mellows out as that spice fades towards an eggnog vibe with a creamy vanilla underbelly and a final touch of that floral rye and hint of pear.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Todd Leopold is one of the most important people working in whiskey today whom most whiskey drinkers have never heard of. Leopold is making some truly stellar craft whiskeys by going hard in the paint on the science and magic of distilling, aging, and blending (he had a one-of-a-kind still made just for rye whiskey). While Leopold Bros. is starting to get some serious recognition, they’re still a small craft brand from Denver that deserves some serious hype as they expand.
This expression from Illinois’ FEW Spirits marks the 125th anniversary of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. The juice is made from 70% corn, 20% rye, and 10% malted barley. That whiskey spends four years resting before it’s proofed down to 100 proof and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
The nose opens with a sense of vanilla cream pie with an extra thick vanilla pudding next to dry cedar bark with a touch of white moss, a touch of black licorice, and a hint of barrel smoke. The palate leans into cherry bark with a light cherry tobacco spiciness that melds with the vanilla pudding, a pan of fresh sticky buns with plenty of cinnamon and walnuts, and a hint of black pepper and more of that dry cedar bark. The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
FEW has been around for a while now, so they don’t necessarily need more hype as an overall brand. But this bottle definitely does. As a smaller craft distillery just outside of Chicago, FEW has created a seriously excellent bottled in bond expression that puts the cherry on top of all the work they’ve been doing over the last decade.
New Riff Maltster T50 Crystal Malt Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Bottled In Bond Aged 6 Years
New Riffs brand new malted bourbon just hit shelves. The juice is made from yeast and malts that usually make pale ales and bitters in the beer world. The mash bill is 65% corn, 20% malted rye, and 15% T50 Crystal Malt, which is the aforementioned pale ale malt. The whiskey is left to rest for six years before the barrels and batched and the bourbon is just kissed with local water for proofing.
Tasting Notes:
There was a beautiful sense of dried chili pepper next to old leather, red tart berries, a hint of sourdough rye bread, and creamy vanilla beans next to a touch of dried and waxy cacao nibs. The palate leans into that dryness with sharp woody spices, dry dark chocolate powder, ground clove, cumin, and dried cranberry next to a mild warmth that leads to chili pepper. The end has a dark chocolate-covered cherry vibe next to a light sense of dry firewood and old leather chairs from a smoky library.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
New Riff is one of those Kentucky brands that is rarely seen outside of the state. Unless you’re at a truly great whiskey bar or someone’s dope whiskey vault. Still, these one-off expressions from New Riff are worth seeking out and trying. For one, they’re f*cking delicious. Two, they’re rare examples of true craft excellence in bourbon-making right now.
This whiskey starts as Woodinville’s award-winning five-year-old bourbon. That whiskey is then re-barreled into Moscatel wine casks for a finish maturation period. After nearly a year, the whiskey goes into the bottle having just been touched by water but otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a mix of dark chocolate powder, smoked apricot, and burnt orange with a good dose of wet wicker and five spice. The palate leans into toffee and almonds (Almond Roca!) with peach pits, plums, and a touch of vanilla yellow cake. The end leans into the plums with a brown sugar vibe next to light Christmas spices, dry wicker, choco-spiced tobacco, and Almond Roca.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Woodinville has been winning award after award for years now. But during that whole ascent, they’ve only really been available in Washington State (or at whiskey bars in the know). That all changed with this release, which is available nationwide. That’s a fantastic achievement for a small-time operator working just north of Seattle. It’s also a fantastic whiskey that’s a great introduction to the brand for all of you who’ve been waiting to finally try it.
Pronounced “be-voo-ak,” this whiskey celebrates the take-it-easy and travel-light ideal of many travelers in Northern California and the wider Pacific Northwest. The actual whiskey is sourced from Bardstown, Kentucky, and blended from two bourbons. 95% of the blend is a pretty standard 74% corn, 18% rye, and 8% malted barley whiskey. The other 5% of the blend is a high-malt bourbon that’s aged for eight years.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a sense of sweet vanilla next to apricot jam cut with nutmeg and allspice, a hint of apple pie, and some dry straw baled up with thick twine. The palate opens with sweet creamed honey inside dark chocolate bonbons with a dash of salt and sweet cinnamon next to a scone covered in that apricoty jam with a dollop of brandy butter. The end warms slightly with the cinnamon and allspice toward peach tobacco rolled with old cedar bark and loaded into an old leather pouch for safekeeping.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
The Hirsch is one of those brands that you see all over San Francisco’s high-end cocktail bars and whiskey shops but rarely elsewhere. That’s a shame as this whiskey tends to be pretty goddamn good. This whiskey has a little wider footprint and is also very well-priced for some quality whiskey.
Filibuster Distillery Bottled-in-Bond Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 5 Years
This Virginia 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 are 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.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This is one of those bottles that seemingly came out of nowhere this year. It’s delicious, and it’s starting to rack up some serious awards because of that.
This whiskey from Kentucky Peerless is around five to six years old and comes from one barrel that lets the grains shine through before it goes into another barrel that lets the oak shine through. That final barrel is bottled at cask strength, as-is, allowing all that beautiful bourbon and oak aging to shine brightly.
Tasting Notes:
This opens with a nose full of salted butter next to hints of very soft leather, light notes of vanilla bean, a touch of toffee sweetness, and freshly cracked walnuts with a dry edge. The taste leans into that oak barrel with dashes of woody spices (think allspice berries, star anise, and cinnamon sticks), dry cherry tobacco leaves, salted caramel, and more of that super soft leather. That leads towards a mid-palate of dark red fruits stewed in mulled wine spices and cut with a dollop of fresh honey before the (long) finish dries out towards an old wicker chair, a very distinct hint of a cellar funk, and a touch of dried mint.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Kentucky Peerless is another one of those brands that live in the gray world between awards and whiskey nerds darling and still not quite having broken through to the wider world yet. It’s probably the best craft distillery in Kentucky, if not the county right now. The crew is young (the master distiller just turned 30) and the whiskey is phenomenal. That makes this one brand and bottle worth seeking out right now.
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.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Nashville Barrel Company (NBC) is on the tip of a lot of whiskey lovers’ and influencers’ tongues right now. If you know, you know. If you don’t know, NBC is doing some of the best work in both single-barrel picks and small-batch blends in Tennessee right now. They can’t seem to miss, ever. While getting some isn’t the easiest if you’re not local, the brand is starting to sneak into other markets slowly. This is your chance to get on board before the hype explodes for this brand.
Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled In Bond Vintage Series Fall 2018 Straight Bourbon Whiskey
The latest seasonal drop from Tennessee’s Chattanooga Whiskey is another great. The juice is a blend of four of their mash bills. 30% comes from mash bill SB091, which is a mix of yellow corn, malted rye, caramel malted barley, and honey malted barley. Another 30% comes from mash bill B002, which has yellow corn, hardwood smoked malted barley (smoked with beech, mesquite, apple, or cherry), caramel malted barley, caramel malted, and honey malted barley. The next 20% is mash bill B005, which is yellow corn, malted wheat, oak smoked malted wheat, and caramel malted wheat. And the last 20% is from mash bill R18098, which is yellow corn, pale malted barley, naked malted oats, double roasted caramel malted barley, peated malted barley, cherrywood smoked malted barley, chocolate malt, and de-husked chocolate malt.
Tasting Notes:
Cinnamon, brown butter sugar, walnut, and raisins meld on the nose with some vanilla to create a moist oatmeal cookie next to buckwheat pancakes griddled in brown butter and topped with apple butter, and maybe some apricot jam with a dash of nutmeg, dark chocolate shavings, and creamy vanilla whipped cream. The palate leans into cherry hand pies and vanilla wafers with a counter of dried wild sage, orchard tree bark, and meaty dates. The end has a sharp turn into dried red chili pepper cut with pipe tobacco, dark chocolate bars, cedar bark, burnt orange, and lime leaves with this whisper of cinnamon cookies at the very end.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Sticking with Tennessee, this brand and bottle are stellar and unique. Seriously, look at what goes into this bourbon compared to the rest of them on this list. While Jack Daniel’s, George Dickel, and Uncle Nearest drive the Tennessee whiskey conversation, Chattanooga has quietly been toiling in the background and making killer whiskey under the radar right next door to some of the world’s biggest brands.
This whiskey heralds back to Michter’s historical roots in the 19th century before the brand was even called “Michter’s.” The whiskey in the bottle is rendered from a very small batch of bourbons that were aged in Chinquapin oak which was air-dried for three years before charring and filling. The Kentucky bourbon was then bottled in an extremely small batch that only yielded 2005 bottles this year.
Tasting Notes:
Sweet mashed grains — thinks a bowl of Cream of Wheat — mix with sticky toffee pudding, old leather, old cellar beams, and sweet cinnamon with a hint of burnt orange and dark chocolate next to eggnog with a flake of salt. The palate is super creamy with a crème brûlée feel that leads to soft winter spices, dry cedar, and orange chocolates with a hint of marzipan in the background. The end has a creamed honey vibe next to figs and prunes with fresh chewing tobacco and salted dark chocolate.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
This is called “secret Michter’s” in whiskey nerd circles. This is the rare and very under-the-radar release from Michter’s that deserves all the hype. This is a classic and excellent-tasting whiskey that truly transcends the average to reach great heights.
Starlight Distillery Carl T. Huber’s Bottled-In-Bond Indiana Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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:
Stewed cherries, figgy pudding, apple butter, cinnamon waffles, woody maple syrup, and dark chocolate with a pinch of salt all dance on the nose. The palate leans into Cherry Coke with a spice vibe, burnt orange peels, cloves, creamy eggnog, sour mulled wine, and a hint of apple fritter dusted with cinnamon sugar. The end has a singed cherry bark sensation that leads to dry winter spices — star anise, allspice, clove, cinnamon, and pine — next to dates and prunes layered into pipe tobacco with a twinge of dark chocolate and cedar.
Why It Deserves More Hype:
Starlight Distillery — part of the Huber Farm family in Southern Indiana — is the craft distillery that’s poised to truly explode nationwide in the next year or two. Their product is exemplary and their vibe is chill while bringing some true excellence (and generations of experience) to the whiskey game. If this list was ranked, this would be number one by a country mile.
It’s been nearly 15 years since Indiana Jones has been on his last adventure, and though he would probably be fine spending the rest of his days teaching and marveling at his fun trinkets and alien artifacts, he seems like he is always willing and able to jump back into Indy mode and go on another scavenger hunt. The same goes for Harrison Ford, apparently, as he agreed to do a fifth (and final) Indiana Jones movie!
The trailer for Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny debuted today, featuring Indy reminiscing about his complex history involving bad guys and their coveted riches. Plus, now he is assisted by his “Goddaughter,” played by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and they have even used some good old-fashioned de-aging technology. Also, he rides a horse through a subway station, so that’s another win. As per the official description:
Harrison Ford returns as the legendary hero archaeologist in the highly anticipated fifth installment of the iconic “Indiana Jones” franchise, which is directed by James Mangold. Starring along with Ford are Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Antonio Banderas, John Rhys-Davies, Shaunette Renee Wilson, Thomas Kretschmann, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Oliver Richters, Ethann Isidore, and Mads Mikkelsen.
James Mangold directs, and executive producers include Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, and Kathleen Kennedy. John Williams returns for another Indy score.
The movie will debut in theaters on June 30th, 2023. Check out the official trailer above.
Mike White is so annoying (not really): he is an extremely good writer and seems like a good person. In the latest episode of season two of The White Lotus, Tanya, played by Jennifer Coolidge, tells her assistant Portia (Haley Lu Richardson) that she’s already talked to her lawyer about ending her marriage. “You know, I talked to Billy Offer last night about getting the marriage annulled,” she says.
The name Bill Offer is not familiar to most people, but it’s meaningful to The White Lotus creator, writer, and director Mike White. In real life, Billy Offer is the son of White’s entertainment lawyer, Robert Offer, according to The Wrap. Billy Offer (in real life) works in the Indie Film Group at United Talent Agency (UTA).
In an email sent to The Wrap, White confirmed the personal easter egg.
“Robert Offer has been my lawyer for over 25 years and I have known Billy since he was a toddler. A perk of writing a TV series is giving shout outs to people I love and respect!”
“[Mike is a] good friend and a long, long-time client, and we’re huge fans of the show,” White’s entertainment lawyer Robert Offer told The Wrap in a statement. “We all had a nice smile in our house watching the show, which we do religiously every weekend … It was fun to hear our son’s name mentioned in the episode because we love the show and we love Mike.”
Season two has been filled with references and cameos both cinematic, personal, and related to White’s experience as a contestant on Survivor. What reference will he make next?
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
