(Mild spoilers for Netflix’s Bad Vegan will be found below.)
Bad Veganbrings the story of Sarma Melngailis, who enjoyed a wildly popular run (for about a decade) as a celebrity restauranteur, to life on Netflix. Is it a true story? In so much that it’s supported by law enforcement accounts, reporting at the time, and reactions from those who knew (and some who still know) Sarma, it’s supposed to be true. The limited series (from executive producer Chris Smith of Tiger King and Fyre: The Greatest Party) follows several points of view but feels as objective as possible while taking viewers on a ride that feels entirely unbelievable.
The show follows on the heels of other streaming stories about grifters, including Amanda Seyfried as Theranos’ white-collar fraudster Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout and Julia Garner’s take on the indelible Anna Delvey in Inventing Anna. With Bad Vegan, viewers will initially wonder how Sarma fell so far from grace, after fighting her way to the top of the competitive NYC restaurant pile, and over four episodes, those details unfold.
Sarma is the founder of One Lucky Duck and Pure Food and Wine, two very popular raw vegan eateries that celebrities (including Alec Baldwin) loved to frequent. By 2016, her life was in a shambles, and the New York Post called out the “downfall of NYC’s hottest vegan” while after she earned the attorney-dubbed nickname of “the vegan Bernie Madoff.” She was so named for stiffing her employees out of a month’s pay, not once but twice, and the story wasn’t all her own.
Rather, Salma (who did, in fact, make a ton of wrong moves, no excuses there) had gotten involved with a terrible person, Anthony Strangis (who used the pseudonym of “Shane Fox”). He worked his way into her life, and although she seemed very unenthused, she married him, and before long, they were on the lam, hopping from casino to casino while she fed his compulsive gambling with money from her business. That, of course, cheated employees out of paychecks, and investors were none too happy, either. In the end, Sarma served 4 months at Rikers Island with Anthony doing time as well. She appears to have fallen into a cult-like mentality with him over promises of dog immortality and more, and the series often feels stranger than truth, but purportedly, it matches as closely to the facts as possible.
There’s a famous story, now confirmed, about how James Cameron pitched Aliens. He entered a conference room full of stuffy executives, walked to a whiteboard, and wrote the word “Alien” on it. He then added an “s” and, after waiting a dramatic beat, drew two vertical lines through the letter, turning the “s” into a dollar sign.
It’s fun to imagine All the Old Knives being pitched the same way, except instead of “Alien” becoming “Alien$,” it’s “Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie” being crossed out in favor of “Mr. and Mrs. Smith with Chris Pine and Thandiwe Newton.” This is not a complaint: Chris Pine is the #1 Chris, and Thandiwe Newton is the best non-rock climbing reason to watch Mission: Impossible 2 (also, she called Sean Penn a “jibbering fool,” which rules). All the Old Knives is heavier on the espionage and lighter on the romance than Mr. and Mrs. Smith, but still, it’s a good formula.
Here’s the official plot synopsis:
A modern-day espionage thriller that follows Henry (Chris Pine) as he investigates Celia (Thandiwe Newton), a past flame from their days as CIA intelligence officers in Vienna, who is now under suspicion of having been a double agent. Using flashbacks to weave together multiple timelines, All the Old Knives peels back the layers of their past romance and exposes the truth behind a devastating terrorist attack they were unable to stop.
All the Old Knives, which also stars Jonathan Pryce and Laurence Fishburne (as all movies should), premieres on Amazon Prime Video on April 8.
This year marks the first time many festivals are returning since the pandemic, and that means music fans are in for a jam-packed summer. With so many lineups rolling out recently, it can be hard to figure out which bands are must-sees. Thankfully, post-hardcore band Thursday’s Geoff Rickly is joined by soul rock duo Mattiel to create the ultimate festival playlist on the tenth episode of Making A Mixtape.
Mattiel are no strangers to festivals. They’ve played a handful (including Glastonbury in 2019) and fed off the excitement of the surrounding crowd as Kurt Vile delivered his wistful tunes on a festival stage. A crowd’s energy is paramount for a great festival experience, which is why Mattiel and Rickly’s playlist is filled with tunes from bands with a die-hard audience. From 100 Gecs’ abrasive “Mememe” to Phoebe Bridgers’ swooning “I Know The End,” this mixtape is sure to get you in the mood for festival season.
Check out the tenth episode of Making A Mixtape, listen to the “Music Festival Favorites” playlist below, and check out more of Uproxx’s Making A Mixtape series here.
100 Gecs — “Mememe”
My Chemical Romance — “Helena”
Nilüfer Yanya — “Midnight Sun”
Phoebe Bridgers — “I Know The End”
Mattiel — “Keep The Change”
Modest Mouse — “Paper Thin Walls”
Paramore — “Ain’t It Fun”
Some of the artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The federal firearms case against Louisiana rapper YoungBoy Never Broke Again — NBA YoungBoy for short — has suffered a blow as a judge dismissed photographic evidence against the rapper due to questions about how it was obtained. YoungBoy’s legal team had filed a motion to suppress the evidence, an SD card containing both photos and evidence of YoungBoy brandishing firearms — which the rapper can’t do as a convicted felon. XXL magazine initially reported the development in the case via court documents seen by XXL’s reporter.
Baton Rouge police arrested YoungBoy, along with several others, after responding to a call that “a group of people was on Chippewa Street carrying firearms and filming a rap music video” in September of 2020. YoungBoy’s lawyers argued that the officer who applied for the search warrants issued for several vehicles that fled the arrest used “falsehoods” and omitted information in his applications. As the SD card and a firearm were found in an Acura belonging to YoungBoy’s cameraman behind those warrants, the judge presiding over the case granted YoungBoy’s motion to suppress the evidence on the grounds that the warrant only covered the search of the vehicles, not the camera or SD cards.
However, the judge refused the motion to dismiss the firearm itself. Authorities will have to successfully argue that YoungBoy possessed the weapon at the time of arrest without the help of the photos that allegedly prove it. That doesn’t mean the rapper is completely off the hook, though; he still faces similar charges in Los Angeles for a separate arrest in 2021. The troubled rapper’s home was also raided earlier this year.
Ahead of his upcoming double album release, Jack White has released a new collaboration with A Tribe Called Quest’s Q-Tip. On “Hi-De-Ho,” White channels Cab Calloway by way of a sample of his song “Hi-De-Ho Man.” White and Q-Tip both scat over a haunting drum beat with samples of saxophones throughout.
White heard Calloway’s original version on the radio and decided to sample it and compose a bass line for his version. White then sent his track to Q-Tip, who, within minutes, sent back a version with his vocals.
“I love synthesizing different moments, different areas of music, different time periods,” White said in an interview with Rolling Stone. “The best part about it all is everybody I played to kept thinking that Cab Calloway was me. And I thought, ‘No, it’s obviously not me. Do I actually sound like that?’ So that was bizarre. ”
“Hi-De-Ho” marks the second collaboration between Jack White and Q-Tip, the first being “Solid Wall Of Sound” from A Tribe Called Quest’s We Got It From Here…Thank You For Your Service.
White will release Fear Of The Dawn, the first of two albums he has planned for this year, in April. The second album, Entering Heaven Alive, is set for release in June. “Hi-De-Do” will be on Fear Of The Dawn‘s tracklist and another new single, “Queen Of The Bees,” will be featured on Entering Heaven Alive.
Check out “Hi-De-Ho” above and “Queen Of The Bees” below.
Fear Of The Dawn is out 4/8/2022 via Third Man Records. Pre-order it here.
Entering Heaven Alive is out 7/22/2022 via Third Man Records. Pre-order it here.
The Nintendo Switch released five years ago and it became clear right away that Nintendo had another hit on its hands. While Sony and Microsoft do everything they can to push the technology of video games to its breaking point, Nintendo continues to carve out a strong niche as an alternative option. The Switch is nowhere close to the most powerful console on the market, but the ability to play its games on a TV or on the go in handheld mode is a unique feature that fans love.
Of course, it helps that the Switch has a really strong library of exclusive games. If there is one advantage that Nintendo will always have over its competitors, it’s a history of great IPs. Two of the most obvious ones are Mario and Zelda — if someone wanted, they could exclusively play nothing but Mario and Zelda games on the Switch and get lost in two of the best series in gaming. Despite that, we wanted to find five incredible games on the Switch that don’t feature Mario or Zelda in any way that are exclusive to the console.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Maybe the most important game of 2020, Animal Crossing: New Horizons came at the perfect time for so many people. As the world locked itself inside amid the coronavirus pandemic, people found escape in the world of Animal Crossing. This happy little island asks nothing of the player other than to spend their day however they choose. Want to go pick some fruit, shop at the clothing store, and then spend your evening fishing? Do it. Want to explore uncharted islands, collect resources, and sell them so you can buy an even bigger house? Go right ahead.
New Horizons is one of the best games on the Switch, not only because of the timing of its release, but because it is the perfect game to make use of the Switch’s ability to be played on the TV or in handheld mode. It’s a great game to experience on either setting and it’s fun to bring a Switch over to a friend’s house and explore each other’s islands. Even better, the game has received numerous updates since launch giving a constant reason to come back and keep playing. It’s a delightful game and one that is a must have in every Switch owner’s library.
Metroid Dread
The first new 2D/side scrolling Metroid game in 19 years. Nintendo’s relationship with Metroid has always been odd, with the game being popular enough to spin off into its own genre but never selling well enough to be a consistent franchise. So when Nintendo announced a new Metroid game, and one that followed the old 2D formula, fans were unsurprisingly excited.
It was worth the 19 year wait, because it is one of the best Metroid games ever made. Metroid Dread plays extremely well. The action is fun, the exploration feels great, and that old horror tinge the franchise experimented with in Fusion is on full display. It’s not a perfect game by any means, but it’s easily one of the best games on the Switch.
Ring Fit Adventure
Nintendo has a really odd history with trying to get people playing games to exercise. The problem is most of the games have been mediocre at best and flat-out bad at worst. Then came Ring Fit Adventure. Not only is this a game that will make sure the player gets in a good workout, but it’s fun to play, too.
Ring Fit takes the player on a fitness turn-based RPG journey. The plot is very simple, but it’s interesting enough to keep pushing the player forward. Along the way you get stronger, your endurance increases, and by the end, you’ll have gotten in a pretty good workout. It even features a New Game Plus to keep players exercising after they’ve seen credits. There are mini-games to play, and they’ve added a handful of extra features since launch. It’s the best fitness game ever made and a fantastic addition to any Nintendo Switch library.
Golf Story
The strongest aspect of the Nintendo Switch, besides its deep library of IPs, are all the indie games on the console. Most indies aren’t exclusive, but one that is to the Switch is Golf Story. The adventure of Golf Story is fairly simple: A young player wants to get better at golf so they go on a golf RPG-like journey to improve. Along the way, the player will meet some of the funniest written characters on the console, and be put in increasingly weird situations.
The gameplay of Golf Story may push some people away, because it is mainly golf, but the game spices it up with hazards and objectives that are much more exciting than the average round of golf. It’s very similar to to the old Mario Golf Game Boy and Game Boy Advance games in style, but it’s unique enough to stand out on its own. Don’t miss out on one of the best indie games out there.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
The final spot on this list could have gone to one of several games, like Fire Emblem or Splatoon, but it goes to a personal favorite in Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The Xenoblade games are some of the best JRPG’s anyone can play, because despite being adventures that easily exceed the 60-hour mark, none of that time ever feels wasted. Exploration is rewarded, quests are a natural part of gameplay instead of coming across like a checklist, and they keep the player engaged throughout the playthrough.
Think about how many games have a cool starting area, the player spends a few hours there, and then they leave to never return to it. Xenoblade Chronicles 2, and other games in that franchise, get around this by having quests and high level monsters naturally bring the player back to these locations. The world will change and grow while this happens, making the player feel like they are in a constantly changing environment. With the first game receiving a Definitive Edition for the Switch and a sequel on the way, there’s never been a better time to get into Xenoblade than now.
When asked if she would destroy a guitar on SNL again given the chance, Bridgers said, “I would totally do it again. I would do it a little harder. I thought… I got my guitar caught on my skeleton dress and I was positive I was, like, ripping out my boob for everybody to see, so I was kind of soft… I would just do it harder if I could do it next time [laughs].”
Earlier in the conversation, she was asked how cool it was to hear Taylor Swift call her one of her favorite artists, and she responded, “It’s insane. I’ve been listening to her records for so long. That’s what’s so cool to me, is having peers who aren’t that much older or younger than me, that I’ve been a fan of for so long. Yeah, I don’t know, it just feels so cool.”
The interviewer also wondered who Bridgers first texted or called after Swift texted her and asked to collaborate. She said, “Nobody [laughs]! I didn’t want to jinx it! I was just, like… I drafted a million things, and then… [with] the right punctuation and the right amount of chill. Yeah, I didn’t want to jinx it, so I didn’t tell anybody [laughs].”
EA Sports has responded to the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine by removing a number of teams from two of its tentpole games. According to a pair of releases, EA has decided to pull Russian teams — both at the club and national level — from its FIFA franchise, and will remove teams from Russia and Belarus from its NHL game.
“Following the IIHF’s suspension of all Russian and Belarusian national and club teams from IIHF competitions, we will be removing these teams from NHL 22 within the coming weeks,” EA Sports NHL said in a statement released on its Twitter account.
“In line with our partners at FIFA and UEFA, EA Sports has initiated processes to remove the Russian national team and all Russian clubs from EA Sports FIFA products including: FIFA 22, FIFA Mobile and FIFA Online,” the statement from EA Sports FIFA read. “We’re also actively evaluating related changes to other areas of our games.”
Both statements expressed solidarity with the Ukrainian people and called for peace amid in the aftermath of the invasion, and come on the heels of major governing bodies in both sports bringing the hammer down. The International Ice Hockey Federation banned both Belarus and Russia from competing in competitions across all age groups “until further notice,” while UEFA and FIFA took the same steps with Russian clubs and national teams.
The unexpected CBS hit sitcomGhoststells the story of a haunted bed and breakfast in upstate New York, so it could very well be based on a true story. But, behind the semi-spooky aspect of the show is a group of ghosts who are still grappling with the identity, even beyond the metaphorical grave.
Among the group of ghosts, which includes a ’90s stock trader, a ’20s jazz singer, and a ’60s cult member who died on her way to Woodstock, is Captain Isaac Higgintoot, played by Brandon Scott Jones. Isaac is a Revolutionary War officer who died on the grounds after the siege of Fort Ticonderoga and often tried to be the leader among the group throughout their various shenanigans. Throughout the first season, the other ghosts speculate about Isaac’s close relationship with another Revolutionary War ghost who lives on the grounds. While there is never any confirmation of Isaac’s sexuality, the upcoming episode will feature an important conversation surrounding the topic.
Uproxx spoke to Jones about the upcoming episode, the cast, and the fan response from the show’s first season.
Obviously, we’re going to keep it spoiler-free but your character has an important discussion with another character. Was that plotline your idea or did the writers approach you about this storyline?
Oh, yeah, it’s a really great question. Definitely wasn’t my idea. It was something that was sort of brewing, you know. There’s only so much time in an episode and there are a lot of characters. I know early on the Joes [creators Joe Port and Joe Wiseman] told me that it was something that they wanted to try and explore. I thought that was really exciting. They approached me and asked me about that moment because I think, for so many people, it is such a defining moment to have a connection like that and to actually admit something that you’ve been holding on to for so long. And so they’ve been, they were really collaborative with the scene.
It was very heart-warming. There is amazing chemistry in the group [of ghosts]. Is that sort of something that is both on and off-screen?
We spend so much time together. We shoot the show in Montreal so one of the blessings of that was that we really only had each other. None of us really knew anybody else up there. And so that entire time that we were shooting, we really only had each other to hang out with and it just happened that we all love each other very much. So that sounds crazy. I know every show is like, “it’s like a family!” but like we really, really, really are. Like we spent so much time together and the day after we finished shooting a little, I was like “I miss you!” But yeah, definitely off-screen we have a lot of fun and we like to hang out and do other things.
You guys were picked up for a second season back in January, when the crew surprised you while filming, fans went crazy on Twitter. The fanbase is super dedicated. How do you think they will react to seeing this upcoming episode?
Well, first of all, the fans of the show are so fun and vocal and interactive. We like interacting with them, which is great, especially online, which has been very cool to see the fan base grow for the show as well. They have little communities, I will look at their interactions with each other [on Twitter] and I’ll just be like, “Oh, they’re friends now!” Isn’t that the cutest? I love it so much. That’s the biggest win, if people are finding each other through this show that’s great because I think ultimately at the core like, that’s what the show is about.
That’s so cute.
I will say, I don’t want to brag, but Colonial Williamsburg tweeted at me and I think it is truly amazing. I was like, “oh my God,” and called my parents right away. I was like, “well, you’ll never believe who tweeted me.” They’ve never been more impressed. We grew up going to Colonial Williamsburg every single summer of our lives. And my yeah, when I told my family that I was like I wanted to be an actor like I remember my grandmother and my mother and my aunt all were like, “Well, the pinnacle of acting would have you playing Thomas Jefferson in Williamsburg.” I was like, “Okay, I want to go a different direction. But thank you!”
Obviously, playing a revolutionary war vet is a weird direction, but do you feel like you can relate to Isaac in certain ways?
It’s definitely weird. Very different. Obviously. When I first got the part I was like “God, how much what research am I going to have to do and all of this,” It was a little overwhelming. But I think at the core of it the thing that I connect with him the most is this idea of being in a place in your life where you kind of wish you were somebody else or you wish you had something different going on. The desperation that you hold on to that idea of who you think you’re supposed to be. The more we sort of like unpack Isaac, for all his bluster and ego, at the core I always think that that is what’s driving him. This idea of wanting to be remembered as somebody else.
I’ve gotten past that point in my own life for sure, well hopefully I have. But I know that he’s just starting that process, especially in an episode. This is such a relatable thing. I think he could be from Mars, and people would still find some sort of way to connect with them.
‘Ghosts’ airs on CBS Thursdays at 9 pm. You can catch all episodes currently streaming on Paramount+.
There’s nothing I enjoy more than a blind taste test. It’s the mystery that excites me the most. There are no brands, labels, or flashy logos to sway me in any one direction. This is especially true when it comes to whiskey. All I can see is amber or caramel-colored liquid. I nose it — hopefully, picking up on subtle nuanced aromas — and then I take a few sips and look for various flavors.
In today’s case, those flavors are going to be mixed with a healthy pour of ginger ale. A simple “whiskey ginger.”
There are tons of well-priced bottles of bourbon well-suited to be mixed with cola, soda water, or ginger ale. There’s absolutely no judgment if that’s your jam — not everything out there is a sipper. And the standard of bourbon is so high that if you’re planning to mix the spirit with ginger ale, you really don’t need to break the bank.
I’ve been known to buy a bargain bottle of bourbon from time to time and mix it with some Schweppes (which I used today) or Canada Dry ginger ale. So I’m not out of my element on this front. In the below tasting, I’m doing exactly that with eight classic, cheap bourbons to see which one really shines in a whiskey ginger.
Our lineup today is:
Evan Williams Black Label
Jim Beam White Label
Old Grand-Dad
Maker’s Mark
Wild Turkey
Early Times
Ezra Brooks
Buffalo Trace
Let’s see which bourbon wins!
Part 1: The Taste
Taste 1
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Cinnamon sugar, butterscotch, vanilla beans, honey, fudge, and gentle rye spice. This drink truly has a memorable nose. Sipping it brought even more flavor with hints of caramel apples, sweet cream, fudge, gentle nutty sweetness, and rich oak.
This complex flavor profile is a great match for spicy, sweet ginger ale.
Taste 2
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
This drink has a ton of sugary sweetness on the nose. There are prevalent aromas of sweet corn, vanilla, and caramel. While remaining surprisingly sweet, the palate has some woody oak, more vanilla, and maybe a hint of pepper. Overall, though, it seemed a little thin. I fear it’s getting lost in the background of the ginger spices of the soda mixer.
Taste 3
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
There’s a ton of fruit on this drink’s nose. On top of that, there’s a bit of vanilla and oak as well. I didn’t catch any other aromas right away though. The palate added to the nose with the addition of brown sugar, more vanilla beans, honey, and slight wintry spices. Some of it was overpowered by the ginger ale, but the fruit and spice worked with the soda.
Taste 4
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
There’s an herbal, spicy, sweet corn nature to this drink’s nose that really excited me. There are also some dried fruits, vanilla, and cracked black pepper in there. The complexity continued with the palate. This is where I noticed flavors of candied pecans, raisins, clover honey, vanilla cookies, and oaky wood.
Even with the multitude of flavors, this whiskey managed to compliment the ginger sweetness of the soda quite well.
Taste 5
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Corn, corn, and more corn (and maybe a little vanilla). That’s pretty much all I found on this drink’s nose. Honestly, it smelled like someone made a whiskey that was supposed to taste like Cracker Jacks. The palate didn’t add to the flavor with more sweet corn, a little vanilla and caramel, and maybe some spice.
If you enjoy corn sugar mixed with your ginger ale then this is the whiskey for you. Otherwise, stay far away.
Taste 6
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Right away, you can tell this is a spicy bourbon. On the nose, I found scents of sweet corn, vanilla beans, and raisins, but also a ton of peppery spice that pairs surprisingly well with the ginger aromas. The palate is slightly more subdued with notes of wood char, butterscotch, dried cherries, and more cracked black pepper.
It’s spicy and sweet — making it a great mixer for ginger ale.
Taste 7
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
Aromas of sweet corn, toffee, and vanilla beans seemed to work well with the spice of the ginger ale on the nose. The palate had hints of sweet honey, chocolate fudge, more vanilla, and just a touch of peppery spice that seemed to compliment the added ginger spice of the soda. Not the best pairing, but definitely not the worst.
Taste 8
Christopher Osburn
Tasting Notes:
A lot is going on with this whiskey’s nose. I noticed hints of woody oak, butterscotch, and a ton of peppery rye. That might not seem complex, but somehow it was. Sipping it revealed notes of clover honey, slight maple candy, coffee beans, and vanilla. It all worked well with the gentle spice of ginger ale.
Early Times is a no-frills, bargain-basement bourbon that first hit the market back in 1860. The name is a reference to the traditional style of whiskey making that included copper pot distillation using open fires. Obviously, due to regulations and the fact that it would take forever to make any whiskey, they use more contemporary methods, but the name has remained.
Bottom Line:
This is a last resort mixer. If you’re looking around for some extra coins in your car to grab a bottle, maybe you’ll snag some Early Times. Otherwise, spend a few more dollars to get something, anything much better.
Jim Beam White Label is touted as “the world’s No.1 bourbon” and that shouldn’t be a surprise since it’s been distilled since 1795 (in one way or another). It’s extremely inexpensive and is available literally anywhere. It’s aged for four years in new, charred American oak barrels to give it a classic, smooth, sweet flavor.
Bottom Line:
Jim Beam is a decent mixer for a ginger ale and bourbon. You’ll just have to add more Beam than you planned unless you want it to get lost in the background.
Even if you’re not a big whiskey drinker, you’ve probably had Maker’s Mark along the way. One of the most well-known bourbons in the world, Maker’s Mark gets its soft, sweet flavor from the addition of red winter wheat (instead of rye) in the mash.
Bottom Line:
Maker’s Mark is one of the pricier bottles on this list, so I expected a better showing. If you’re willing to pay a little more, it’s not a bad choice for a mixer. Otherwise, stick to something more flavorful and cheaper for mixing with ginger ale.
This Kentucky sour mash whiskey is charcoal filtered and bottled at 90 proof. It’s Ezra Brook’s gateway bottle and it’s priced accordingly. Produced by Lux Row Distillers, it’s been a popular whiskey since the 1950s. But it’s definitely the kind of bottle you buy specifically for mixing.
Bottom Line:
Ezra Brooks is cheap, decent, and a great mixer. The flavors pair well enough with ginger ale to make it worth the bargain price tag. There are better options though without breaking the bank.
Legend has it that the “old grand-dad” that adorns this expression is none other than Basil Hayden (who you might know from another Beam whiskey). This high-rye bourbon is known for its nice mix of corn sweetness and rye spice. It’s a whiskey you want to always have on hand.
Bottom Line:
You might not prefer heat on heat, but I do and that makes this a top-tier choice. I enjoy the peppery sweet flavor of Old Grand-Dad and the spicy-sweet flavor of ginger ale.
You can’t go wrong with Wild Turkey 101. But sometimes I prefer a slightly more subdued bourbon, especially when I’m mixing it with ginger ale. Enter their lower-proof version. The brand’s entry-level expression is a high-rye, heavy char-aged, 81-proof versatile whiskey.
Bottom Line:
Wild turkey’s gateway bottle is a total bargain due to its low price and versatility. It’s a great bottle for mixing into your favorite cocktail and especially great when paired with ginger ale, which helps it almost rank number one.
Buffalo Trace is a big name in the bourbon world, crafting some of the most sought-after unicorn bottles on the market. But it also makes a small batch bourbon featuring its name (adorned with a buffalo) that manages to always be bargain-priced, mellow, and complex.
Bottom Line:
There’s a reason serious bourbon drinkers and bartenders always have a bottle of Buffalo Trace on hand. It’s a bargain for the layers of aromas and flavors — a perfect complement to ginger ale and nearly today’s winner.
This award-winning, bargain bourbon was named for Evan Williams who was most known for opening the first distillery in Kentucky. It’s aged for a minimum of four years in new charred American oak barrels to give it the mellow, sweet, mixable flavor drinkers expect.
Bottom Line:
Evan Williams Black Label might not be the most expensive, most popular, or even most-awarded whiskey on this list. But in my opinion, it’s the best accompaniment to ginger ale by far.
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