Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds) is out 3/17 via Warp Records. To pre-save, click here.
Tracklist
1. “God Is a Circle”
2. “Lovely Sewer”
3. “Meteora Blues”
4. “Interlude”
5. “Parody”
6. “Heaven Surrounds Us Like a Hood”
7. “Operator”
8. “In Spite of War”
9. “Echolalia”
10. “Fear Evil Like Fire”
11. “Purified By the Fire”
12. “Ebony Eye”
Features
The 12-track project doesn’t list any guest features as of yet.
Artwork
The album’s official artwork, accredited to Jordan Hemingway, features the eclectic musician sporting a perfectly tailored, modernized low cut sequined pant bottom and cropped suit jacket. Rocking a short yellow and black ombre hair cut to which matches their hand gloves and posing on the edge of their heeled zebra boots, creatively, Tumor is firing on all cylinders, and the album is sure to do the same.
‘PRAISE A LORD WHO CHEWS BUT WHICH DOES NOT CONSUME; (OR SIMPLY, HOT BETWEEN WORLDS)’ THE NEW ALBUM, OUT 17 MARCH 2023.
So far, Yves Tumor has released two singles off of Praise A Lord Who Chews But Which Does Not Consume; (Or Simply, Hot Between Worlds). Released last year, “God Is A Single,” co-produced by Noah Goldstein, was the first single released from the project. The latest single from the album, “Echolalia,” is co-produced by Noah Goldstein and Elliott Kozel.
“Bonjour! Oui Oui!” I exclaimed in a cringey French accent as I arrived in Paris for the first time — ready to embark on my own Emily in Parisadventure. I was fully prepared, beret and all, to be that tourist. Seeing the Mona Lisa IRL? Yes. Eating a baguette under the Eiffel Tower? Bingo!
If there’s one city in the world that’s romanticized beyond belief, it’s Paris. So I wanted to check out what the hype is about firsthand and determine if the City of Love is actually as magical as movies, TV, and travel influencers make it out to be. And after spending a full week wandering the arrondissements, indulging in countless carbs and fine wine, site-seeing, and luxury shopping (I’ll make my money back when I sell things on Depop, right?), I can honestly say… yes, it is. Paris is special.
If you’re planning your first trip to the city of love, you should definitely carve out time to do all of the classic attractions. They’re amazing and classic for a reason and if you’re NOT seeing them you’re probably just doing it to prove a point. On the other hand, there’s a lot of Paris that goes unnoticed. Some of my favorite experiences throughout my trip were those that I accidentally stumbled upon or came recommended to me by locals or frequent visitors. From thrift shopping hotspots to speakeasies and mouthwatering meals, Paris has a little of everything, for everyone.
To help build a travel itinerary you’re happy with, I’m sharing a few of the top things to do on your first Parisian adventure.
Getting there is the most important part of your trip, and often one of the biggest expenses. And if you’re balling on a budget like me, then it can also be the most stressful part of your trip-planning process. Fortunately, a new-ish budget airline, French Bee, offers low-cost, direct flights from the U.S. to Paris. With prices as low as $220, you can put your cash toward the worthwhile food, accommodations, and experiences that you’ve been daydreaming about.
French Bee now has direct flights from LA, Miami, New York, and San Francisco and several different seating options to choose from, depending on your needs and budget. I did the “Cozy Cabin” option in Premium Economy, which comes with a comfort pack (eye mask, socks, headphones, etc), a free checked bag, a more comfortable seat, and complimentary in-flight drinks. Just remember, this is still a budget airline. No matter what cabin you go with, you won’t be getting any luxury first-class experience. But it’ll get you from point A to point B at an affordable price
I mean, duh. You can’t go to Paris without seeing the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triomphe, the Louvre Museum’s glass pyramid, Sainte Chapelle, and all that good stuff. I recommend walking as much of this as you can — I walked about 10 miles on my site-seeing day. In my opinion, this lets you observe the people and culture more clearly and closely. By walking through the city, I felt immersed in the everyday bustle and was able to easily stop in boutiques and cafes when a designer dress or fresh macarons caught my eye. Besides, it’s the best way to take in the incredible architecture that can be found around every corner.
Make sure to take a walk along the Seine River on your way to the next stop, especially on a nice day. You’ll pass art vendors, street performers, riverside views, and some great photo spots. (Tip: If you’re alone, keep your ears and eyes open for English-speaking teen girls. They’ll get you the best vacation photos from every angle.) Also, this is one time when I’d gladly sacrifice fashion for comfort. Put on your most comfortable pair of walking shoes or you’ll regret it at the end of the day.
Paris Ultimate Food Tour
Chloe Caldwell
One of the best ways to learn about a new culture is by learning about its food, and Paris is famous for its incredible gastronomy. If you want to try a little bit of everything while educating yourself on French food history, take the Paris Ultimate Food Tour with City Experiences. Don’t worry, this isn’t one of those cheesy, overcrowded tourist groups. Well, literally cheesy, yes. It’s a group of about 10 travelers and an English-speaking guide who will take you to nine different businesses for a total of 11 tastings.
The tour is in the Marais neighborhood, which is strictly reserved for long-lived family businesses and locally-owned shops — there are laws against chains posting up in this part of the city. So you’ll get an authentic Parisian experience and meet a range of food entrepreneurs. From baguettes, quiche, and crêpes to chocolate and sweet pastries, you’ll be drooling over the servings and full by the end of the tour.
By the way, did you know that the baguette has officially achieved UNESCO World Heritage status as of November 2022? We need more protected breads, I say.
Obviously, the famous Louvre museum is a must on your Paris to-do list. It’s the most visited museum in the world and displays 35,000 works of art, some of which are the most famous pieces to have ever been created. If you want to make the experience a little more unique and avoid the crowds of people flocking to the Mona Lisa, I recommend going in the evening. Another tour worth your time is Closing Time at the Louvre. You’ll walk through a few wings of the museums with a small group and an English-speaking guide who’s knowledgeable about the art.
Rather than just admiring the pieces as you pass by, you get to learn more about the artists and stories behind the work. Sure, it’s a tour — but it deepens your appreciation!
The best part? There is little to no line to see the coveted Mona Lisa, so you can get your selfie with her (and, ya know, admire the world’s most recognized work of art) without being rushed. During the day, you’re likely going to have to wait for a long time to get your glimpse, and that alone makes the tour worth it. If you need something to do before your tour, take a stroll nearby through the Tuileries Gardens while it’s still light out. With fountains and sculptures, it’ll get you in the mood to browse some masterpieces — and if you’re in town during the holidays, this is where you’ll find one of the best Christmas markets in Paris.
Book your tickets for The Louvre at Closing Time here.
You won’t find any shortage of places to drink in Paris, but if you’re looking for a unique party experience, spend a night out at Le Speakeasy. It’s a speakeasy-themed restaurant and nightclub that plays a combination of American oldies and modern dance music — a playlist that encourages dancing on furniture and bottle service. The red LED lights and live DJ definitely helped set the mood, too. I stayed here until closing time, and let’s just say I missed my museum tour the next morning.
This is one of those places I stumbled upon accidentally. I happened to be in town when France won the World Cup quarter-finals (which was an insane experience in itself). Every bar and restaurant was closed, as nearly every Parisian citizen was stampeding through the streets, and Le Speakeasy was the only open place I could find. Fortunately, it turned out to be a gem of a party place, and one that I’ve already recommended to several friends visiting Paris.
If you want to feel boujee AF (technically bourgeoisie — you’re in Paris, after all!), book a dinner cruise with Bateaux Mouches. You’ll get a four-course meal, a bottle of wine per two people, and a glass of champagne, not to mention a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower twinkling at night, all while cruising down the Seine River. The food is served by waiters in tuxedos and alongside live piano and violin music. It’s the ultimate #fancy experience without going over budget.
You can opt for the early bird service (85.00 €), the prestige dinner (105.00 €), or the excellence dinner (139.00 €), all of which have slightly different menus and perks. If you’re visiting with your special someone, you can even go with the “Get a Yes in Paris – Marriage Proposal” option for 325.00 €. Bateaux Mouches also has a variety of other cruises, such as a brunch option or dinner with a cabaret show.
Paris is known for its iconic fashion and luxury shopping, and you should definitely partake in it during your trip. But Paris’ fashion scene goes beyond just the designer stuff. It’s also home to incredible thrift shops (where you might just find some lightly worn designer pieces, too). Throughout the 4th arrondissement, an eclectic and hipster-ish neighborhood, you’ll find a ton of “Kilo Shops,” which are thrift stores that sell clothes by weight rather than by item of clothing. So you can fill up a basket with chic and vintage fashion finds and only pay for the number of kilos it weighs.
Just make sure to leave room in your luggage!
Have Brunch at Carette
Chloe Caldwell
There’s a reason this place is viral on TikTok — and it’s because of its hot chocolate, which comes with a full teapot of creamy cocoa and a heaping of perfectly fluffy whipped cream. Yes, it’s as luxurious and indulgent as it sounds.
Carette also serves delectable pastries as well as full breakfast spreads. I had a full brunch option that came with eggs, a croissant, orange juice, and toast with jam. Just like every French meal you’ll eat, it was fresh and filling without making you want to take a nap afterward. Carette’s picturesque spread and almost-too-pretty-to-eat pastries basically made me feel like I was dining in a Disney princess movie.
To me, Montmartre was the dreamiest neighborhood in Paris. It reminded me of a scene from “Beauty and the Beast” with cobblestone streets, art vendors painting in a town square, cafes like the La Maison Rose, and of course, The Basilica of the Sacred Heart. It’s a Roman Catholic cathedral majestically placed at the top of a hill overlooking Paris. This is where you can get one of the absolute best views in Paris, and there are thousands of signed padlocks lined along the fences.
It’s a romantic scene, to say the least, making it the perfect location for a proposal. Montmartre is also a great place to do your souvenir shopping. There are tons of touristy vendors with all the Paris-branded merch you could ask for. You can spend an entire afternoon here just wandering through the streets and boutiques and never get bored.
Galeries Lafayette
Chloe Caldwell
As I said, thrift shopping is a must, but you also have to immerse yourself in the luxury fashion that Paris is famous for. There’s no better place to do that than at Galeries Lafayette. It’s basically a glorified department store (not in a bad way) where you can peruse all the designer lines in one place — Chanel, Dior, Armani, Balenciaga, you name it.
I may or may not have bought the most expensive item of clothing I’ve ever owned. But when in Paris, right?
Treat yourself to a designer ‘fit in the main shopping area, then go to the top floor for all the gifts and souvenirs you need to bring home for friends and family. You also can’t leave Galeries Lafayette without checking out the rooftop. Here, you’ll get a 360 view of the city with the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It’s an excellent photo op and a nice place to relax after a long day of shopping.
The lineups for Rolling Loud Los Angeles and Rolling Loud Portugal were previously announced, impressing hip-hop fans with headliners like Future, Playboi Carti, and Travis Scott for the former festival location and Scott, Carti, and Meek Mill for the latter. Now the lineup for Rolling Loud Thailand is out — and headliners include the Astroworld rapper again as well as Chris Brown and Cardi B.
Other guests on the roster are A$AP Ferg, Lil Uzi Vert, Rick Ross, DaBaby, Rae Sremmurd, Offset, Ski Mask The Slump God, Waka Flocka Flame, Soulja Boy, Fat Joe, Central Cee, Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, Bktherula, Teriyaki Boyz, and many more.
It’ll take place at Legend Siam in Pattaya on April 13-15, 2023; it’s the first time ever occurring in Thailand. Ticket information can be found here.
Ironically, DaBaby is performing at Rolling Loud Thailand, considering he claimed that his notorious performance at Rolling Loud Miami in 2021 cost him $100 million because of his homophobic remarks that lost him fans and brand deals. “I ain’t into all of the conspiracy theories, this and that,” he said on Hot97’s Ebro In The Morning show. “Until you see it really cost a n****s a $100 million within a year’s span.”
Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Some of the best bourbons in the game are in the $50 to $60 price range. Better still? You can still actually find most of them. It’s a sweet spot, with bottles of bourbon at around $55 often hitting that perfect balance of being really freaking good and still pretty accessible (in general).
Today, it’s time to call out 20 of the best bourbons that all cost between $50 and $60. The 20 bottles listed below are all bangers. Still, some of them lean more into the craft side of things and might be easier to get in the region they’re made. Others are on pretty much every shelf from Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon. It’s a fun mix, is what I’m driving at!
When it comes to ranking these quality bourbons, I’m going on taste alone. Even with a list of 20 bourbons that I stand by and am more than happy to taste or drink, they’re still not all created equal. The bottom five or six tend to be bourbons that I’d mix a killer cocktail with more than, say, a slow sipper. Whereas the top five or six all slap and I’d break out when I wanted to impress. The middle bourbons sort of… fall in between those two worlds.
As for the pricing, these are all based on delivery prices in Louisville, Kentucky, and distillery bottle shops. Local prices (and availability) will vary.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Bib & Tucker pulls barrels of Tennessee whiskey from an old and quiet valley in the state. They then blend those barrels to meet their brand’s flavor notes. While they are laying down their own whiskey now, this is still all about the blending of those hand-selected barrels in small batches.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this is full of wet, almost earthy, cedar bark and crispy wafers filled with rich vanilla cream.
Palate: The taste has a ginger snap quality in spiciness, graininess, and sweetness next to cinnamon-infused apple cider.
Finish: The mid-palate to finish is very light and sort of just touches back on the spice but really leans into sweet apple tobacco.
Bottom Line:
Bib & Tucker 6-Year is a great Tennessee whiskey for mixing bourbon cocktails. It pairs especially well with the bold flavors of a whiskey sour.
This release from Redemption is their take on MGP’s 45% winter wheat bourbon. Redemption’s team brings four-year-old barrels in-house and then masterfully blends them in small batches until they get just the right notes.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That crafty wheat floral note greets you and then leans into brisket with hints of bitter coffee and a touch of nougat, cedar, vanilla bean, and a dry grassiness.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while swerving towards a peppery spice blend with almost a lime leaf savoriness.
Finish: The end is long and has a slightly warm biscuit edge that circles back towards the nougat and vanilla while swinging back toward that dry grassiness from the wheat.
Bottom Line:
This is another great cocktail base. I’d lean this more toward a Manhattan or basic old fashioned.
Old Elk is the work of distilling legend Greg Metze. Metze devised a bourbon through MGP of Indiana, a distillery in New York, and Old Elk’s facility in Colorado. The combined mash bill ended up being 51% corn, 34% malted barley, and 15% rye, which is one of the more unique mash bills in the game. The whiskey is then proofed down to a very accessible 88 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Freshly baked cinnamon rolls with powdered sugar icing mingle with a hint of walnut, dark cacao powder, and a hint of dry cedar bark.
Palate: The palate is very lush with a note of chocolate chip pancakes covered in brown butter and syrup with a dash of vanilla next to singed dry sweetgrass braids and a touch of burnt toffee.
Finish: The finish lets the chocolate turn velvety as a whisper of dried chili meets salted caramel.
Bottom Line:
The sweetness of the malt really shines through with that corn. That all said, I’d use this for really fresh highballs with good water and a twist of grapefruit or blood orange, which will accent that chocolate note nicely.
This whiskey combines two mash bill programs. Rye-heavy and wheat-heavy bourbon barrels are aged for five years before they’re vatted and then re-filled into Cab casks from Napa. That whiskey then rests for a final spell before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is spritely on the nose with sour red wine mingling with tart apples, fresh honeycomb, vanilla pods, and a hint of fresh cinnamon stick.
Palate: The palate largely sticks to the nose and builds some more sour berries with a nice layer of smooth vanilla and tannic oak char.
Finish: The end is short and sweet with a sour edge that leads back to the oak and sour red wine.
Bottom Line:
This is pretty nice overall. The red wine vibes do come through and with a little sweet vermouth lean into mulled wine territory. Overall, this is still a cocktail bourbon more than a sipper. Though it’d be fine over some ice — don’t get me wrong.
16. Penelope Four Grain Straight Bourbon Whiskey Barrel Strength
Penelope Bourbon is a great example of what a master blender can do with MGP whiskey. In this case, three barrels were blended — aged three to five years — to create a barrel strength expression that highlights the quality of those casks. The final product ended up being a four-grain bourbon with a mash bill of 74% corn, 16% wheat, 7% rye, and 3% malted barley.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bursts forth with peaches, red berries, blueberry, and an almost savory gooseberry next to cotton candy, a touch of toffee, and very light-yet-sweet oak.
Palate: The palate shines as the peaches and berries combine to make a sort of summer fruit crumble with plenty of butter, dark sugar, and spice alongside a thin line of soft leather, rich vanilla, and more of that sweet oak.
Finish: The mid-palate sweetens with more cotton candy before diving into a warming and spicy finish that keeps the spice sweet and subtle.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice all-around bourbon. In the end, I’d lean toward simple cocktails with it. A nice old fashioned, Manhattan, and maybe even a jaunty Sazerac work best.
15. Baker’s Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel Aged 8 Years 1 Month
Baker’s is pulled from single barrels in specific warehouses and ricks across the Beam facility in Clermont, Kentucky. The bourbon is always at least seven years old. In this case, it was aged eight years and one month before bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sourdough rye crusts and star anise with a fleeting hint of caraway counter cellar funk and cherry/vanilla tobacco on the nose.
Palate: The palate lets that vanilla get super lush with a sense of cinnamon bark and allspice berries next to hints of dill and fennel.
Finish: The end has an eggnog softness with a bit of Red Hot and chili-laced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and funky Beam product that veers away from the bold cherry and vanilla notes the brand is famous for. I do like this over some ice when I’m in a specific mood. Otherwise, this tends to be more of a cocktail base where you can really let the whiskey shine.
14. Frey Ranch Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Frey Ranch is all about the farm behind the whiskey. In this case, that’s a 165+-year-old farm in the Sierra Nevada basin near Lake Tahoe. The grains (corn, wheat, rye, and barley), fermentation, distilling, aging, and bottling all happen on-site at Frey Ranch.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fruity cherry gummies mingle with raw sourdough bread dough, vanilla beans, dry firewood, and burnt brown sugars on the nose.
Palate: The taste has a very crafty corn chip vibe that leads to tart cranberry, more of that vanilla, and a cinnamon-spiced oatmeal raisin cookie.
Finish: This all coalesces on the finish with the spice, oats, tart red fruit, and vanilla playing second fiddle to the dry firewood and slightly spiced tobacco end.
Bottom Line:
This is fun and crafty (the grains are very sweet and evident on the palate). I’d lead more toward a fresh and vibrant cocktail with this one — think a smash or julep.
13. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey
This was first introduced in 1997. The whiskey is hand-selected from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the whiskey to shine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The banana notes are drawn way back here and replaced by a clear sense of toasted oak, cinnamon bark, and cherry candy.
Palate: That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild spice, and plenty of oily vanilla beans that leads back to an almost chewy cherry tobacco with a hint of cedar bark underneath.
Finish: That cherry marries well to a peppery spice, chocolate cake, and mulled wine with a fluttering of toasted wood lingering on the sweet backend.
Bottom Line:
This is on the sweeter side of things. Still, this works as a sipper on the rocks or a solid cocktail base where you can draw the added sugar back (thanks to the sweetness already built into the whiskey).
12. New Riff Single Barrel Barrel Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
These releases from New Riff will vary from location to location as they’re largely reserved for retailers. The whiskey in the bottle is New Riff’s standard bourbon mash of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. The spirit is aged for at least four years before they’re bottled individually without cutting or filtration.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on these tends to be soft, kind of like freshly baked rye bread, with notes of eggnog spices, slick vanilla flan, thin caramel sauce, and hints of spicy orange zest.
Palate: The palate amps everything up as the orange peel becomes candied and attaches to a moist holiday cake, dried cranberry and cherry, more dark spice, a touch of nuttiness, and plenty of that vanilla.
Finish: The end takes its time as the whole thing comes together like a rich and boozy fruit cake as little notes of leather and tobacco spice keep things interesting on the slow fade.
Bottom Line:
These rule. I like these pours over a single, large ice cube. That said, this makes one hell of a Manhattan.
11. Russell’s Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Single Barrel
Jimmy and Eddie Russell — Wild Turkey’s Master Distillers — hand-select these barrels from their vast warehouses for just the right bourbon flavor. The bourbon is bottled with a touch of water added.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re met with creamy depths of vanilla next to pound cake, spicy tobacco, sweet oak, and a clear hit of orange oil.
Palate: That vanilla really amps up as hints of rose water-forward marzipan lead towards cedar, more vanilla, and a dash of Christmas spices.
Finish: When you add water, a really deep dark chocolate smoothness arrives with a more nutty almond that’s reminiscent of an Almond Joy straight from a special candy shop.
Bottom Line:
This is just good. It’s wildly well-balanced and a very bourbon-y bourbon. It’s also a single-barrel product that you can actually find and likely afford. It’s also highly drinkable as a sipper or cocktail whiskey.
10. Maker’s Mark 46 Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This is Maker’s 46 turned up to 11. The whiskey is formed from a wheated bourbon that’s made in very small batches. French oak staves are added to the barrels for a final, short maturation to really amp things up. Then for this version, the best barrels from that program are batched and bottled 100% as-is without any proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Notes of cinnamon, Graham crackers, dark chocolate powder, vanilla beans, pine kindling, and a hint of singed marshmallow mingle on the nose.
Palate: The palate leans into the hotness of the cinnamon but is tempered by vanilla cream pie filling, Honey-Nut Cheerios, light leather, and more of that dry pine.
Finish: The end builds with cinnamon heat towards honey-laced tobacco in a cedar box with a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans.
Bottom Line:
This is a quintessential Manhattan bourbon that also works really well as a slow sipper on any ol’ day of the week.
9. FEW Bottled in Bond Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey
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:
Nose: 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.
Palate: 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.
Finish: The finish has a bit of an oatmeal cookie vibe that leads back to the spicy cherry tobacco and white moss.
Bottom Line:
This is a good sipper to have on hand. It’s balanced but still very cherry/vanilla forward, giving it a classic bourbon vibe.
These single-barrel releases from Huber Winery’s Starlight Distillery are starting to light up the craft bourbon scene. The Indiana bourbon is real craft from a family tradition going back to the mid-1800s on the same farm (this isn’t MGP). Depending on the barrel, the mash here is a unique one with 58% corn, 27% rye, and 15% malted barley. That whiskey is aged for at least four years before it’s considered ready for single-barrel bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this meanders from sheet cake with vanilla frosting toward chili-laced dark chocolate ice cream to old leather gloves with a hint of potting soil, soft cedar planks, and a twinge of an orange creamsicle.
Palate: The taste balances a lemon meringue pie with silky cream soda, red peppercorns, and thick toffee sauce with plenty of brown butter.
Finish: The end has a bit of woody spice next to spiced cherry syrup, a crack of black pepper, and crumb more of that cake from the nose with a counter of those old leather gardening gloves finishing off the taste.
Bottom Line:
This is a new bourbon that feels classic through and through. While it is a solid cocktail base (especially for old fashioneds), it works perfectly well as a slow sipper over a single ice cube too.
7. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This brand-new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company is 100% their own whiskey. The juice is made from a wheated bourbon mash bill — 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley — down in Bardstown, Kentucky. The whiskey spends about six years mellowing before it’s just kissed with local water and bottled at 100 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of light pepper next to bog notes of dark citrus, powdered cacao, and stewed peaches with classic bourbon vanilla, orchard fruit, and an oaky vibe.
Palate: The palate is a mix of apricot jam cut with nutmeg and cinnamon next to a deep sense of bruised peaches, pear cores, and red berries with a mix of spiced peach tobacco wrapped around dry wicker and cedar bark.
Finish: The end leans into the sweet and spiced stone fruit while the tobacco slowly fades through sweet caramel and vanilla buttercream toward a silky finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice sipper that pairs really well with food (try it with roasted lamb with a medley of South Asia spices, it’s fantastic).
This new release from Nelson’s Green Brier is a big evolution for the brand. This high-rye bourbon is aged for four years before it’s masterfully blended into his expression. It’s then bottled without any fussing or meddling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A vanilla wafer with soft nougat greets you on the nose with a hint of burnt orange zest, Christmas cake, candied cherry, and a little bit of apple pie filling.
Palate: The taste has a moment of grilled pineapple that leads to brandy-soaked dark chocolate-covered cherries with a supporting act of zucchini bread, pecan pie, and a whisper of lemon meringue pie — it’s kind of like being in an old-school diner.
Finish: A mild dusting of white pepper ushers in the finish with a smooth green tea cut with menthol tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This has a nice balance of fruitiness and spiciness that goes beyond that standard toward something deeper. It’s a great sipper over a big old rock or a perfect cocktail base for a Sazerac or boulevardier.
5. Knob Creek Single Barrel Select Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 9 Years
This single-barrel bourbon is from Beam’s private barrel pick program for retailers and at the distillery. That means your local retailer goes out to Clermont, Kentucky, and picks a single barrel for their store only. That then means these will vary from store to store ever so slightly but still carry that classic Knob Creek vibe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is bold on the nose too with plenty of lush vanilla next to salted caramel, a touch of barrel char, brandy-soaked cherries, and a hint of dark chocolate-covered espresso beans with a little date/prune action.
Palate: The palate pops with dark chocolate Almond Joys next to cherry root beer and old oak with a hint of potting soil.
Finish: The end softens toward a mocha espresso with a dash of nutmeg next to dry cedar and cherry tobacco wrapped around a box of Red Hots.
Bottom Line:
This is Knob Creek turned up very loud. It’s also a bold yet classic bourbon. It works wonders over a single rock or in a simple cocktail or just as an eye-opening everyday sipper.
4. Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years
This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee round out the nose.
Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce.
Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar.
Bottom Line:
It’s amazing that you can still find these (sort of). If you can, buy a case. This is a perfect house pour that’ll always deliver. I tend to drink it over a single large ice cube. It rules.
3. Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 7 Years Old
This expression has been a touchstone bottled-in-bond since 1939 and remains a go-to for many bourbon lovers. The whiskey is the classic Heaven Hill bourbon mash bill that’s left to age for an extra three years compared to Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with this rich and creamy vanilla ice cream (you know the kind that’s likely labeled “Tahitian”) that’s drizzled with a buttery and salty caramel sauce next to soft leather and dried apple blossoms with a hint of old cedar bark braids.
Palate: A floral honey vibe melds with Graham Crackers on the palate as creamy toffee covered in crushed almonds mingles with vanilla-laced pipe tobacco and old leather-bound books.
Finish: There’s a bit of freshly ground nutmeg near the end that leads to a light cherry tobacco note with whispers of old cellar beams and winter spices on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is another one that can be easy to find or not depending on where you are. That aside, this is a pretty damn good whiskey all around. It’s great neat, on the rocks, or in a Manhattan.
Bourbon legend Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is as bold as it is classic with a spice matrix brimming with cinnamon, clove, star anise, cardamom, and nutmeg next to dry cedar kindling, black-tea-soaked dates, rum-raisin, and tart dried cranberry tobacco.
Palate: The vanilla creates a lush underbelly as old boot leather mingles with marzipan, orange blossoms, and creamy dark chocolate flaked with salt.
Finish: The end is softly warm with a sense of that marzipan covered in lightly spiced dark chocolate next to old tobacco braided with old wicker and dry cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
Just buy a case of this. It’s still on most shelves but won’t be forever. It’s also that good.
1. 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 whiskey 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: 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:
Nose: 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.
Palate: The palate leans into cherry hand pies and vanilla wafers with a counter of dried wild sage, orchard tree bark, and meaty dates.
Finish: 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.
Bottom Line:
This is also “that good.” Really. This whiskey rocks. It’s a great bottle to impress whiskey heads but also a subtle sipper that delivers on several levels if you’re looking for a solid slow sipper. Naturally, it also rocks in Manhattan, Sazerac, or old fashioned.
Streamers are a mess right now. Not even the one that started it all, Netflix, is doing well, while one of the best ones, HBO Max, keeps doing inexplicable things like deep-sixing hundreds of Looney Tunes classics. Now it’s Paramount+’s turn to go chaotic: As per Deadline, they’re absorbing Showtime, the premium cable bundle which they’ve been paired at the hip for a while now. And already shows are getting canned.
On Monday, Paramount Global revealed that their streamer, which was born as the far more humble CBS All Access back in 2014, is getting yet another makeover and name change. Gone is Paramount+. Welcome “Paramount+ with Showtime,” which will include the latter’s shows and movies and whatnot as part of their premium tier. (Right now subscribers have the option of paying more to access both, which means if you want to watch last year’s delightful Confess, Fletch, you’ll have to pony up.)
The company won’t be going into details about what and who will be affected until February 23. Layoffs are possible, although a trio of shows have already been axed: Three Women, which is completed but has not yet aired; the TV take on the beloved Swedish vampire film Let the Right One In; and the newish American Gigolo, based on Paul Schrader’s 1980 smash. Bad break for the always welcome Jon Bernthal.
This weekend, Donald Trump finally sprung into action, belatedly campaigning, albeit at smaller joints than he’s used to, including a high school auditorium. Perhaps holding rallies will distract voters from the many, many, many problems facing him. Indeed, did you forget about the criminal probe into his handling of his alleged Stormy Daniels affair? Presumed to have fizzled out, it rose from the grave on Monday, prompting an inevitable meltdown from the former president alleged to have given her “the worst 90 seconds of my life.”
The New York Times reported that a Manhattan grand jury had begun hearing evidence about the alleged encounter, specifically as to claims that he authorized a hush money payment to Daniels in 2016, when he was running for president. That suggests that District Attorney Alvin Bragg is one step closer to making a decision over criminal charges. Trump did not like that one bit.
“With murders and violent crime surging like never before in New York City, the Radical Left Manhattan D.A., Alvin Bragg, just leaked to the Fake News Media that they are still going after the Stormy ”Horseface” Daniels Bull….!” Trump stormed on his rinky-dink Twitter clone. “Working closely with the Weaponized Justice Department, this is a continuation of the Greatest Witch Hunt of all time. They long ago missed the Statute of Limitations, & I recently won big money against ‘Stormy’ in the 9th Circuit – NEVER HAD AN AFFAIR. This is old news!”
Trump has denied the affair before, as has Daniels, who only started claiming it was true in the last few years. He’s also insulted her looks before, though his name-calling has nothing on Daniels’ horrifyingly vivid descriptions of him, which don’t need rehashing here. Given all the badnews Trump faced in the home stretch of 2022, he’s clearly not happy to have more added to the pile.
Have you ever seen something in a movie or online and thought, “That’s totally fake,” only to find out it’s absolutely a real thing? That’s sort of how this house in Pennsylvania comes across. It just seems too fantastical to be real, and yet somehow it actually exists.
The home sits between Greencastle and Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, and houses a pretty unique public secret. There’s a cave in the basement. Not a man cave or a basement that makes you feel like you’re in a cave, but an actual cave that you can’t get to unless you go through the house.
Turns out the cave was discovered in the 1830s on the land of John Coffey, according to Uncovering PA, but the story of how it was found is unclear. People would climb down into the cave to explore occasionally until the land was leased about 100 years later and a small structure was built over the cave opening.
The idea was to make it accessible to visitors and use the cave as a tourist attraction, and the small structure was eventually built into a two-story house. But it was closed to the public in 1954 after the land was purchased for limestone mining and it remained closed for nearly 70 years. (In the words of Stephanie Tanner, “How rude.”) Sometime during that 70-year closure, the home that contains the cave was purchased by Dara Black, and in 2021, it reopened to the public.
Currently, the home is occupied by Black, but to gain access to the cave you can simply book a tour. The best part about booking a tour is that you only have to make a donation to enter. It’s a pay-what-you-can sort of setup, but since someone actually lives in the home, you can’t just pop in and ask for a tour. You have to go during the “open house” times available.
According to the Black-Coffey Caverns Facebook page, they treat the tours truly as an open house, complete with snacks and drinks. There’s a waiting room area where people can chat and eat their snacks while they wait for the tour to start. They also offer cave yoga once a month. According to Uncovering PA, the tour takes about 45 minutes to complete and there are about 3,000 feet worth of passageways.
Imagine living on top of a cave and just taking strangers on a waltz under your floorboards essentially. It makes me wonder if the house is quiet at night or if you can hear echoes of the cave sounds while you’re trying to sleep. From the Facebook page, it appears that the cave doesn’t have any lights, but there were pictures with some Christmas lights mounted to the cave walls. Otherwise, you have to use flashlights.
Hopefully, no mischievous children decide to play hide and seek or you just might have to call in a rescue crew. Literally. But what an unbelievable “pics or it didn’t happen” kind of story to tell. It’s not every day you run into someone that has a door that leads you to an underground cave.
If you want to see what a cave tour looks like starting from the outside of the house, check out the video below:
For as long as there’s been alcohol, there have been people who don’t drink it. Some don’t care for the taste, some don’t like the buzz, some have religious prohibitions against it and some are recovering addicts who need to avoid it altogether.
Whatever reasons people have for not drinking, there’s an unspoken attitude by some that they’re missing out on a key part of social culture, especially when countless movies and TV shows portrays people winding down (or wooing one another) with wine and bonding over beers at bars. There’s an air of camaraderie over sharing a cocktail or clinking champagne flutes together that’s hard to capture with a basic Coke or sparkling water.
But what if you want that fun, social atmosphere without the alcohol? What if you want to go out and have fancy, alcohol-free drinks with your friends at night without being surrounded by drunk people? Where do you go for that?
In fact, the Mindful Drinking Fest held on January 21 in Washington D.C. was sold out, as over 300 attendees sampled all manner of non-alcoholic beers, wines and mixed drinks. One of the event’s organizers, award-winning bartender Derek Brown, told NPR that not drinking isn’t actually new. Early bartending manuals all included plenty of non-alcoholic drinks, but post-Prohibition, the temperance movement took a hit. “People stopped treating people who don’t drink alcohol like adults,” he said.
u201cThe secret to great non-alcoholic beverage programs: treat people who order NA cocktails like adults. https://t.co/5N4BHhJkAG @AmyZeats @SevenFiftyDailyu201d
But young folks aren’t the only ones hopping on the sobriety train. Even as the pandemic saw a spike in heavy drinking, it also caused a lot of people to examine their relationship with alcohol. With annual traditions like “Dry January” and “Sober October” growing in popularity, people are at least trying out the alcohol-free life for a while—what Brown refers to as an “alcoholiday.”
This growing demand for alternatives to alcohol is driving alcohol-free establishments with clever names such as Absence of Proof, Sans Bar, Spirited Away and more to pop up all over the place. And we’re not just talking about Shirley Temples or virgin daiquiris here. Today’s alcohol-free mixed drinks are far more sophisticated, with new distilled spirits, bitters, and other ingredients creating complex flavors without a sickeningly high sugar content.
Abby Ehmann owned a regular bar in New York and enjoyed her regular customers, but also saw the devasting impacts alcohol had on some of her patrons. So she opened a sober bar named Hekate in 2022. “I wanted to create that sort of vibe and community for people, but take alcohol out of the equation,” she told NBC News. “Here we have the community and the vibe without the booze.”
The culture around drinking is slowly but surely changing, and the success of events like the Mindful Drinking Fest and sober bars seems to be proving that alcohol isn’t the necessary social lubricant many believe it to be.
As Brown told NPR, “All the positive emotions we associate with alcohol—they come from just being with people and tasting delicious, wonderful things,” he said. “You don’t really need alcohol.”
Things aren’t so great with the Royal Family these days. There’s The Crown, which is about to get to the death of Princess Diana and whose makers don’t seem to care about ruffling some feathers. Then there’s Prince Harry, who, along with his wife, Meghan Markle, have all but left their royal duties. Harry even had a memoir published recently, which has made his relationship with his family still more strained. And yet one of them still wants to patch things up before a big to-do.
Sources tell Vanity Fair that King Charles III, father of Harry and his now possibly estranged brother William, wants his youngest son present at his forthcoming coronation. William is said to be against the idea, fearing Harry may use it as a publicity stunt and stage a dramatic walkout. Still, when Charles’ big day comes in May, he’s hoping that everyone’s patched things up.
That might take some doing. Spare, Prince Harry’s bombshell blockbuster, is filled with dirt as well as wild accusations and pointed barbs. He accuses William of physically attacking him, for one. He also calls Camilla, his stepmother, “dangerous” and a “villain.” Then there’s the Netflix doc series Harry & Meghan, to say nothing of all those dishy interviews they’ve been doing, both of which have lifted the lid on one of the planet’s most famous families. Sources say there’s no trust left between the brothers, who have attended some functions, but not together.
Still, their father is not giving up hope. “Charles is a forgiving person by nature, and he wants to move on,” one source says. “Whatever has been said and done, Harry is still his son and he loves him. He also cannot imagine being crowned, the most important moment of his life, without both his sons witnessing the moment.”
Charles’ coronation isn’t happening until May 6, so he’s got some time to get these two kids to hug it out.
The San Francisco 49ers had a brutal NFC Championship Game, as they saw Brock Purdy suffer a serious elbow injury on the first offensive drive of the game, when Haason Reddick hit him right before he threw the ball, resulting in a fumble and what we now know to be a torn UCL in his throwing elbow.
Brock Purdy is seeking second medical opinions about whether he needs surgery, per source. 49ers are recommending surgery but no decisions yet. https://t.co/GdMokH4pDe
#49ers QB Brock Purdy suffered a complete tear of the UCL in his throwing elbow and will undergo surgery, per sources.
Purdy is getting second opinions, but the initial hope is he can undergo a repair — not reconstruction (AKA Tommy John) — and will be ready for training camp. pic.twitter.com/dFGQGpPALw
Purdy would have to be replaced by Josh Johnson, but would then come back in when Johnson suffered a concussion in the third quarter. At that point, all Purdy could do was hand the ball off, attempting just one pass, a middle screen to Christian McCaffrey, on his first drive back and then never throwing it again. It was hard to watch, as the Eagles could simply load the box and the Niners could only hope to break something huge to give them any hope of scoring. It was admirable for Purdy to go out and give them anything, even if it was just handing the ball off and orchestrating the offense in the huddle and before the snap, with a torn ligament in his elbow, but it just wasn’t going to end well against a team like Philadelphia.
The 49ers now enter the offseason with a number of questions at the quarterback position. Purdy is hopeful to be ready for camp but that may be determined by whether he needs Tommy John reconstructive surgery or simply a repair, and Trey Lance, who began the season as the starter, still rehabbing from a broken leg and ligament damage to his ankle from the second game of the season, but hoping to likewise be back for OTAs and camp. Jimmy Garoppolo was nearing a return from a broken foot and would’ve potentially been active for the Super Bowl, but he is set to be a free agent this offseason.
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