The biggest event in music, the 2023 Grammy Awards, is just days away. But, before host Trevor Noah takes the main stage on February 5, leading up to the ceremony across the city of Los Angeles, this year’s nominees will be celebrated at smaller Grammy Week events. So, as music heavyweights and fans patiently wait to see if Beyoncé breaks another Recording Academy record at this year’s event, first-time nominees are excited to be welcomed into the fold.
For the first time since 2020, streaming giant Spotify hosted its annual event yesterday (February 2) at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood to highlight the musicians nominated in this year’s Best New Artist category. According to USA Today, during the over four-hour event, all 10 of the musicians (Anitta, Domi & JD Beck, Latto, Måneskin, Molly Tuttle, Muni Long, Omar Apollo, Samara Joy, Tobe Nwigwe, and Wet Leg) competing in the category performed.
While the event was not broadcasted, attendees shared clips of some of the performances across social media. Several fan pages uploaded Latto’s performance. Two songs featured in Latto’s set included “Big Energy (Remix),” which is nominated for best melodic rap performance as well as “It’s Givin’.”
The 65th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony will be held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023. The ceremony will be broadcasted live on the CBS Television Network and streamed live and on-demand on Paramount+. Find the complete list of 2023 nominees here.
Welcome to yet another bizarre moment involving George Santos. The controversial congressman has been under intense scrutiny for an ever-increasing list of alleged lies, which he reportedly admitted while being secretly recorded by a staffer. The conversation was caught on tape by Derek Myers during a meeting where Santos explained he would not be offering Myers a permanent position.
According to the audio, Santos expressed concerned over Myers because of his recent work as a journalist. Apparently, this raised some flags for the congressman who seemed very aware of his precarious position in the House because of his numerous lies, which he did not deny. Via Talking Points Memo:
“I’ve made bad judgment calls, and I’m reaping the consequences of those bad judgment calls,” Santos said.
“I’ve obviously f*cked up and lied to him, like I lied to everyone else,” Santos later added, apparently referring to [Charley] Lovett, the chief of staff. “And he still forgave me and gave me a second shot, unlike some other people.”
Santos reportedly told Myers, “It’s bad enough that I have to answer for myself these days, I don’t want to have to answer, prospectively, for you.”
The irony of those words were not lost on Myers. “I’m thinking to myself, I’m a threat and concern to this institution — George Santos, you’re George Santos!” Myers told TPM.
On top of admitting that he lied to everyone, Santos reportedly stopped the conversation to gush about getting a text from CNN’s Don Lemon, and he encouraged Myers to stop going to Colombia for “diluted Botox.” Santos also admitted to buying his ties from thift stores for $2 and even offered one to Myers. So, you know, just another weirdo day for George Santos, who still continues to serve as a United States congressman.
First things first, let’s get this out of the way: The Grammys have a fraught and sordid history with hip-hop. This much we know and there’s little reason to expect it to change in the near future, even with the adjustments the Grammys have made in recent years. But there is reason to hope, which we’ll get into below.
Now that that’s taken care of, let’s do some predictions! We’ve already done the Big Four awards, but here, we’ll concentrate on rap. Depending on where you stand, this year’s rap nominations are either the most forward-thinking the Recording Academy voters have put together in ages (I mean, GloRilla’s in there! Future and Gunna are nominated for stuff! It’s fun!), or it’s a thin field with the usual middle-of-the-road pandering (I personally like Jack Harlow, but I’m told rap fans aren’t rooting for him. Then there’s DJ Khaled…).
Either way, it should make for an interesting show full of surprises. Will Grammy voters (who tend to skew Gen-X) finally acknowledge the modern sounds of the genre? Will perennial favorite Kendrick Lamar clean up? Will the Grammys’ ugly history with female rap artists rear its head again? We’ll find out Sunday, February 5 (Here’s how to watch the show and here’s the full list of this year’s nominees) but for now, let’s pray for those parlays, for which I will warn you now, I bear no responsibility.
Best Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy — “God Did”
Doja Cat — “Vegas”
Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug — “Pushin P”
Hitkidd & Glorilla — “F.N.F. (Let’s Go)”
Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Who will win: Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5” Who should win: Doja Cat — “Vegas”
Kendrick Lamar is an award-show favorite and his Big Steppers table setter, set to a smooth interpolation of Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You,” is a classic example of his primary preoccupations. He addresses the “culture,” expresses sympathy for the canceled, and muses on the destructive cycles and systems of modern-day America. The thing is, he’s done all this before, and while I hesitate to say the schtick is wearing thin, the series of caricatures Kendrick samples through in the face-morphing visual has aged poorly enough to put off much of the Recording Academy voting base.
On the other hand, Doja Cat, fresh off the successes of her versatile third album Planet Her, demonstrates she’s got plenty more creative space to stretch out in — and she’s just getting started. A venomous excoriation of a philandering romantic partner, “Vegas” catches Cat traipsing over a slick reimagining of Big Mama Thornton’s original version of “Hound Dog” by Shonka Dukureh — a sly reclamation of a musical legacy that reframes the titular ne’er-do-well, turning the spotlight on the subject of the film from which this song hails (and his ilk).
Best Melodic Rap Performance
DJ Khaled Featuring Future & SZA — “Beautiful”
Future Featuring Drake & Tems — “Wait for U”
Jack Harlow — “First Class”
Kendrick Lamar Featuring Blxst & Amanda Reifer — “Die Hard”
Latto — “Big Energy (Live)”
Who will win: Jack Harlow — “First Class” Who should win: Latto — “Big Energy (Live)”
Jack Harlow’s gonna win by virtue of two facts: One, this song was borderline inescapable for the better part of a year after its release, and two, … well, you know. The Grammys have managed to avoid embarrassing themselves in that way in the rap categories since the Macklemore debacle in 2015, but then again, they haven’t had many opportunities since (the closest they came was Adele rejecting her win over Beyoncé for Lemonade).
Still, if they really want to make up for past mistakes, they can start by acknowledging that they snubbed Doja and Megan Thee Stallion in the performance and song categories and women overall for Best Rap Album. Yuck. If there was any song that challenged “First Class” for having a chokehold on your eardrums in 2022, it was “Big Energy,” which was also Latto’s breakout moment (even if she had already been around for a while).
Best Rap Song
DJ Khaled — “God Did” Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy
Future Featuring Drake & Tems — “Wait for U”
Gunna & Future Featuring Young Thug — “Pushin P”
Jack Harlow Featuring Drake — “Churchill Downs”
Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5”
Who will win: Kendrick Lamar — “The Heart Part 5” Who should win: DJ Khaled — “God Did” Feat. Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, Jay-Z, John Legend & Fridayy
So, like my colleague Derrick did in the Big Four list, I must begin here with a disclaimer. Best Rap Song is considered “A Songwriter(s) Award” by the Recording Academy. This means that it’s (ostensibly) awarded strictly on the technical aspects of the writing/production, rather than the vocal performance of the rapper(s). As we all know, good delivery can make a mediocre bar sound like the illest words ever written, while the transverse is also true. With that said, I looked at the lyrics of each song, combined with other stuff like sample selection. Ultimately, it’s still entirely subjective based on my own tastes.
From that standpoint, I think Jay’s peak on “God Did” overshadows Kendrick’s consistency on “The Heart.” While “God Did” on the whole is mostly a collection of fairly straightforward flexes from Jay’s co-stars, once his verse starts, it’s his song, relegating everyone else to background roles. Not only does he lay out his reasoning for “what the stove did,” but by the end of the verse, he’s got even the most staunch law-and-order conservative starting to agree with his choices, no matter how self-destructive they might have been.
DJ Khaled — God Did
Future — I Never Liked You
Jack Harlow — Come Home The Kids Miss You
Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
Pusha T — It’s Almost Dry
Who will win: Kendrick Lamar — Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers Who should win: Future — I Never Liked You
Don’t kill me! Look, it breaks my homer heart to give anything the nod over my Compton countryman, but from my perspective, the best album has to be the most consistent, the most committed to the bit. To quote a bit of secondhand writing advice from one of my esteemed peers, all the sentences in a piece should aim in the same direction, and every single bar on Future’s album does that.
While Kendrick gets credit for the ambition of his fifth and final project for TDE, it’s a little too disjointed, too directionless, and too difficult to listen to straight through. Meanwhile, Future has gone for over a decade and a half as one of rap’s most esteemed yet uncelebrated cult personalities; a genre unto himself, his sole win was for a feature on Jay Rock’s “King’s Dead” and it was a tie with Anderson .Paak’s “Bubblin’” (again, the Grammys are not known for making the best choices when it comes to rap; also nominated in 2019 were Drake’s “Nice For What” and Travis Scott’s “Sicko Mode”).
I Never Liked You offers exactly what it says on the tin, but it’s also Future at his best, stepping up his lyricism, curating some of his most effective beats choices, and delivering the consistency that has kept him at the top of the charts since his legendary three-mixtape run in 2015. Breaking new ground is cool, experimentation is fine, and pushing boundaries is always welcome, but sometimes, you just want dope beats, dope rhymes, and a signature Drake feature. The streets love I Never Liked You; for once, the Grammys can align with the people’s champ if they give it the hardware it deserves.
Pamela Anderson’s whirlwind of a week keeps cranking amid her release of two projects: Pamela: A Love Story, a documentary currently streaming on Netflix, and Love, Pamela, her memoir available in bookstores. In the process of promotion, she’s divulged plenty of tidbits, including how Kid Rock threw a tantrum at the Borat premiere, which ended their marriage. She’s also discussed her worst marriage, which wasn’t to Kid Rock. It’s been a lot, but that’s only the beginning.
For the moment, it’s worth noting that Ronan Farrow (for Interview magazine) asked Pamela to address a controversial 2017 statement that she made to Megyn Kelly, to whom she declared (of the Harvey Weinstein scandal), “It was common knowledge that certain producers or certain people in Hollywood are people to avoid, privately. You know what you’re getting into if you’re going into a hotel room alone.”
To Farrow, Anderson did not back down despite people not loving those remarks. She stood by her sentiment and declared, “I could even take it a step further.” And she did:
“My mother would tell me — and I think this is the kind of feminism I grew up with — it takes two to tango. Believe me, I’ve been in many situations where it’s like, ‘Come in here little girl, sit on the bed.’ But my mom would say, ‘If someone answers the door in a hotel robe and you’re going for an interview, don’t go in. But if you do go in, get the job.’”
She also realized, “That’s a horrible thing to say but that’s how I was. I skated on the edges of destruction, I just had this sense of value and self-worth. But I think a lot of people don’t have that or they weren’t taught that.” And Pam acknowledged (“Thank god”) that the #MeToo movement created progress “because things have changed and people are much more careful and respectful.”
On the “more careful”-these-days note, Pamela has also recently alleged that Tim Allen flashed his penis at her on the set of Home Improvement. That’s a “tool time” that wasn’t welcomed, and Allen has gone on record to express how “disappointed” he feels about the accusation.
Though The 1975 finished touring the US, Matty Healy is not done making headlines. After eating raw meat on stage and making out with fans, he is now complaining about Oasis being broken up. In a new interview, the singer went on a rant about the notorious bad relationship between the Gallagher brothers — and he’s got a serious message for them.
“What are Oasis doing?” he said. “Can you imagine being in potentially, right now, still the coolest band in the world and not doing it because you’re in a mard with your brother? I can deal with them dressing like they’re in their 20s and being in their 50s, but acting like they’re in their 20s — they need to grow up. They’re sat around in Little Venice and Little Highgate, crying because they’re in an argument with their brother. Grow up; headline Glastonbury.”
He continued, “There is not one person going to a High Flying Birds gig, or a Liam Gallagher gig, that wouldn’t rather be at an Oasis gig. Do me a favor: Get back together; stop messing around. That’s my public service announcement for today.”
Watch the full interview above. Hopefully this was the push that Oasis needed.
[WARNING: This post contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 2]
Bella Ramsey is 19 years old, but on The Last of Us, she plays 14-year-old Ellie. If the HBO series follows the video games, the age gap will be closed during season two, which is set five years after the events of season one. We won’t get into the specifics, but if you know, you know. The point is, The Last of Us isn’t going to pull a Bobby Draper and re-cast Ellie; in fact, Ramsey is already discussing her excitement for season two.
“I’m really excited to be honest for the Ellie / Dina story,” the Game of Thrones actress said on Happy Sad Confused. “I’ve watched a cut together, someone’s made a phenomenal — I don’t know how they do it — like an amazing edit of just like the gameplay, like Ellie and Dina’s love story. So I’m excited to play that out.”
Ramsey is also looking forward to “the complexity of her relationship with Joel and how that gets decidedly more complex… And the violence that ensues is thrilling in a way, to get to maybe explore that in a really safe environment. It will be cool. But I am nervous about it, too.” She then discusses the thing she’s most nervous about, but that’s too big of a spoiler for even a post that begins with a spoiler warning.
But you’re welcome to find out for yourself in the video above.
In her 2020 memoir, Open Book, Jessica Simpson discussed her “emotional affair” with Jackass star Johnny Knoxville when they were both married to other people and her on again-off again relationship with John Mayer, who she claimed would “[photograph] me constantly, to the point that I worried he was keeping souvenirs before dumping me again.” One anecdote that it didn’t make it into the book was the time an “A-list childhood crush” invited the singer and actress on a romantic getaway, which Simpson detailed in the new Amazon Original Story, “Movie Star: They Always Say They’re Single.”
Simpson met the Movie Star, who she grew up thinking was “hot,” at the 2001 MTV Movie Awards. They saw each other again at Spots Club/LA, where he asked her to hang out again, and she requested for him to be in her music video. They exchanged phone numbers, but “I didn’t call the Movie Star,” she wrote. “He sent word to me through my security guard that he was going to be too busy filming some blockbuster to do my music video. I got engaged to Nick [Lachey] the following February and married that October. Then we got ridiculously famous because of a reality show. I don’t regret any of it, especially the marriage. But, as you probably know, we got divorced.”
Years later, Simpson and the Movie Star reconnected (and kissed for the first time) on the night he had to “appear at an award show”… with his girlfriend. “I saw a photo of Movie Star on a red carpet with her,” she wrote. “I was never ever in a million years going to be the other woman.” He claimed the relationship was “completely over,” and that they were only appearing in public together because otherwise “it’s a story we have to deal with,” he said. They began to see each other more often. Movie Star’s “spiritual advisor” told him that “having sex brings you closer to God,” but Simpson wasn’t ready.
The duo ended up enjoying a whirlwind romance and would go to events together, with Jessica even visiting the man on one of his movie sets. However, she started to feel uncomfortable with the relationship. She says: “Yes, there was something sexy and enticing about all this, but there was also something demeaning about it. I felt like a call girl.” Jessica adds that she felt as though he was trying to “hide” her from his partner, and she admits that her behavior is not something that she was “proud of.”
If you put together all the clues, as Pajiba did, there’s a top suspect for who Movie Star is. Let’s just say that Simpson’s fling with him was more pain than gain.
Last night (February 2) was the Recording Academy Honors Presented by the Black Music Collective at Hollywood Palladium, where Wayne and Missy Elliott were given the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award. As The Hollywood Reporter notes, Drake honored Wayne with a video message, which he started, “Good evening, Grammys. Well, I haven’t gotten to say that since 2016.”
He continued, “Lil Wayne… I love you so much. I know I probably get annoying with saying how much you mean to me and my family, but I think I speak on behalf of everybody when I say that our careers, our cadences, our melodies, maybe our face tats or our outfits or our decisions in general would not have been the same without your natural gift to just be yourself.”
Wayne gave a touching speech of his own, saying in part, “I want you all to know that I don’t get honored. Where I’m from, New Orleans, you’re not supposed to do this. I walked into my mama’s room when I was 14. She asked me for a kid because my dad was killed. And her son had just blown up and went on his first tour. When I came home she said, ‘Son, I can’t live in this house by myself. We’re going to have to figure something out.’ “I’d like to thank Antonia Johnson [his first child’s mother] for reasoning with me and my mom, and my life. I’d like to thank every single one of my kids and every single one of their mothers.”
Deion Sanders also honored Wayne with a video message and 2 Chainz, Swizz Beatz, and Tyga closed the show by performing some Wayne songs.
It’s a new month, meaning it’s time to call out some new whiskey to chase down. February is on the quieter side of the whiskey release schedule but it’s not silent by any means. There are great — some would say amazing — whiskeys dropping right now. Including Uproxx’s first-ever barrel pick, in partnership with Nashville Barrel Company.
To that end, I’m calling out 15 great whiskeys you should chase down this month. For this list, I pulled in bottles of whiskey from all over the world that were released very recently (one of these was bottled a week ago) with some dropping for the public in the next week or two. It’s all fresh stuff that feels very 2023.
I’m not ranking these — they’re all quality pours and worth your time and effort to hunt down. Also, there are some insane bottles on this list, and ranking them against more mainstream stuff just seems foolish. Of course, a $7,000 bottle of whiskey is going to rank higher than a $69 one. So let’s skip that and just enjoy a list of really good whiskey to drink this February.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This release is Uproxx’s inaugural barrel pick release. The barrel was chosen by me (Uproxx’s head drinks writer & whiskey editor) at the tail end of 2022 on a visit to Nashville Barrel Company. The whiskey in the bottle is a 6-year-and-two-month-old bourbon from MGP of Indiana. The high rye mash bourbon (75/21/4 corn/rye/malted barley) aged for five years in Indiana before moving to Nashville for an additional 14 months of resting. The bourbon went in the bottle at cask strength straight from the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with toffee, mild leather, orchard barks, blood orange, soft sweet grains, cinnamon sticks, cherry tobacco, plum, and a whisper of old pine accented by a touch of thyme.
Palate: The taste meanders through salted caramel, dates, cinnamon bark, cardamon pods, clove buds, and soft vanilla cake before leaning slowly into a spiced warmth.
Finish: The end arrives with sweet and chewy pipe tobacco, orange bitters, rock candy, and very light yet creamy cacao lushness next to hazelnut Manner Neapolitan Wafers and dry oak.
Bottom Line:
I’m biased, but this is a pretty damn fine pour of whiskey. The heat from the higher ABVs never overwhelms the subtle palate while the deep bourbon notes create a killer balance. Trust me, you’ll dig it!
Pōkeno New Zealand Single Malt Whisky Single Cask Double Bourbon Cask
The New Zealand malt is made with local barley. That hot juice is then aged in first-fill bourbon barrels for just under 3 years before it’s re-barreled in fresh first-fill bourbon barrels for an additional six months of mellowing. One barrel was then bottled completely as-is for this special U.S.-only release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Old vanilla pods and dark cacao nibs mingle with honeysuckle, nasturtium, and old sweet oak staves with a hint of nutmeg, espresso, and creamed salted caramel filling out the deep nose.
Palate: That honeysuckle and dark cacao drive the malty palate toward a rich sense of malted cookies dipped in toffee candy and rolled in spice barks and dried red berries with a whisper of coconut tobacco lurking in the far background.
Finish: The finish leans into the spice barks and old sweet oak staves with a fluttering of coastal rocky brininess that somehow just works with the sweet and spicy malts, providing a lovely balance on the finish.
Bottom Line:
This was the biggest surprise for me in January. This U.S.-only release is a stellar introduction to Maori single malt whisky and a damn fine pour of whisky overall.
The Left Cross Puncher’s Chance Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Jamaican Dark Rum Casks Aged 14 Years
This sourced bourbon from Bruce Buffer (of UFC fame) is an old whiskey. The bourbon in the bottle is a 14-year-old whiskey made with 84% corn, 8% rye, and 8% malted barley. After around 14 years, that whiskey is re-filled into freshly dumped Jamaican rum casks that held rum for 12 years. Those barrels are then batched after two to six months of additional maturation before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has a classic sense of old oak, dark vanilla, black cherry, and woody spices with a hint of spearmint-spiked molasses.
Palate: The palate has a mild hogo funk with bananas foster cut with brandy, old raisin boxes, winter spices, and a soft vanilla cake frosted with rum-raisin and dark cacao.
Finish: Soft brown sugar gives way to a warming mulled wine vibe with plenty of anise, clove, and cinnamon next to plummy rum sweetness and Cherry Coke spiced tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is funky and fresh. It tastes pretty great when poured neat but really opens up with a rock or some water. In the same vein, it makes a good cocktail base for a funky Manhattan too.
Stranahan’s Diamond Peak Colorado Single Malt Whiskey Bushmills Single Malt Cask Batch No. 00004
This American single malt is made up in Denver, Colorado. The twice-distilled malted juice is aged for four years in new white American oak before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Turkish Delights mingle with a fresh sense of ground espresso beans, toffee candies, and ancho chilis with a light sense of dark chocolate powder and dried apricot.
Palate: The mouthfeel is lush with a sense of marmalade and kiwi before mild fresh chili pepper spiciness leads to a sense of ginger and maybe some star fruit.
Finish: The end has a honeyed malt vibe with a touch of dried pear and sweet caramel malt cookies before slowly fading toward spicy hot chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is a really solid whiskey that hints at very clear Irish whiskey accents (orchard fruits, honey, maltiness) with a sharp and spicy American whiskey aura. It’s a nice balance. Overall, I’d use this for a very interesting old fashioned or over some rocks with just a dash of bitters.
This is a five-year-old 95/5 (rye/malted barley) rye whiskey. The nuance there is in the finish. That 95/5 rye is re-barreled in 14-year-old Barbados rum barrels for a final two to five-month-long finishing touch. Those barrels are then touched with water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of grilled pineapple and clove on the nose that leads to woody tropical spices and an overall feel of rummy tropical cocktails with plenty of spicy booze in them.
Palate: The palate leans into the woody spice barks with bitter orange, bright lemon, and a hint of lime leaves before delving into vanilla pods and a touch of warm tobacco.
Finish: The tobacco drives the finish toward a whisper of mango and pineapple with a dried and almost salted vibe before ending up in a nice and rummy spiced note.
Bottom Line:
This is a great candidate for mixing up a cocktail with plenty of citrus and fruit.
Backbone Big Bash American Whiskey Blend of Straight Whiskeys Batch No. 1
This Indiana whiskey is a blend of straight rye and straight bourbon whiskeys. About 90% of that blend is from an array of finishing barrels that added anywhere from six months to two years of maturation to the original whiskeys.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of dark berries, black cherry, and blood orange against soft vanilla, lightly toasted oak, and a sense of plum pudding cut with brandy butter.
Palate: The taste leans into the dark fruits with a dark chocolate orange feel next to woody winter spices, soft leather tobacco pouches, and a hint of marmalade.
Finish: The end lingers on the cinnamon bark and clove berries as a nice sense of roasted peach and stewed plums drive a soft sweetness toward rich spicy tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is just nice. It’s a well-rounded and balanced bourbon-forward American whiskey. It’s nice neat, on the rocks, or in a simple whiskey cocktail.
This is classic Irish single malt that’s triple distilled before a long aging process. The hot juice rests in Spanish Oloroso sherry butts until it’s just right. Those barrels are batched and proofed before bottling otherwise as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Burnt orange and peach skins mingle with a hint of salted dried mango next to red berry tea leaves, plum jam cut with clove, and a mild sense of brandy butter and scones.
Palate: Nutella comes through on the palate with a sense of rum-raisin, old sherry-soaked oak staves, and creamy vanilla cake.
Finish: The end leans into the brandy butter and scones with a sense of sharp orange marmalade and fresh breakfast tea cut with cream and honey.
Bottom Line:
This is a subtle yet distinct whiskey. It’s fruity and creamy with a light body and easy finish. I tend to lean toward simple cocktails with this, but it works on the rocks too.
This year’s first Larceny Barrel Proof is made with Heaven Hill’s standard wheated bourbon mash bill of 68% corn, 20% wheat, and 12% malted barley. The batch is made from a combination of six to eight-year-old barrels from Heaven Hill’s rickhouses. The final blend is bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Chili pepper spice and almost damp masa come through on the nose with a hint of mustiness next to nut loaf cut with a twinge of apple cider juice and some orchard tree branches with a hint of apple caramel candy lurking underneath.
Palate: Sweet vanilla cake leads to a hint of cinnamon bark and creamy eggnog with plenty of nutmeg before a light ABV heat rises and leads to apple cores and soft leather.
Finish: A sharp winter spice dominates the end with a sense of old apple bushels, broken-down used bourbon barrels, and a hint of caramel vanilla creaminess.
Bottom Line:
This is great over a single, big rock. It’s a nice slow sipper for a lazy winter afternoon.
This year’s first Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is hewn from Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash bill of 78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye. That hot juice is loaded into charred American oak barrels and left to rest for 12 long years before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a classic nose that leans towards toasted chocolate beans, dried chili pepper flakes (and maybe even some fresh green chili), burnt vanilla pods, singed cherry bark, and old leather dipped in caramel.
Palate: Bold! The palate opens with a sense of sweet stick toffee pudding (dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, salted caramel sauce) before hitting a high note on the ABVs with a spicy heat that’s immediately countered by a rich cherry syrup and caramel sauce.
Finish: Another wave of heat arrives late and ushers in a light sense of old oak staves and cinnamon bark with a mild sense of apple tobacco and maybe some cedar kindling with a fleeting sense of leather and cherry stems.
Bottom Line:
This too is great over a single big rock. It also makes one hell of a Manhattan.
Nelson Bros. Whiskey Black Brier A Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys Finished in Imperial Stout Casks
This whiskey takes Nelson Brother’s bourbon and re-loads it into beer casks for a special finish. The bourbon is re-filled into freshly emptied imperial stout casks from Blackstone Brewing Company for a final maturation before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a fascinating balance of mocha lattes made with cream counterpointed by orange creamsicles on the nose with a deep and most vanilla white cake frosted with a whisper of Almond Joy icing.
Palate: Almost waxy cacao comes through on the palate before the almond and toasted coconut drive the taste toward Nutella-smeared croissants and a flutter of cinnamon-heavy mulled wine with a nice sweetness to it a whisper of dried red berries.
Finish: Cinnamon bark and dark chocolate-covered espresso beans come through late with a creamy sense of that Nutella and mocha latte layering into a faint burnt orange tobacco vibe.
Bottom Line:
This is tasty f*cking bourbon. You don’t really need to do anything besides pour it into a nice glass and enjoy it.
This very limited Wodford release only comes in half-bottles. The whiskey is made from the standard and stellar Woodford Double Oaked that’s then transferred to a finishing barrel for another whole year. The finish barrels are outdoor toasted for ages before being lightly charred. Finally, those barrels are batched to create this beloved Woodford release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re transported to a backyard campfire with roasted marshmallows, caramel dipping sauce at the ready, and plenty of maple syrup wafting through next to a light sense of dried cherry and vanilla pods.
Palate: The sip leans into rich and woody winter spices as a dark fruity mid-palate brings tart and dry cherries, cranberries, and some huckleberries all cut with vanilla softness and buttery salted toffee.
Finish: The end leans into the toasted marshmallow, salted candy, and winter spices with a woody edge that’s part cedar kindling and part fresh orchard bark.
Bottom Line:
This is another one where all I can say is that it’s just really freaking good bourbon. Go get some.
Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Organic Gaia 2.1
This new release from The Arcadian Series is comprised of alt-barley (old-school barley strains) that were harvested back in 2016. The barley was grown by organic farmers specifically for this mash bill. The whiskey was then triple distilled and aged by Waterford to highlight the malted barley in the recipe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of sharp orange marmalade on freshly baked Southern buttermilk biscuits with a sense of mocha lattes, wet brown sugar, red grapes, figs, and marshmallows fresh from the bag.
Palate: The taste is less fruity but does lean into lemon zest and white pepper before drying out toward grapefruit pith, dark cacao powder, salted black licorice, and a hint of dry white toast.
Finish: There’s a sense of cinnamon bark and clove berries with that black licorice on the finish that leads back to the dark orange and a sweet sense of stewed peaches.
Bottom Line:
This is a bold and complex whiskey. It’s the type of whiskey you take some time with as a slow sipper so that you can plumb the deep depths of the profile.
This Texas whiskey is hewn from 90 30-gallon barrels of four-year-old bourbon that were transferred into 26 59-gallon Tawny Port casks for a final maturation of over one year. That juice was then bottled as-is after a touch of water was added.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this bursts with raspberry, blackberry, redcurrant, and blueberry all stewed with plenty of holiday spices and folded into a cobbler topped with dense buttery buttermilk biscuits.
Palate: The palate leans into the spice with a focus on clove, nutmeg, and a very small whisper of anise as the berry turns more towards a fresh strawberry with dark chocolate-covered espresso beans chiming in on the mid-palate.
Finish: That chocolate-bitter vibe drives towards a finish full of cinnamon-spiked dark chocolate tobacco leaves, stewed plums, and a dollop of floral honey.
Bottom Line:
This is really tasty and a wonderful entry from Texas.
The GlenDronach Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Cask Strength Batch 11
Brown-Forman
ABV: 59.8%
Average Price: $100
The Whiskey:
The GlenDronach Cask Strength is a fantastic special release year after year. Batch 11 is another winner. The Highland whisky is matured over the years in both Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks. When those barrels hit just the right marks, they’re batched and the whisky is bottled completely as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with mulled red wine cut with tart and spicy cranberry compote, burnt orange, salted black licorice, malted honey cakes, and soft marzipan that’s all accented by a soft waft of clove tobacco.
Palate: The palate leans into the berry-fueled mulled wine as dark chocolate-covered espresso beans mingle with brandy-soaked raisins, salted toffee candies, and pancakes cut with cinnamon apple butter and plenty of maple syrup.
Finish: The end jukes with a brash bitter orange peel that leads to plum jamminess, creamy vanilla sauce, and a hint of cinnamon bark dipped in apple cider with honey cake on the side.
Bottom Line:
This is mouthwateringly good whisky. It also has a very rich bourbon vibe that helps this transcend genre definitions a little bit. I love it neat, but you might want to add a rock to help is get really creamy and bourbon-y.
The fourth ever Michter’s Celebration release — and the first one since 2019 — is finally here. The bottle was slightly delayed, making it a February 2023 release this time around. This American whiskey is a collaboration between Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson. The duo chose seven whiskeys for this special blend that ranged from twelve to thirty-plus years old. Those barrels were batched and bottled without any cutting with water, creating only 328 bottles for the whole world.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose subtly opens with a sense of dark chocolate cut with brown butter, Saigon cinnamon bark, and a light note of crème brûlée made with just a drop of cognac.
Palate: That boozy vanilla opens the luxurious palate toward a dusting of winter spices — clove, anise, nutmeg — next to stewed peached and burnt orange over singed marshmallows, old smoldering hickory, and orchards full of falling leaves next to whisper of creamy black cherry and candied pecans.
Finish: Those pecans meld with woody maple syrup, more cinnamon bark, orange-studded cloves, and a sense of bushels of orchard fruits mixed with nuts and dried fruits in an old wooden basket and wrapped with thick old twine and leather next to a spiced chocolate-cherry tobacco leaf dropped in the middle of it all.
Bottom Line:
No notes. It’s a perfect whiskey from some true masters. Deep. Complex. Enticing. This will win awards and be on year-end lists.
Some things just go hand in hand, and in the realm of alcoholic beverages, one can’t think of France without immediately thinking “wine.” Synonymous with wines all over the flavor profile and budget spectrum—from ice cold rosé to cellar-worthy wines that go for six figures—France’s rich viticultural (aka “wine stuff”) history dates back centuries, and today, still remains one of the most relevant in the world.
However, not all that is French need be expensive. When seeking out budget-friendly bottles from the country (or really anywhere), we recommend looking for responsibly-farmed wines (think organic, biodynamic, or sustainable) that were made with close attention to detail. The best way to know? Simply do a quick Google search on a producer’s farming and winemaking methods, or follow a small list of importers whose philosophies line up with your own
Want an even easier way? Follow our curated UPROXX wine lists, like this one you’re reading right now. After tasting a plethora of wines, we finally landed on the 10 best French reds under $20. Note: The majority of the wines are available on a nationwide basis, or at minimum, via retailers who can ship to most states. Select a few, or better yet, try them all, and be sure to let us know which ones land at the top of your personal list!
Located in a 13th-century castle—yes, a literal castle—in the heart of the Minervois appellation, Château d’Oupia has been sustainably farming wines for almost two decades. This 80/20 blend of Carignan and Grenache is vinified in concrete, so as to maintain fruit forwardness and freshness, and only a dash of sulfur is used. Fun fact: Wine importer Joe Dressner helped design this label.
Tasting Notes:
Château d’Oupia carbonically macerates the Carignan used in this blend, which is the same process used in many of the wines of Beaujolais. In short, fermentation starts in the berry, rather than the juice, which creates fresh, fruit-forward wines high in acidity and low in tannins. This medium-bodied wine shows flavors of dark berries, plums, and hints of sweet spice. Serve with a chill with your favorite charcuterie and thank us later.
The Bottom Line:
France’s Languedoc was long synonymous with mass-produced wines, though quality-focused producers—like Château d’Oupia—are completely flipping this notion on its head. At just $12.99 a pop, it’s hard to find a budget-friendly French wine better than this one.
ABV: 13.5% Region: Languedoc, France Price: $12.99
The Wine:
Mas de Daumas Gassac is not only a pioneering producer of the Languedoc region, they’ve also been longtime rebels. The winery continues to bottle their wines under the “lesser” regional appellation (as opposed to the prestigious AOC), as they continue to march to the beat of their own drum and use whichever grape varieties they see fit, not what the appellation dictates.
Badasses? For sure, as they were doing this long before declassifying wines was as “fashionable” as it is today.
Tasting Notes:
Gassac’s Guilhem Rouge is the Goldilocks of reds—it’s not too light and it’s not too full-bodied, it’s simply juuuust right. Expect a medium-bodied wine laden with flavors of red berries, black currants, tobacco, thyme, and that signature garrigue spice that distinctly speaks to the sunny south of France.
The Bottom Line:
Mas de Daumas Gassac is one of the OG pioneers of quality-focused wines from the Languedoc. The estate just celebrated their 40th year of production, and today, the wines are just as important as ever. This bottle is probably the easiest to find on our list, so be sure to grab it if you see it.
ABV: 13.5% Region: South West, France Price: $15.99
The Wine:
Plaisance Penavayre’s roots date back to 1985, though most impressively, they’ve been farming all organically since 2006. Today, third-generation Thibaut farms 30 hectares of vines across the steepest terraces of the Fronton appellation.
Tasting Notes:
Based on the Négrette grape, which is known for its dark hue and high-toned aromatics, this signature regional blend is rounded out with Syrah, Gamay, and Cabernet Franc. It’s fruity and supple, yet still boasts a signature rustic spice synonymous with the region. Notes of crushed raspberries, hints of cassis, and a touch of anise are balanced by bright acidity, which lead to a long-lasting, savory finish.
The Bottom Line:
France’s South West area is frequently overshadowed by its more popular neighbor, Bordeaux, though when it comes to budget-friendly (AKA, sub-$20 bottles), your money will go much farther in this lesser-known area.
Papillon is Roc des Ange’s entry-level line of wines, though make no mistake, these bottles are made with just as much TLC as their more expensive counterparts. The Rouge is crafted from a blend of two of the Languedoc’s most widely planted grapes, Syrah and Grenache, which are also the backbone to most Côtes du Rhône reds, too.
Tasting Notes:
This Grenache / Syrah blend pours a stunning ruby hue in the glass, which bursts with bright aromas of jammy black fruits and hints of pepper. The palate is equally lively, marked by flavors of juicy blackberries, plums, and hints of cracked pepper. Think of it like your go-to Côtes du Rhône blend, but likely a little more refined and velvety on the palate.
The Bottom Line:
Roc des Anges produces wines across a variety of price points, though Effet Papillon is their entry-level line. The estate has been farming organically since 2008 and biodynamically since 2011, rendering them a pioneer of responsible viticulture in the Languedoc area.
Of all of Château Peybonhomme-Les-Tours’ reds, Les Cousines is by far their most easy drinking. The Merlot from this wine comes from 40-year-old vines and is vinified without any added sulfur. Expect a juicy, extremely approachable expression of the grape that is accessible both in taste and price point.
Tasting Notes:
Merlot is the name of the game here, and this well-made expression from Peybonhomme is seriously delicious. Expect all of the smooth and supple flavors synonymous with the grape—blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry, marked by hints of herbaceousness that lead to a bone-dry finish.
The wine’s taut acidity and hints of black pepper render it a no-brainer with a variety of roasted meats and veggies, though we’ll let you choose the specifics here.
The Bottom Line:
Although finding budget-friendly Bordeaux is pretty easy, finding quality-forward, sub-$20 Bordeaux that tastes good is pretty difficult. Thankfully, Peybonhomme-les-Tours knows what they’re doing. We tend to stick to Merlot-dominant reds at this price point, as the grape tends to be softer than Cabernet Sauvignon, rendering these blends easier to drink in their youth.
ABV: 12.5% Region: Loire Valley, France Price: $14.97
The Wine:
Cabernet Franc may be the Loire Valley’s most popular red wine grape, but Pinot Noir is by far its most easily recognized. Contrary to the earthy, long-lived expressions from Burgundy, these more northerly expressions tend to be brighter, more light on their feet, and better for drinking in their youth.
Tasting Notes:
Although Pinot Noirs from the Loire can often lack depth, this medium-bodied stunner from Bretaudeau is a pleasant exception. Expect flavors of black cherry, strawberry, and crushed stones lead to an earthy, well-balanced finish.
The Bottom Line:
Although Burgundy is France’s Pinot Noir mecca, we recommend steering clear of most sub-$20 from the region, as they tend to come from mass-produced facilities. Instead, look to responsibly-farmed expressions from the more northerly Loire Valley, where plenty of sub-$20 exist at a good price.
ABV: 13.5% Region: South West, France Price: $18.99
The Wine:
If you love rustic reds, this classic French Malbec is for you. Think of your best Parisian bistro memories and the carafe of semi-chilled red that was served with your meal. That’s exactly what Clos la Coutale embodies.
Tasting Notes:
This savory bottle of red is all things dark, tangy, and rustic. Notes of black currants, blackberry, potting soil, and used leather create a big-boned, flavor-packed palate marked by bracing acidity and grippy, prominent tannins. This is a pretty big bottle, so make sure something equally hearty is on your plate.
The Bottom Line:
Malbec is frequently associated with Argentina, but its roots are actually found in France’s South West area. Give this benchmark expression from Clos la Coutale a go for a rustic, full-bodied expression of the grape in its OG form.
Crafted from a blend of Syrah, Grenache, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Carignan, this mixed bag of red varieties works together in the best possible way. More recent vintages have actually used less Cabernet Sauvignon, which renders the wine softer, smoother, and more easy to drink young—AKA, like right now.
Tasting Notes:
Gourgonnier’s Rouge may just be the biggest crowd-pleaser on the list, in that it’s juicy and fruit-forward enough to please Cru Beaujolais fans, yet maintains the depth and concentration that Cabernet lovers consistently seek out. Flavors of crushed raspberries, red cherries, dried herbs, and sandalwood beautifully collide on the wine’s well-balanced, seamlessly integrated palate.
The Bottom Line:
Most of Provence’s street cred comes from regional rosé, though well-crafted red blends equally merit attention. This accessible pick from Mas de Gourgonnier checks all of our boxes: it’s budget-friendly, it’s easy to find, and it’s extremely tasty to drink. Win-win.
ABV: 13.5% Region: Loire Valley, France Price: $16.99
The Wine:
We said it before and we’ll say it again—when it comes to quality-to-price ratio bottles, France’s Loire Valley may just be the best region in the country—if not the entire world—for finding delicious, easy-drinking bottles at accessible price points. Who’s Mary Taylor, you may ask? More on her below.
Tasting Notes:
This unique blend of Gamay, Pinot Noir, and Cot (that’s the local term for Malbec) adds a variety of flavors and weights to this pleasantly balanced bottle. The wine’s earthy red fruit flavors and ample amounts of tangy acidity are attributed to its higher percentage of Pinot Noir, which is beautifully balanced by the wild berry, black currant, and violet notes brought by the Cot (pronounced koh). The wine ages for 18 months in a neutral barrel prior to release.
The Bottom Line:
If you think you recognize the Mary Taylor name from a different region, worry not, you’re not going crazy. After working in the wine industry for a number of years—and noticing a big gap in the quality-focused, budget-friendly wine sector—Mary Taylor founded her eponymous company to highlight family producers and delicious wines for a number of reasons, most importantly, at an accessible price point. This particular bottle hails from the 28-hectare Jourdain estate, which has been run by Sophie Siadou and her partner Francis Jourdain since 1990.
ABV: 12.5% Region: Beaujolais, France Price: $16.99
The Wine:
Forget the subpar Beaujolais Nouveau bottles of yesteryear. Today, cru-designated (and village-level bottles, like this one) are where it’s at. Most wines, including this one, are vinified using a technique called carbonic maceration, which allows fermentation to start within non-crushed berries as opposed to juice.
The result? Fresh, fruit-forward wines that come to life when served with a chill.
Tasting Notes:
Dupeuble’s village-level Beaujolais is a quintessential expression of what the region is all about. It’s all things juicy red fruit, sweet spice, and hints of refreshing citrus rind. Tons of tangy acidity keeps this wine light on its feet and also render it best enjoyed with a slight chill.
Fair warning, this may be your new favorite bottle of red.
The Bottom Line:
Responsibly farmed, vinified with a low intervention mentality, and above all, delicious (AND for less than $20 a pop?) It’s no surprise that Domaine Dupeuble’s Beaujolais finds itself at the top of our list. This OG industry favorite can seriously hold its own against a ton of wines that go for twice its price—fair warning, this may just be your next go-to house red.
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.
| @Latto preforms “Big Energy (Remix)” at Spotify’s Best New Artist Party in Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/iuvZood6uY
pic.twitter.com/8ZTVLbKbB7
(@LattosDestiny) February 3, 2023
