House of the Dragon dubious patriarch Paddy Considine somehow didn’t receive a Golden Globe nomination earlier this year for his grueling work on the series. As King Viserys I, he literally disintegrated before our eyes, and Paddy has been frank about how the final few episodes also took a toll on his own health. Luckily, this was only a temporary effect, but his blood oxygen levels dropped and he threw his knee out. Meanwhile, viewers were shocked at his transformation as the king who had the least fun of all kings.
Entertainment Weekly recognizes the fine work done by Considine, so they interviewed him as part of their The Awards series, and the subject came up of him never being able to ride a dragon. And yes, Paddy admitted some envy, at first. He then revealed why he changed his mind:
“I was jealous early on. I’ve got a little nephew and he loves dragons. This was his thing. And when [news] it broke, ‘Your uncle Paddy’s gonna be the king of the dragons,’ his face was like, ‘Oh, great!’ And he starts asking questions: ‘Do you have a sword? Do you fight?’ ‘No. No, I don’t fight.’ ‘Do you fly dragons?’ ‘No.’ And you see his face like going, ‘What do you do?’ I’m like, ‘Well, I just sit on my ass all day on a spiky chair.’ [Laughs] But I was envious until I heard what an absolute drag is sitting up on that thing for 12 hours a day.”
Well, at least it looked like a little bit of fun when Emilia Clarke rode a fake dragon against a green screen. Maybe not, though!
Hopefully, Paddy will be recognized by the Emmys when nominations surface, but that won’t happen until July 12. In the meantime, House of the Dragon has begun shooting its second season without Viserys in tow. RIP to the Targaryen king who made so many bad calls but will remain beloved, even though he was a living corpse for over a decade.
District Made/New York Distilling/Neversink/Bluecoat/istock/Uproxx
If you only imbibe big-name gins and you take a moment to think of the country where most of your favorite gin is produced, the answer might be England or even Scotland. It’s probably not the U.S., and that’s a shame. With the rise of craft distilling in recent years, there are countless lesser-known, high-quality gins being produced all over the country from Spokane to St. Petersburg, FLA.
Today, take a step or two back from your usual mass-produced, popular gins and try one of these lesser-known American brands. These juniper and botanical bombs might not have the name recognition of the huge brands (although you’ve surely heard of some of these), but you’ll be very happy to add any of these gems to your liquor cabinet or bar cart.
To find them, we turned to the professionals who spend their days mixing drinks behind a bar. We asked a few well-known bartenders to tell us the American-made gins that deserve more attention. Keep scrolling to see them all.
Bluecoat Barrel-Finished
Bluecoat
Joshua Scheid, beverage manager at Rex at the Royal in Philadelphia
Even before moving to Philadelphia, Bluecoat American Dry Gin has been one of my favorite cocktail spirits. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with their Barrel-Finished expression, which takes their gin and aged it in new American oak for around eight months. With Bluecoat’s signature blend of American citrus peels, the aging highlights the delicate side of the botanicals, making a barrel-aged gin that is in turn rich and ethereal. It’s perfect for spring and summer cocktails, or sipping neat on my fire escape waiting for rain.
Tasting Notes:
Bluecoat’s uniquely cheerful botanical profile continues to shine, tempered now with a knowing depth of gently caramelized grapefruit peel and fragrant wood. It’s fantastic in a Negroni (especially with earthier vermouth), and it really shines in a Martinez.
St. George Terroir Gin
St. George
Brandon Ristaino, co-founder and beverage director at Good Lion Hospitality in Santa Barbara, California
We are big fans of distiller Lance Winters at St. George Spirits in Alameda, California. His gin portfolio is incredible, and a true expression of Northern California terroir is expressed in their St. George Terroir Gin.
Tasting Notes:
The gin tastes like a No Cal coastal forest, and that’s a good thing. Notes of Douglas fir, toasted coriander, coastal sage, and light citrus make for a gin that is equally at home in a Spanish-style gin and tonic (throw in some rosemary) or enjoyed on the rocks.
Neversink Gin
Neversink
Keith Meicher, beverage director at Sepia in Chicago
One American-made gin that deserves much more attention is Neversink out of New York. It’s an apple-based gin, which in itself is compelling, and the botanicals used in the distillate are chosen by how well they complement that apple base.
Tasting Notes:
On the palate, I get a lot of cinnamon, cardamom, and elderflower. It’s a delicious gin that’s great neat or mixed into your favorite cocktail.
Barr Hill Gin
Barr Hill
Danmy Nguyen, bartender at The Ballantyne in Charlotte, North Carolina
Barr Hill Gin from Vermont is a unique product that is made in small batches. Raw honey is added after distillation giving the spirit a unique blossom note. Use this gin for the best bee knees you’ll ever have.
Tasting Notes:
Juniper, pine, wildflowers, and spices are tempered by the addition of honey sweetness. It’s a truly unique gin that deserves your attention.
Perry’s Tot Navy Strength Gin
New York Distilling
Thomas Muscolino, director of beverage innovation at Landmark Hospitality in Plainfield, New Jersey
Perry’s Tot Navy Strength Gin from the New York Distilling Company is my pick. This gin was developed in collaboration with Simon Ford. At 57% ABV, it shines beautifully in cocktails like a Negroni or last word.
Tasting Notes:
Juniper forward with a touch of sweetness from the wildflower honey from upstate New York, it finishes with some notes of citrus and cinnamon.
While there are a lot of great American-made gins, District Made Ivy City Gin is a fantastic expression worthy of consideration. Full-bodied and 80 proof, Ivy City Gin holds its own in the world of cocktails adding nuanced spice-forward layering in a Southside or by adding depth to the raspberry-laced floradora. Make sure to sample their Barrel Rested Ivy City Gin which spends six months in new American oak and ex-bourbon barrels highlighting the spiced botanicals and makes a killer Negroni.
Tasting Notes:
With the juniper characteristics slightly subdued in relation to the classic London dry style, the rye-forward mash bill is almost creamy and complements the spice-forward botanicals including grains of paradise, allspice, and spice bush. The aromatics are wonderful with underlying green notes and a lovely hint of bright citrus and lemon verbena.
Letherbee Gin Autumnal Release
Letherbee Gin
Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago
Letherbee makes wonderful gins. They release limited edition gins using different techniques for a unique twist on their original formula. Their 2021 Autumnal release has bergamot and cacao nib that makes for an amazing negroni and their 2023 edition is rested in two different French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes:
This gives it big round toasted notes that work quite well with almond and bright flavors. Try it in a Saturn cocktail with passion fruit, orgeat, falernum, and fresh lemon juice.
Wolf Point Florence Field Gin
Wolf Point
Mario Flores, beverage director at Maple & Ash in Chicago
Florence Field is definitely a gin that deserves more hype. It’s made by Wolf Point Distilling right here in Illinois and they do a great job highlighting key Chicago historical moments in their labels.
Tasting Notes:
The gin itself is very elegant and has nice floral flavors. It’s filled with fruit and citrus flavors as well as light spices.
Koval Dry Gin is a great American-made gin. It comes from a solid Chicago distillery with great ethics and even better gin. This award-winning gin is juniper-forward and extremely floral in aroma and flavor.
Tasting Notes:
On the nose, you’ll find aromas of pine, juniper, and wildflowers. The palate continues this with notes of coriander, juniper, and rose water.
Fords Gin
Fords
Rob Noyola, bar manager at Oy Bar in Studio City, California
Fords Gin is well-known but still deserves more acclaim. To me, the martini is such a personal drink whether served up with a twist, dry, wet, 50/50, or skating on ice. I make it a point to find out how my guest likes this iconic cocktail. The dirty martini is something that I’ve come to appreciate as my desire for savory cocktails has increased.
Tasting Notes:
When deciding how to make a dirty gin martini, my workhorse gin is always Ford’s Gin for its subtle warmth, body, and versatility in cocktails. It has a great balance of herbs, botanicals, and juniper.
Actor Jeremy Renner has undoubtedly received a ton of warm wishes and thoughtful gestures following his snow plow accident on New Year’s Day. But one special message from Paul Rudd is its own special kind of wholesome.
While appearing as a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to promote his new Disney+ series “Rennervations,” the “Hawkeye’ actor revealed that his fellow Avenger sent a gag video in the form of a very awkward fake Cameo video.
“Anybody know Cameo, where you can pay money and they get some movie star to say, ‘Hey, happy birthday?'” Renner asked the audience.
Well, Rudd apparently decided to troll Renner during his recovery, Cameo-style. Because that’s what friends are for, right?
In the clip, which is complete with a little Cameo logo on the screen, Rudd quips, “Hi Jerry, I hear you’re a little banged up. Got in a fight with a snowblower, apparently?” Not even getting Renner’s first name right. LOL-worthy, I tell you.
He continues, “Anyway, I just wanted to send this video. It’s really from the heart. I hope you’re feeling better. Sounds like you are. Apparently, you’re a pretty tough guy. Maybe I’ll get to meet you one day. Wouldn’t that be something?”
He then concludes with a giggle, “In the meantime, take care, and take it easy for a while. And next time, maybe just let the snow melt.”
Perhaps the funniest bit of all is how desperately Rudd needs to wipe his camera lens.
Watch below:
Often when we are going through a tough time, it’s our goofball friends who seem to help lift our spirits the most. Here’s to all the clowns who know that laughter really is the best medicine.
In a film packed with Easter eggs and nods to the beloved game franchise, the ultimate fan favorite moment of “The Super Mario Bros Movie” has undoubtedly been when Bowser (voiced by the one, the only Jack Black) tinks the keys of a piano Elton John-style and belts out his burning, unbridled feelings for Princess Peach.
If you haven’t heard it yet, you’re in for a treat. The song is both co-written and sung by Black, and the way he makes an earworm out of a chorus using one word, “Peaches,” alone is nothing short of masterful. It’s even eligible to win an Oscar, it’s that good.
Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, there’s now an official music video of the song. Black sports his own Bowser cosplay, wearing a dashing emerald suit, gold spiked boots and a flaming red hair piece that screams rock-and-roll. And of course, he plays a peach-colored piano, in a peach-colored room, with a framed photo of Princess Peach.
Watch:
It really doesn’t get much better than that, does it?
The comments on the music video are almost (almost) as entertaining as the video itself.
“Textbook definition of ‘understanding the assignment!’ Jack Black is a true inspiration, no fear, all commitment! He’s super dedicated to making sure his performances are enjoyable & unforgettable by pouring everything he has into any job he takes! Mad respect!”
“This song may be goofy but Jack’s vocal range and control is astounding, I hope it wins some awards!”
“This needs to be in a museum because it is a MASTERPIECE.”
“My brain can’t even comprehend how good this is. I’m so frustrated that it isn’t at least 2 minutes longer so I just keep replaying it.”
And perhaps this comment best describes our collective feeling:
“Thanks Jack Black. As I get older, you inspire me to be OK letting my inner child out.”
Indeed, Jack Black is a national treasure. And now, so is this song.
There’s nothing like preparing for a new baby. The excitement and anticipation take hold and before you know what’s happening, your baby registry is five pages long full of things you’ve probably never heard of. I’ve been there before, and now, four kids later, I can tell you with absolute certainty that there are tons of things you actually don’t need. It’s easy to get carried away when everything is so tiny and cute, especially ’cause marketing around baby stuff is bananas. The following offers some alternative items to the ones you’ll likely only use a limited number of times before practicality takes over.
Many of us have been there, standing in the baby aisle looking like we’re smuggling an oddly shaped beach ball under our now-too-small maternity shirt contemplating between the many styles of pacifiers and different types of bottles. You’d be forgiven for spending an insane amount of money on bottles shaped like a deflated spaceship that guarantee your baby will never burp, when two weeks after they’re born you find out your baby actually prefers the $0.98 ones from Walmart. Figuring out what you really need is tricky enough, so let me help you out. Hold on to your bellies or shiny new babies folks, this list might blow your mind.
1. Put the Pee Pee Teepee down and back away slowly.
Aside from the word “teepee” being highly inappropriate for non-Indigenous people to use, you can go ahead and take this bad boy off your baby registry. If you’re not familiar with a “pee pee teepee,” it’s a cone-shaped item that goes on top of your little guy’s business so he doesn’t accidentally pee in his eyes or on the unsuspecting diaper changer. Here’s the thing, baby wipes or a baby washcloth work just as well. When my boys were little I’d just throw a wipe over their baby business while I changed the diaper, and once the dirty diaper was off, it’s easy to toss the used wipe in before trashing the diaper. Easy peasy and it’s one less thing to put on your list.
2. Diaper Genies are unnecessary and it’s easy to forget they exist.
I had such high hopes for my Diaper Genie as a first-time mom. They’re so cool, you shove a dirty diaper in there and twist. That’s it. It locks in the odor and makes a weird-looking segmented snake of dirty diapers. Alas, when your diaper pail is in one room and you’re changing a diaper on a wiggly baby in another, most times the diaper just winds up in the closest trash can. So just buy some small cheap trash cans to put in different rooms and then empty them at the end of the day. There’s only so much odor a diaper genie can hold and they only take special expensive trash bags. Save your money. Get some small trash cans and those little smell good bags to toss the smelly diapers.
3. You can buy a swaddler but you don’t actually need it.
I know this might be a controversial statement, but honestly those swaddlers are really expensive and babies quickly outgrow them. You can do the perfect swaddle with a receiving blanket for a fraction of the price and just as much energy. You know how babies come all bundled up when the nurse brings them in from the nursery? Yeah, that’s a really good swaddle that will give your snuggle bug the same coziness as an expensive swaddler.
4. You don’t have to be fancy and get a Baby Brezza.
Honestly, I had never heard of a Baby Brezza until I had my youngest, so I’m assuming its a newer invention. They’re certainly cool and also really expensive and unnecessary. These little doodads are like baby Keurigs but for formula. They hold powdered formula and water, you press a button and it supposedly perfectly mixes up a warm bottle of sustenance. The price tag on these things are about the same as a larger much more needed baby item, like a car seat-stroller combo. There have also been some concerns raised by pediatricians due to some bottles not getting enough formula added.
Take the guesswork out of it and just fill the bottles by hand. You can even put water in the bottles in advance and leave them out at room temperature and use a portable formula container to put premeasured scoops in. I know it’s no Baby Brezza, but you’ll be $200 richer and know exactly how much formula is going into your baby’s bottle.
5. Your baby doesn’t need fake grass to dry their bottles on.
Don’t laugh, a fake grass bottle dryer is something that actually once sat on my kitchen counter. That’s about all it did because I dang sure didn’t use it for more than the first week. When you’re sleep deprived, you want the easiest thing available and oftentimes that’s the top rack of the dishwasher or the dish rack that’s already on your countertop. The things we get suckered into buying is laughable sometimes. Besides it being esthetically pleasing, you don’t actually need it and a regular bottle rack, in fact, works better because there are no removable trees holding the nipples.
6. Side eye anyone that says you need embroidered burp cloths.
Don’t fall for it. Yes, purpose-made burp cloths can be super cute but they’re literally used to catch baby puke. These things are too small to cover the area needed to prevent your back and shoulder from becoming a casualty of a little guy eating too fast. Remember those receiving blankets we talked about earlier? Yeah, they are much more absorbent and cover more of your body to spare you having to change clothes. Those flannel blankets are versatile. You can use them for swaddling, to cover a car seat or stroller, for burp cloths or even a clean area to change the baby on. There’s no such thing as too many receiving blankets. I’ll make it easy for you, grab a pack here.
7. Skip the bulb syringe and splurge on the NoseFrida.
The hospital will give you a useless bulb syringe that only the nurses know how to work, because I swear no matter how hard you squeeze the bulb you barely get anything out. Bulb syringes even come with many newborn essential sets. I’m sure they work, but they seem to take way too much effort for the little bit of mucus they pull out. Get the NoseFrida—yes, it’s a little more expensive but it’s worth it, even though it seems gross. I promise the hygiene filter that goes in the tube will spare you from getting baby boogers in your mouth. You can literally use that thing well into the toddler years until your little one learns to blow their nose. Can’t speak highly enough of this thing and here’s a link to it here.
8. Do you really need a Pack ‘n’ Play that turns into a rocket ship?
OK, maybe it doesn’t turn into a rocket ship but some of those things are so outrageous that you might need to be a rocket scientist to put it together. Pack ‘n’ Plays are really convenient and a great investment for new parents, especially if you like to travel or have family out of state. You can use it so your baby can sleep in your bedroom until you’re ready for the switch to sleeping away from your little one. Just try not to get distracted by all the bells and whistles and stick to the basics. A Pack ‘n’ Play with a bassinet is really all you need. It’s much cheaper and you’ll use the bassinet piece much longer than the ones that come with other parts.
9. Expensive teething jewelry is overrated.
Fancy teething jewelry is cute and has become quite popular lately, but babies don’t really need it. They are perfectly happy with the normal water-filled teething rings or rubber ones that can be thrown in any diaper bag. They’re tried and true, plus they’re designed specifically for teething. While the jewelry is marketed for teething babies, doctors have warned that they’re not safe enough to use for that purpose. Besides, having a baby is expensive enough, no need to add to it when you can pick up teething rings at just about any store for a reasonable price.
The idea that everything for babies has to be the most expensive top-of-the-line things is just marketing. When it comes down to it, babies need very basic things: a safe place to sleep, food, diapers and lots of love. Everything else is extra and you can be as extra as you’d like but it should never feel like it’s a necessity. Your baby will love you whether you have the Baby Brezza or mix their bottles by hand, promise.
A Reddit user asked an innocent question about the future and it exposed a lot of the issues that people worry about today. It also highlighted the things we should appreciate while they are still around.
Klausbrusselssprouts asked the AskReddit forum, “In 50 years, what will people be nostalgic for?” and the responses went two ways. Some people mentioned the things they fear will get a lot worse in the future such as the role that technology plays in our lives and climate change.
Others saw the question as a way of appreciating the things we have now that may not survive over the next few decades.
As the old saying goes, you don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, so it’s hard to predict the things that we have today that people will feel nostalgic for in the future. Back in the late ’80s and early ’90s, nobody would have ever guessed that people would feel nostalgic for everyday experiences such as going to Blockbuster video or the sound of an old dial-up modem. But a lot of people get a warm, fuzzy feeling when they think about them today.
It’s safe to say that in 50 years, a lot of the real experiences we enjoy today will be replaced by digital technology. So take time to appreciate face-to-face interactions with other people, technology that isn’t implanted into your brain and attending events in person.
Here are 17 of the best responses to the question, “In 50 years, what will people be nostalgic for?”
1.
“Owning something you don’t pay a subscription for.” — JohnnyNumbskull
Switchplayerclassic added:
“THIS is exactly what I hate rn about everything.”
2.
“Drinking water from the tap.” — Credible cactus
3.
“Grandparents will say to their grandkids, ‘When I was your age, I had to get off the screen and actually GO to school.'” — Truck_Stop_Sushi
4.
“Privacy. Even babies are overexposed today.” — birdiewings
5.
”Being able to do basic maintenance on your car without needing a shop manual and a years salary worth of special tools.” — kilroy-was-here-2543
6.
“Keys. Even more specific vehicle keys.” — UpMan
7.
“Social media. Not because it’s good, but because whatever comes next will probably suck more.” — RockoTDF
8.
“The number of wild animals that exist and can be seen. They are already on the decline.” — SpikedBubbles
9.
“Wired earbuds with an actual headphone jack. Not USB version 93 delta.” — Rodeo6a
10.
“The abundance and availability of power, water, and food.” — wrath__
11.
“Retail shopping. There will be these cutesy, extremely expensive retro shops selling things you’d find at the convenience store.” — shay1990plus
12.
“I’d say people will miss being uncontactable. Like back in the day, you could just go to your bedroom, and block the rest of the world away for a couple of hours. Now we’ve got video calls, phone calls, texts, emails. Urgh.” — mr_wernderful
13.
“Having sex with someone who isn’t a robot.” — Clarenceworley480
14.
“Probably movie theaters.” — rsvredditacct
15.
”Life before covid.” — ButterflyGirlie
16.
“Human made art and music without the use of AI. Or even just knowing it was made without the use of AI tools like DALL-E 2 or similar. Kind of like how before autotune you knew for certain a singer could sing that way.” — ConfidentlyNuerotic
If a tree falls in the forest and nobody is around to see it, did it really fall? If a show becomes a Netflix hit but nobody is making viral TikTok dances about it, is it really a hit? It sure seems like it. Times are changing!
The latest series to make its way up the Netflix Most Popular list is The Night Agent, which has quietly become one of the streamer’s biggest shows. Why there haven’t been any Garbiel Basso fancams making the rounds yet? It is surely puzzling, but a lot of people are really into this show. There is still time.
The Night Agent racked up 130.48 million hours on the English-language TV list last week, which brings the grand total to 515.57 million hours viewed since its premiere last month. Half of those views are from fathers all around the country, just killing time until Yellowstone makes its grand return.
The series premiered on March 23rd and has kept climbing up the Netflix Most Popular list, now sitting at No. 9 after knocking off the likes of the famous influencer scammer in Inventing Anna and the non-famous single mom scammer Ginny & Georgia. Scamming isso last year, though. In 2023, we are strictly watching government conspiracy dramas and comedies!
Based on the novel of the same name, The Night Agent follows Gabriel Basso as Peter Sutherland, a young FBI agent who works as a night telephone operator at The White House, a place which should, in theory, be notoriously hard to call, but people seem to get through anyway. While answering calls, he is suddenly pushed into the world of government cover-ups and moles…and NOT the good kind.
The show was recently given a second season order from Netflix, so now is the time to check it out before it becomes too big and nobody wants to talk about it anymore because they are just so sick of it. It happens to the best of them.
The Memphis Grizzlies will have an eye on the play-in games as they enter the playoffs as the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference for the second consecutive season. Last year, the Grizzlies faced the Timberwolves in the first round after Minnesota won their initial play-in game. The Wolves pushed Memphis to a fiercely competitive six games in a series that was much closer than a 2-7 matchup might indicate.
Before this year’s play-in games — particularly Minnesota’s game against the Lakers on Tuesday night — Dillon Brooks provided his preference for a first round matchup in a way only Dillon Brooks could.
Dillon Brooks: “I wouldn’t mind playing LeBron in a 7-game series.”
Why?
“The legacy is there. First time back in the playoffs, knock him out right away in the first round. It’ll test us good. They got good pieces, good players, and that’ll be a good 1st round matchup for us.”
It’s not surprising that Brooks would invite a tough challenge. The Grizzlies forward consistently takes on the toughest matchups and thrives on making that matchup — and everyone else who is not his teammate — miserable. In a vacuum, a player inviting a tougher matchup to sharpen their game for later rounds is a pretty healthy mindset. However, when the team you’re asking for employs LeBron James, that invitation could bring more than Brooks bargained for. Not to mention, Brooks has spent the entire season supplanting himself as the NBA’s most reviled villain.
LeBron doesn’t need much motivation for playoff basketball, but Brooks’ comments are certainly the sort of thing that attracts his attention.
To that end, the 10 bottles I’m listing below are all great tasting. That collision of rare and tasty is why they’re listed at this price point and what actually makes them worthwhile to buy and enjoy.
When it comes to ranking these whiskeys, I’m going on taste and depth. The top five bottles on this list transcend that though and are just straight fire pours of whiskey. The rest might be a little more niche for some bourbon drinkers. But hey, that’s part of the fun — trying new things, finding new loves, spending way too much time and money hunting down these bottles…
Okay, let’s dive in and find you a great rare bourbon whiskey to add to your bar cart.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
This release from Diageo’s Orphan Barrel program is from Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., better known as George Dickel. The whiskey is a marrying of two 16-year-old bourbon barrels that were hand-selected by Dickel Master Distiller Nicole Austin. The unique catch here is that the ABVs are very low for a “barrel-proof” bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a hint of buttery cornbread that immediately veers into cinnamon apple clusters, soft nutty chocolate spread, and a hint of stonefruit tobacco in an old leather tobacco pouch.
Palate: There’s a mild sense of eggnog spices next to vanilla buttercream with a clear note of old, musty cellar beams leading back to that warm tobacco chew that’s laced with winter spices and sharp marmalade.
Finish: The end leans into the woodier aspects of the winter spices while peach pits and vanilla cream mingle with dry chocolate powder cut with espresso bean tobacco rolled with old cedar bark and left to dry on earthy wicker.
Bottom Line:
This is earthy and creamy, which is an odd combination on paper but somehow works in this bottle. It’s a testament to expert blending by a true master. This is a rare one that proves your whiskey nerd status while giving your palate a nice expansion.
Kentucky Owl’s batch releases are always adored when they drop. The latest batch — just dropped in late December 2022 — is a blend of seven to 14-year-old bourbons blended with four-year-old bourbon to create a deep and engaging flavor profile at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels quintessential from the jump with sweet and creamy toffee, woody winter spices, and orchards full of dry and ripe winter fruits (think pears, tangerines, and maybe even some pomegranate) with a hint of nasturtium.
Palate: The taste is soft and lush with a sharp winter spiciness — think cinnamon bark, star anise, and clove buds — aside burnt orange and salted caramel candies over a hint of figs and plums next to creamy vanilla just kissed with mint.
Finish: That creaminess drives the finish toward an orange marmalade tobacco end that’s full of subtle notes of spice, vanilla, and apple/pear/cherry cream soda and cedar bark.
Bottom Line:
This is another winner from Kentucky Owl, and worth drinking throughout 2023. If you’re already a fan, you’ll love this batch. If you’re not yet a fan, you’ll see why so many folks fall in love with this stuff.
8. Wild Turkey Aged 13 Years Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey “Father and Son” Limited Edition
This whiskey is hewn from barrels that meet a specific flavor profile selected by father and son team Jimmy and Eddie Russell. The juice is classic Turkey with a mash bill of 75%, 13%, and 12% malted barley. Beyond that, the whiskey rests for 13 years before it’s vatted and then proofed way down (for a Turkey release anyway) with that famously soft Kentucky limestone water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with lush notes of cherry tobacco, dried summer flowers, eggnog spice, rich vanilla oils, freshly fried apple fritters, and a touch of orange oils lurking in the background.
Palate: There’s a mix of light cedar next to a Hostess Cherry Pie vibe, a touch of fancy root beer with plenty of sassafras, dry vanilla husks, and a hint more of orange.
Finish: Brittle toffee covered in chalky dark chocolate arrives on the mid-palate and leads towards a finish that has a leathery tobacco spice next to a dried-out black tea feel that ultimately ends a little soft and watery on the short finish.
Bottom Line:
This is super easy to drink neat or on the rocks but might disappear a little in a cocktail thanks to that low ABV. Still, if you’re looking for the softest and most easy-going Wild Turkey sipping experience, then this is the bottle for you.
7. Joseph A. Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This sourced bourbon is built from 11 and 18-year-old bourbons. The real star of the show with this whiskey is that those bourbons were finished in armagnac, cognac, and sherry casks before batching and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with sticky toffee pudding that really amps up the cinnamon and nutmeg next to black-tea-soaked dates next to some stewed prunes wrapped in chili-chocolate-laced tobacco leaves and dripped in honey and then walnuts.
Palate: A savory fruitiness opens the palate with figs and pumpkin that leads towards an apricot jam with a hint of clove and cinnamon next to light touches of old library leather and cobwebs.
Finish: A faint hint of dark berries arrives on the mid-palate before the finish luxuriates in burnt toffee, almond shells, more of that leather, and dried-out apricots.
Bottom Line:
These releases are consistently delicious. They will challenge your palate and expand it all while tasting damn near perfect. Make sure to add a little water to really let this one bloom in the glass — it’ll get nice and creamy.
This entry point to the much older and much higher-priced, George T. Stagg, is killing the bourbon game right now. The whiskey is generally eight to nine-year-old bourbons, made at Buffalo Trace, and batched and bottled with no fussing, cutting, or filtering. The results are an award-winning bourbon that’s getting harder and harder to find.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There is distinct and rich molasses next to hints of pecan, dark and bold holiday spices, and vanilla oils on the nose.
Palate: The palate holds onto those notes and adds a cherry sweetness with a hint of woody apple in the background and a touch of toffee.
Finish: The end is long and very hot, leaving you with a spicy tobacco buzz on your tongue and senses.
Bottom Line:
This is another crowd-pleasing favorite. Stagg stans go deep with their fandom. These get a little too hot for me, so I recommend a rock or two. That said, if you’re looking for an ABV/proof firey explosion, this is the bottle to get.
5. Weller The Original Wheated Bourbon Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This expression is a marriage of some serious barrels of unknown age. That batched whiskey goes into the bottle at “full proof” which is not necessarily “barrel proof.” The “full proof” this refers to is the proof of the hot juice when it goes into the barrel for aging. That whiskey will come out of the barrel somewhere around 57% but not right at it. So there may be a little proofing water involved to make sure that the final blend in the bottle is always 114 proof and not 114.7 one year and 113.1 the next year or 115.9 the year after that.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ripe and sour cherries lead the way with a thick vanilla underbelly, a hint of salted caramel, and woody cinnamon next to whole nutmeg bulbs on the nose with this slight echo of almost singed cherry bark.
Palate: The palate leans into the sharpness of the cinnamon and the lushness of the vanilla as a foundation as layers of buttery caramel cake frosting with a hint of sassafras and licorice next to dry cedar bark braids with a thin line of sweet grass and a whisper of sourdough fritters.
Finish: The end leans into creamy brandy butter cut with dark-chocolate-covered dried sour cherries sprinkled with salt and rolled in fresh tobacco leaves and stacked next to orange-laced marzipan in an old and slightly sweet cedar box.
Bottom Line:
This is another winner. It’s just so nuanced and deep while feeling familiar and almost comforting. Make sure to add a little water or a single rock to really let the lush creaminess of the vanilla and dark chocolate shine through with an added hint of burnt orange on that rich marzipan.
This rare release from Rabbit Hole is a five-grain bourbon that’s made with some unique grains. The standouts are chocolate malted wheat from Germany (4%) and chocolate malted barley (3%) from the U.K. combined with 70% corn, 13% rye, and 10% malted rye. That juice rests in Kentucky until it’s just right for batching and bottling completely as-is in only 1,365 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is brimming with dark chocolate cut with hazelnut, chili pepper, and orange with a molasses sweetness over cinnamon toast with a hint of sharp spearmint and maple.
Palate: The palate has a sense of that hazelnut tied to cinnamon bark and black cherry tobacco with a sense of firewood bark resting in rich black dirt next to dry dark chocolate just flaked with salt.
Finish: The end has a sense of old boot leather and cedar chocolate boxes just emptied and refilled with spiced cherry tobacco and eggnog-infused espresso beans.
Bottom Line:
If you can get this as MSRP, get two — one to save and one to drink. Honestly, that’s true of every bottle on this list. Still, this is the best Rabbit Hole has to offer in my opinion. It’s that good.
3. Old Charter Oak French Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This whiskey is part of the Old Charter oak finishing series. In this case, Buffalo Trace’s iconic Mash Bill No. 1 bourbon (the same one that creates Eagle Rare, Stagg, Benchmark, etc.) is filled into French oak casks right off the stills (bourbon has to be aged in new oak — there’s no rule on which species of oak). After 12 years, those barrels were batched and just kissed with local water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich vanilla and floral honey mingle on the nose with a touch of rum raisin, cinnamon-soaked dates, and grilled peaches with a whisper of brown sugar syrup sweetness that’s also somewhat floral.
Palate: That bright and floral honey opens the palate toward moist vanilla cake frosted with nutmeg and clove icing next to rich tobacco that’s just kissed with red chili and white pepper.
Finish: The end has a hint of hazelnut next to dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, a touch of dry lavender, and fresh figs tossed in honey and mint.
Bottom Line:
This is delicious whiskey. There’s really nothing more to say.
2. Angel’s Envy Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Wine Barrels Cask Strength
This modern classic is a yearly limited release from the beloved Lousiville distiller. The whiskey is made from a mix of locally sourced barrels that are finished in Ruby Port casks. The best of the best are hand-selected by Angel’s Envy’s team for as-is batching and bottling with only 14,000 odd bottles making out this year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a deep sense of blackberry jam over a Southern biscuit with plenty of brown butter, vanilla sauce, and apple fruit leather with a dash of cinnamon, allspice, and star anise next to a whisper of cherry cream soda and orange-chocolate tobacco packed into a cedar box.
Palate: The palate is soft and supple with a brandy butter vibe next to mince meat pie with powdered sugar icing, meaty dates, black tea, and rich Black Forest cake.
Finish: The end subtly meanders through shaved dark chocolate and stewed cherry, eventually landing on a vanilla-laced tobacco leaf rolled up with apple-cider-soaked cinnamon sticks and old wicker canes.
Bottom Line:
This is goddamn perfect. I wrote “excellent” in my notes when I first tasted this one this year. If you’re even remotely an Angel’s Envy fan, then get this bottle immediately. If you were ever on the fence about the brand, this bottle will convert you.
Michter’s originally dropped this back in 2014; it has since become a mainstay of their release schedule. The whiskey is standard bourbon that’s then finished in a toasted barrel from the famed Kelvin Cooperage in Louisville. They build these barrels by hand from 18-month air-dried white oak and then lightly toast (not char) the inside before the aged whiskey goes in.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a pecan pie vibe that’s nutty, dry, and full of dark Caro syrup sweetness with a hint of candied orange peels, a touch of cinnamon, and dry cedar bark.
Palate: The palate holds onto the sweetness as it leans towards a campfire roasted marshmallow, a touch of saffron and clove-stewed pears, a pile of sappy firewood, and creamy nuances of vanilla pudding all meander through your senses.
Finish: The end has a light savory nature that leads back to the pear, vanilla, and marshmallow on a very slow fade toward a pile of fresh firewood piled high on soft black soil.
Bottom Line:
The softness and sweetness of the bourbon create a nice balance for the earthy wood notes. If you’re not into the hefty woody whiskeys, don’t skip this as this might be the whiskey that gets you onto the toasted side of bourbon life. It’s that good.
Let’s begin with an anti-warning of sorts: this post will not contain spoilers for Netflix‘s Beef because I don’t want it spoiled, either. I’m seven episodes into one of the best new TV shows of the year, and loving every minute of it (especially the soundtrack). I’m savoring the final three episodes of the season like the best bite of a burger, so I have no idea what happens in the finale — other than what creator Lee Sung Jin teased in an interview with Rolling Stone.
“I wanted it to have a conclusive feel just in case,” he said, “but there are a lot of ideas on my end to keep this story going. I think should we be blessed with a season two, there’s a lot of ways for Danny and Amy [played by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong] to continue. I have one really big general idea that I can’t really say yet, but I have three seasons mapped out in my head currently.”
If season two need a subtitle, Beef: Chicken is available.
Beef, which stressed out Wong and Yeun (it’s a Tuca and Bertie reunion!) so much during filming that their bodies “both broke out in hives,” is available on Netflix now.
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