In country music, Luke Combs has paved a dirt road all his own, selling out countless shows and collaborating with big-name acts along the way. On his new album, Gettin’ Old, the singer unintentionally made history.
The song “Fast Car” featured on the album made a splash on the music charts. Fans quickly fell in love with the track but were shocked to learn that it’s indeed a cover from another act. So, who’s the original artist of “Fast Car”? The answer is the legendary recording artist and songwriter extraordinaire Tracy Chapman.
“Fast Car” was initially released by Chapman in 1988 at peaked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. However, Combs’ rendition surpassed that placement, peaking at the No. 4 on the same chart.
In an interview with Taste Of Country, Combs spoke about the songs featured on the album, saying, “We recorded a lot of songs for this. I guess this whole — I hate saying ‘era,’ that makes it sound like I’m trying to be cool or something — but this whole time that I was recording songs for the last three years or so, that’s where these two albums come from.”
He continued, “It’s was the same time frame, with two different head spaces. Growin’ Up it’s like writing songs for the way that I used to and songs that I used to love. It’s not that this record is super different or anything, but it is, in a weird way.”
She’s at it again. Azealia Banks, who never passes up a chance to share her opinion whether anyone asked or not, has thoughts on Doja Cat‘s new single, “Attention” — naturally. Banks posted her feelings on her Instagram Story, positing that Doja “sounds like a white girl that grew up in a house,” whatever the hell that’s supposed to mean.
The ever-opinionated Harlem rapper went on to demean California rap as a whole (“California rap culture is simply not as dynamic/impactful/swagged out as east coast/southern rap culture” — lol, girl, shut the hell up) before name-checking both her fellow early teens blog rap draft bust Angel Haze (sorry) and another genre-bending artist, FKA Twigs, who Banks derided with snipes at her biracial heritage.
She also felt the need to diss Kendrick Lamar, for some reason, calling him “overrated” and saying “he be making the kind of rap music that allows white people to indulge in weird fetishization of ‘the black struggle.’”
Azealia Banks shares thoughts on Doja Cat’s new single “Attention” via Instagram Stories
Look, she has legitimate reasons to be angry. After all, she started the rap weird girl wave in the 2012 with “212,” but she also hasn’t had a hit since — mostly due to her own outrageous behavior and lashing out at pretty much anyone she doesn’t like (which seems to be, at this point, everyone). Doja’s taken it much further without imploding, so of course Banks is mad at her. Ol’ “it should have been me” ass. Anyway, it’s pretty funny how suddenly she’s defending Nicki Minaj, someone else she once feuded with, because if anyone’s gonna move a goal post, it’s Azealia Banks. Anyway, here’s that “attention” you ordered.
As the legal jeopardy surrounding Donald Trump continues to pile up, the former president is having a hard time hanging onto lawyers. Last week, Trump attorney Jim Trusty resigned from the team handling Trump’s classified documents indictment, and now, Trusty has bailed on the former president’s legal matters altogether.
Trusty filed a petition to withdraw from Trump’s defamation lawsuit against CNN, and the attorney used language typically reserved for a divorce to justify his exit.
“Mr. Trusty’s withdrawal is based upon irreconcilable differences between Counsel and Plaintiff and Counsel can no longer effectively and properly represent Plaintiff,” Trusty wrote in the legal filing.
Of course, Trusty’s resignation isn’t exactly a surprising development. Recent reports claim Trump routinely ignored the advice of his legal counsel and chose to take a combative approach with the Department of Justice instead of pursuing a peaceful settlement with Attorney General Merrick Garland. Trump has been obsessed with keeping his “boxes” and his refusal to return documents to the government earned him a federal indictment in Miami.
Frustrating Trump’s lawyers even more is the fact that the former president was taking advice from political activist Tom Fitton, who has no legal background whatsoever. Plus, Trump is a notoriously awful client.
“Donald Trump is a very difficult client,” former Trump attorney Joseph diGenova recently told Newsmax. “I know the president. I’ve dealt with him. He’s a very stubborn man. He has a tendency to think he’s always right.”
With Father’s Day just days away, it’s time to seriously pull the trigger on some gifts. And what better Father’s Day gift for that father figure in your life than a really good bottle of single malt Scotch whisky? The rub is that there’s a ton of it on the shelf these days and you could just as easily grab a trash bottle as a great one. Let me help you avoid that because Sunday is nearly here and you don’t have time to waste.
Below, I’ve listed 20 bottles of legitimately delicious single malt Scotch whisky that you can actually find. I double-checked, all of these single malt whiskies are generally available across the U.S. — sometimes for a price — at good liquor stores and online retailers. This is a good mix of great bottles that will wow as gifts for the whiskey-loving pop in your life.
I did break this into two categories though. The first section is affordable bottles of single malt all under $100. The second half is full of single malt scotch whiskies that range between $100 and $400. It’s all the good stuff across both categories. But if you’re looking to really wow your dad this weekend, then you’ll want to scroll down to the second section. There are some true bangers in there.
Okay, let’s dive in and find you the perfect bottle of single malt Scotch whisky to bring home on Sunday.
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
Glenmorangie’s 14-Year expression spends 10 years resting in used American oak casks. Those barrels are vatted and the whisky is re-barreled into Quinta Ruban port wine casks from Portugal for another four years of mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of burnt orange layered into dark chocolate and then melted over a singed marshmallow with a hint of malted vanilla cookie tying it all together.
Palate: That dark chocolate drives the palate with a hint of waxiness and woody winter spice next to whole black peppercorns, fresh tangerine, and a whisper of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Finish: The dark chocolate, woody spice, bright orange, and sharp spearmint all collide on the finish with a sense of soft malted sweetness and faint old oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best-tasting single malts at this price point, full stop. This is excellent whisky and will put a smile on any whiskey-loving father’s face this Sunday.
Benriach The Twelve Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Dr. Rachel Barrie’s reimaging of BenRiach has been a stellar success. This dram is a marrying of 12-year-old malts that matured in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and ex-port casks before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This has a bold nose full of apple and pear candy, plenty of blooming heather scrub, and blueberry juice and stems with a hint of dark orange chocolate balls.
Palate: The taste boils everything down to a silken palate of stewed pears with cinnamon sticks, sherry-soaked prunes, freshly milled oats, orange-infused marzipan with dark chocolate frosting, and a slight espresso bean oily bitterness.
Finish: The finish creates a creamy espresso macchiato vibe that’s spiked with that dark orange chocolate note and a final hit of those stewed fruits.
Bottom Line:
This unpeated malt is a subtle and easy-drinking pour that goes beyond average. This is the bottle you get your pops when you want something special from Speyside that’s also 100% approachable.
This no-age-statement whisky has an interesting aging process. The peated whisky is aged in a combination of used barrels and re-charred barrels. Basically, they take old barrels, strip the charring, rebuild those barrels, and then re-char them to Talisker’s standards. The process adds a new layer of depth by rejuvenating the staves. The whisky from those barrels is then blended into a darker, smokier, and deeper single malt.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This sip amps up the peat a tad while bringing in the brine next to a clear maltiness, honey pears, and a touch of charred wood.
Palate: The smoke at play here is more akin seaside campfire while the brininess is reminiscent of oyster liquor with a dry chili spice lurking in the background.
Finish: There’s a hint of the berry leftover from the Talisker 10, with a touch more peppery spice by the end.
Bottom Line:
This is such a subtle peated single malt that goes so deep. You feel the ocean in every sip. This is also an excellent seafood pairing whisky. So if the father in your life loves whisky and seafood, this is the play.
This single malt hails from a tiny yet beloved Speyside distillery. The actual whisky is also made on their smallest still, nicknamed “Wee Witchie.” That juice then goes into ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks for 12 years. Finally, those whiskies are married, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is subtle yet engaging, with a nose of almost burnt toffee next to bright red berries, mild spice, hints of oak, and a bit of cedar.
Palate: The palate leans into the berries by becoming jammy with more of that toffee and a mild sense of spicy tobacco arriving late.
Finish: The end is long-ish with a plummy chew next to that tobacco and malty spice.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect whisky nerd buy. Mortlach is small but beloved by people in the know. This one will show that you did your homework before buying a bottle for Father’s Day.
Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Toiteach A Dhà
This smoky Islay peated malt, called “Toiteach A Dhà,” means “smoky two.” The whisky is a peated malt that’s matured in ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks and then vatted with an eye cast towards the sea and all that sherry wood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a clear sense of sweet and stewed plums with a focus on cinnamon sticks and an almost spicy smokiness.
Palate: The palate shifts towards a savory fruit (think pumpkin) with flourishes of dark chocolate next to meaty dates and lightly salted sardines.
Finish: The end leans back into the spicy and very briny smokiness as the malts ebb and flow between sweet and dry with a plummy texture.
Bottom Line:
This is classic Islay whisky from a bespoke whisky maker. This is another one that shows that you took the time to really dig into niche but delicious whiskies for this gift.
Oban West Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years
This is a great gateway to both Oban and scotch, in general, to have on hand. The whisky is classically made and then matured in the Oban storehouses for 14 long years — all within a stone’s throw of the sea. The whisky barrels are then blended and proofed by Oban’s tiny distillery team (only seven people work there) before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Citrus, salt, and a whisper of briny peat smoke open this one up on the nose as this sense of dry orchard fruits at the end of fall mingle with soft honey drizzled over spiced malted crackers with a hint of smoked orange saltwater taffy lurking in the background.
Palate: That smoked citrus carries on as a foundation for mild winter spices as a note of honeycomb, hints of fresh pears, and plummy dried fruits with a fatty nuttiness mingle on the palate.
Finish: The oaky spice and extremely mild peat smoke meet at the end with a slight malty sweetness, old pear, and the faintest whisper of dried seaweed.
Bottom Line:
This is a banger. It’s so soft and silken while delivering an iconic peated maltiness just kissed by the sea. Again, if you’re father is into seafood, this a great gift for pairing with oysters, crab, clams, salmon, and so much more.
The GlenDronach Revival Aged 15 Years Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky
Revival 15 takes its sherried nature very seriously. The juice is aged in a combination of Pedro Ximénez and Oloroso sherry casks for 15 long years. Those casks are married and this whisky is brought down to a very easy-drinking 92 proof with that soft Highland water.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark berry brambles with tart and sweet fruit, stems, thorns, and even a little black dirt draw you in on the nose with a hint of walnut shell and cherry pie.
Palate: The palate is a creamy-yet-bitter dark chocolate orange that leads toward a semi-savory fig countered by ripe apricot.
Finish: The chocolate comes back with cinnamon spice and more dark berries and walnut at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is the unpeated nectar of the whisky gods. This stuff is delicious and classic with a bourbon-forward vibe. That means that you should get this if you’re buying for someone who already loves bourbon but wants to get into single malts.
This is the most recognizable Lagavulin out there. The malts are smoked just down the road from the distillery at Port Ellen and the mash is crafted expertly by the sea at Lagavulin Distillery. The whisky then spends 16 long years mellowing in old American and Spanish oak before vatting, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Imagine a beach fire that’s using dried seaweed as fuel next to mugs of honeyed black tea and a clump of wet moss on the nose.
Palate: The taste of this dram meanders through dried pipe tobacco smoke laced with hints of vanilla and tart apple while notes of briny caramel lead towards an oyster shell minerality.
Finish: The finish is pure silk as the seaweed grows wetter and the smoke sweetens towards that caramel, vanilla, and apple.
Bottom Line:
This is a big peated malt from Islay. It’s bold yet so devilishly subtle in its build that it just keeps going and going with flavor notes. Overall, this is the bottle you get that’s sure to be beloved, especially by peated whisky stans.
Highland Park Cask Strength Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This yearly drop is part of a new line from the Orkney Island’s distillery. The whisky is a blend of single malts that are aged exclusively in old American oak that previously held sherry. The barrels are married and bottled as is, to assure you’re getting all the nuance and flavor of their malts meeting that oak.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of wildflowers on the nose with a rich vanilla husk that leads towards a touch of peat.
Palate: The taste is surprisingly silken (for a cask strength) with rich and buttery toffee next to honeysuckle, eggnog spices and creaminess, and a small dose of orange zest as a counterpoint.
Finish: The end holds onto the creaminess and spices as the peat just edges in with a whisper of resinous pine smoke.
Bottom Line:
This is another great bridge between dark and funky bourbon and peated Scotch malt. It’s balanced and delicious. Moreover, this really feels like it was made for the heavy bourbon fan who wants a skoosh of peat in their life.
Caol Ila Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years
Caol Ila is a tiny Islay distillery that is more familiar to hardcore whisky fans than the casual drinker. This expression is the distillery’s entry-point whisky that highlights the subtle peatiness, gentle aging, and the soft lapping of the sea against the distillery’s outer white walls.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a matrix of dried roses soaked in water touched by orange oils, almonds, and a trace of classic Listerine buzziness.
Palate: The sip has a savoriness that feels like olive oil speckled with coarse sea salt next to a distant billow of briny smoke, all counterpointed by sweet malts and fruits.
Finish: The finish sweetens the smokiness with a fruity-yet-spicy tobacco edge while the end fades towards an almost salty-sour hint of citrus.
Bottom Line:
This is the true whisky nerd’s whisky from Islay. Not only does getting a bottle of Caol Ila show you’ve done your homework but that you care enough to get a stellar bottle of peated malt that stands above the rest (at this price point).
Part 2: The Splurge-Worthy Single Malt Scotch Whisky (Above $100)
Aberlour A’bunadh Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
A’bunadh (ah-boon-arh) means “the original” in Gaelic and the whisky in this Speyside bottle represents that idea for Aberlour. The whisky is matured in old Oloroso sherry casks exclusively. The whisky then goes into the bottle at cask strength, unfussed with.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: That sherry plumminess is evident right up top, with hints of bright orange oils, clumps of dark chocolate, honey, and nuts, and a hint of oak.
Palate: The taste shines with notes of dark, ripe cherries, prunes, more bright orange zest, dark chocolate, and a good measure of svelte vanilla.
Finish: The slow finish leaves you with a creamy mouthfeel next to bitter chocolate next to sweet cherries and plums, all of which lead towards a warming spice on the tongue at the end.
Bottom Line:
This is the perfect bourbon lover’s malt. It’s dark and delicious with a true sense of barrel-strength bourbon with a nostalgic holiday vibe to it. If your dad likes barrel-strength bourbon, he’ll love this is what I’m getting at.
Glenmorangie Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years
Glenmorangie has a wide range of whiskies to choose from. The whisky in this bottle is aged for 15 years in ex-bourbon casks. Then a portion of those casks is re-barreled into sherry casks for three years. That whisky is then batched back with the rest of the bourbon barrels to create this release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Honey dominates the nose with mixed nuts and dried fruits, kind of like a homemade trail mix without the M&Ms.
Palate: The taste holds onto those rich honey notes and adds in a late-fall sense of wet, falling leaves with a soft nuttiness and almost savory fruitiness (not quite a squash but not as sweet as a fig either).
Finish: A very, very small whisper of cherry or applewood smoke arrives to usher in a slow finish of salted caramel, more of that bespoke trail mix, and a final note of sherried malt.
Bottom Line:
This unpeated malt is the whisky you get when you simply want something great. It’s so well built and delivers an absolutely classic unpeated vibe through and through.
Springbank Aged 15 Years Campbeltown Single Malt Scotch Whisky
This is made with Springbank’s iconic mildly peated malts and then aged for 15 years in ex-sherry barrels on the tiny Kintyre Peninsula. The whisky is then blended and proofed down with local spring water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This is a funky and savory nose with hints of teriyaki beef jerky next to powdery stock cubes with a hint of smoked brisket fat next to hydrogen peroxide before turning sweet with stewed prunes with a hint of cinnamon and honey.
Palate: The palate is like a marriage between a nutty and spicy Christmas cake and a low-and-slow brisket with tons of sea salt and fat and a whisper of smoke.
Finish: The finish arrives with a walnut dark chocolate crumble with minor notes of old leather and fireplace ashes next to a thin line of a rocky beach after the rain.
Bottom Line:
This is a true insider’s buy. This also will have a little shock value to it as this whisky isn’t that easy to find (click that price link!).
This is a classic single malt that also happens to hold the title of “Best Single Malt Whisky in the World” from the World Whiskies Awards. The iconic whisky is rendered in Talisker’s bespoke stills and then spends nearly two decades resting in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry barrels, like most of the true classic single malts.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose has a light yet clear sense of ripe plums, orange oils, buttery toffee, and an almost sour apple next to a distant whiff of briny campfire smoke from one beach over.
Palate: The orange oils remain on the palate as eggnog spices peek in gently, with hints of that butter toffee driving a rich silkiness.
Finish: The smoke remains in the distance as the spices warm your senses and the meaty fruit takes the edge off on the slow and satisfying fade.
Bottom Line:
It would be easy to go on about seafood pairings and Talisker’s subtle peatiness. But this bottle is so much more. It’s a true masterpiece of subtly. It’s delectable whisky that stands truly above. This is a “wow” bottle that’ll be cherished by true whisky lovers.
Aberfeldy Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old Finished in Tuscan Red Wine Casks
Aberfeldy’s Stephanie Macleod hand-selected Tuscan red wine casks from Bolgheri, Italy to finish this whisky. Once those barrels hit the right spot, they were vatted, proofed, and bottled as-is for this special limited release.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a cumin and chili powder essence on the nose with vanilla cream, cherry cake, spiced caramel malts, and maybe a fleeting hint of flour tortillas with a hint of lard.
Palate: The palate Leans into the spiced and sweet malts with a dash of sharp green pepper next to lime leaves before moist marzipan and vanilla cake counterpoint the spice with sweetness.
Finish: The end has a soft oakiness that leads to a hint of soda bread with a mild pepperiness to the malt.
Bottom Line:
This is a great buy for any dad who’s super in red wine and whisky. This whisky also works wonders as a post-meal sipper thanks to that heavy red wine whisky vibe. So if your pops is a gourmand, this is the bottle to get.
The Dalmore Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years
This is more than just an 18-year-old whisky. The whisky spent 14 years maturing in ex-bourbon casks. Then the whisky was filled into Matusalem sherry casks that held sherry for 30 years for four more years of maturation. The casks, from Bodega González-Byass, are exceedingly rare and impart something truly unique into this whisky.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dried roses meet your nose as orange-zest bespeckled dark chocolate dances with hints of old book leather, vanilla husks, and sultanas.
Palate: The taste holds onto the orange and chocolate tightly as a nutty, peppery, syrupy vibe takes over with a light touch of oakiness.
Finish: The chocolate zeroes in its bitter qualities on the end, with a little bit more vanilla sweetness and a savory counterpoint that’s kind of like saline (or wet salt).
Bottom Line:
This is just delicious. It doesn’t have to be Father’s Day to buy this as I truly believe every bar cart should have this on it. This is exemplary unpeated malt.
The Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 21 Years
This redesigned The Glenlivet is still a classic whisky. The hot juice is aged in a triple combination of first-fill Oloroso sherry, Troncais oak Cognac casks, and vintage Colheita Port casks. After 21 long years (at least), the barrels are vatted and proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leather and winter spices lead the way on the nose with a hint of saffron-stewed pears, ripe peaches, and lush eggnog next to boiled beans with a bay leaf.
Palate: The palate leans into the peaches and pears but puts them in a pie with plenty of cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg next to apricot jam and rum-raisin.
Finish: The mid-palate hits a pine resin note before descending toward brandied cherries and dark chocolate with fresh ginger sharpens and a dash of cinnamon candy.
Bottom Line:
This is the softest bottle on the list that delivers truly quintessential unpeated Speyside whisky. It’s light and airy but still carries a big and flavorful punch.
Ardbeg Traigh Bhan Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 19 Years Old
This is Ardbeg’s yearly release of special batches of 19-year-old peaty malt. The whisky is Ardbeg’s signature, heavily peated whisky that’s bottled during a “haar.” That’s a thick and briny foggy morning on Islay, which imparts that x-factor into the whisky before it goes into the bottle.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A soft smokiness comes from smoldering lime leaves that lead to a hint of sour cream bespeckled with fennel seeds and wrapped up in cold-smoked salmon with a hint of pine resin and black tea in the background of the nose.
Palate: The palate has this soft and sweet hint of grilled pineapple that works the taste toward salted dark chocolate fudge, orange zest, and dried lavender with a whisper of wet granite and sea-soaked charcoal.
Finish: The end has a slight sweet ash vibe that’s more fruity than peaty with a sense of seawater-soaked wood smoldering away and roasting some marshmallows.
Bottom Line:
If the father figure in your life loves peated whisky, this is the best option by a country mile.
The Balvenie Single Malt Scotch Whisky PortWood Aged 21 Years
This masterfully crafted expression from The Balvenie takes some serious time. The whisky is initially aged for 21 years in ex-bourbon casks. That whisky is then transferred to small port pipes, which held port in Portugal for 30 long years. That’s a long, long time, creating some very rare and well-seasoned oak. The effect is singular and distinct.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re pulled in by a gentle sense of ripe yet soft peaches next to wet rose petals and a small billow of cherry tobacco smoke from a pipe.
Palate: The palate, again, is gentle and carries notes of red, sweet, and tart berries, stewed plums, and tiny moments of velvety and buttery pain au chocolat.
Finish: The finish holds onto that chocolate as it slowly meanders through your senses, leaving you with dark fruits, a whisper more of that cherry tobacco, and a pure silk mouthfeel.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that’s just delicious. It’s unpeated and offers such a deep and fun character that hints at bourbon while still feeling fully “scotch!” in every way. It’s just a great gift to give to an American whiskey drinker who also loves a good pour of malt every now and then.
The Macallan Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Old
This single malt from Scotland’s famed and stunning Highlands is matured for 18 long years in two separate cask programs. Part of the juice rests in American oak casks that were sent to Spain to hold sherry for a spell before they’re sent up to Scotland to hold this whisky. The other casks are European oak that also held sherry in Spain before their trip to the Highlands. Each wood brings a unique character to the mix that helps this single malt really shine. Finally, those barrels are married and cut down to proof with local water before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There are very delicate notes of American oak on the nose with hints of dry vanilla, orange oils, and buttery toffee next to the finer European sherry woodiness, with candied fruit and a touch of eggnog spices, especially clove and nutmeg.
Palate: The palate leans into the soft vanilla with a cut of raw ginger spice, golden sultanas, more orange, and a touch of salted caramel with a pure silk texture. The mid-palate hones those spice notes towards a mildly dry wood with the candied and dried fruit bringing a sweetness and velvet texture.
Finish: The very end has a candied orange peel bitterness and sweetness that sits with you for a while, reminding you to go back for another sip sooner rather than later.
Bottom Line:
The Macallan is an obvious choice to make American single malt drinkers pretty damn happy. It’s iconic for a reason. This is pretty much the best one of the mainline that you can find. You’ll also make your dad pretty happy if you show up with this, especially if he’s already a The Macallan head.
A new Pixar movie has arrived in theaters, and you know what that means: you will likely be captivated and awed as well as crushed and devastated. Such is the nature of the compelling beast, and no one pulls off that combination better than Pixar. Elemental has duly arrived to fill that void, and the film will of course eventually land on Disney+ for streaming, but as of June 15, the film has landed in air-conditioned theaters in time to cool everyone down and keep their attention occupied while summer kicks into gear.
How long should you be prepared to hang tight in theaters (from a bathroom break), though? Expect to see 1 hour and 43 minutes worth of actual spectacular sights in addition to all of the trailer-filled preparation that remains customary for the theater experience.
From there, the film whizzes through the lives of air, fire, and water-themed characters of Element City. In doing so, there’s a primary focus upon fiery Ember Lumen and her newfound friendship with Wade Ripple. Together perhaps they’ll help create a world where the elements can comfortably reside together. Directed by Peter Sohn, one can expect hidden meaning behind this melting pot of sorts, and in the theater, one can also get into the mixing spirit by pairing a slushee with jalapeño-stacked nachos. One hardly needs an excuse for that culinary madness, though.
Grimace is back! Does anyone care? I’ve been wondering this since McDonald’s announced Grimace’s Birthday Meal, the weirdest “celebrity” meal the brand has launched so far (though surely the cheapest, considering it’s their own IP). McDonald’s celebrity meals are a blatant cash grab so it only holds that they would try to engineer a cheaper way to do these.
After years of ignoring them, McDonald’s has been celebrating its old mascots as of late. When they launched a new burger recipe last month, they brought out the Hamburgalar. Now they’re doing Grimace. Is Birdie the Early Bird next? Let’s… hope? I don’t know what to make of McDonald’s move to highlight their mascots but there is no reason to hate the randomness of it all when it comes attached to new menu options and Grimace’s Birthday Meal adds at least one new menu item into the mix, The Grimace Birthday Shake.
The full Grimace Birthday Meal consists of your choice of a Big Mac or 10 Piece McNuggets, fries, and a Grimace Shake. I’m not about to review combos that already exist on McDonald’s menu but this new shake intrigues me. What is that Grimace Shake? Is it just purple or is that a flavor? Is it good? Is it really Grimace’s Birthday? (YES, IT TURNS OUT.) How old is… it? (52??? JESUS, TIME IS COMING FOR US ALL!)?
Anyway, I had a lot of questions, some about the shake, most not. And then McDonald’s went ahead and hit us with this picture:
McDonald
Consider me sold! I give you the greatest McDonald’s ad I’ve ever seen. Apparently, Grimace is the coolest McDonald’s mascot of all time, it drives a Delorean, it’s license plate reads “Grimace,’ meanwhile Ronald McDonald is a nightmare, the Hamburgalar is a creep, and Birdie The Early Bird is… look I don’t even want to get into how disturbing it is for a bird to sell chicken nuggets, but Grimace? Grimace f*cks!
So let’s taste this thing and hope it’s good because I’m all in on Grimace now. Russ Hanneman would agree.
The Grimace Shake
Dane Rivera
Tasting Notes:
The Grimace milkshake tastes exactly how it looks, a strong dose of vanilla greets you before evolving into a sweet berry-forward flavor with a rich and refreshing finish. I’m tasting hints of blueberry, grapes, and blackberry. It has a noticeable darkness that is counterbalanced by the vanilla in a really harmonious way.
The closest flavor analogy I could find would be a milkshake version of the best cereal milk you’ve ever tasted. It’s Froot Loops milk mixed with Cap’n Crunches Crunch Berries.
In the pantheon of McDonald’s milkshakes, I’d say this is hands down the best flavor in the lineup. It’s as rich as the chocolate, more exciting than vanilla, and captures the refreshing magic of a strawberry milkshake, with a darker, less intensely sweet, and more enjoyable character.
The Bottom Line:
You read it here and here only: Grimace f*cks! And makes good shakes!
Who said rockers couldn’t have a soft side? Boygenius’ latest tour stop smashed that notion into pieces. During their performance in Wilmington, North Carolina, the trio invited featured opener Bartees Strange on stage for a killer guitar solo after group member Julien Baker.
As the pair performed the group’s 2018 song “Salt In The Wound” off their self-titled debut EP, it was a beautiful meeting of musical worlds. As fans were blown away by the onstage moment, Bartees Strange was also taken back by the moment’s magic, writing on Twitter, “Did this really happen? Or did I dream this? A guitar solo with Julien Baker and Boygenius. I’m a pig in sh*t right now.”
Fans online were blown away by the performance cheering the musicians on in the quote tweets.
One fan wrote, “Bartees Strange and Julien Baker playing the ‘Salt In The Wound’ solo together. Huge day for people who are me.” Another chimed in to say, “Wow. Julien Baker / Bartees Strange is the combo I never knew I needed, but now I can’t live without.”
“Lovely. Just beautiful. And Baker and Bartees crashing on those guitars at the same time? So good,” penned one supporter. Another replied, “A proper rockstar.”
bartees strange and julien baker playing the salt in the wound solo together. huge day for people who are me https://t.co/B9EpfXoPcJ
Today (June 16) is the sixth anniversary of Lorde’s sophomore album Melodrama. It was the highly anticipated follow-up to her instant-classic, colossal debut Pure Heroine that put her on the map.
The “Royals” singer is reflecting on the release by posting on her Instagram Story. She shared an encouraging text that Taylor Swift sent her. Unfortunately, it’s cropped so that only parts of the message can be read: “you will always be imagined in my mind in a rowboat with Annie Lennox floating down a river of cool cerebral ethereal dreams but don’t-f*ck-with-me vibes all around you,” it says. “And I don’t think first week record sales singularly define a legacy.” Lorde wrote over the screenshot: “Taylor was very kind and not wrong.”
While Melodrama debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, it actually had a worse first week than its predecessor, Pure Heroine: The former moved 109,000 equivalent album units while the latter had 129,000.
Lorde’s third album Solar Power, however, received the most backlash. She acknowledged it last year, writing in a newsletter, “It’s been a year since I announced the release of Solar Power. I can honestly say it has been the year with the highest highs and lowest lows I think I’ve ever experienced. It took people awhile to get the album — I still get emails every day from people who are just coming around to it now! — and that response was really confounding and at times painful to sit with at first. I learnt a ton about myself and how I’m perceived by making and releasing this album, and I feel significantly more connected and alive in my art practice and life than pretty much ever before. Sounds dry but it’s true!!!”
Trippie Redd’s long been recognized for the grungy sound of his rock-inspired emo-rap, but his latest single, the smooth-grooving “Took My Breath Away” featuring Skye Morales, is a total departure from that grittier style. It has more in common with mid-2000s Quiet Storm radio-inspired hits from the likes of Fabolous and LL Cool J, with an R&B-inflected beat and chorus and a more straightforward, old-school rap delivery that makes use of a set of skills Trippie’s always had but hasn’t always utilized. It sounds a bit like a Wiz Khalifa outtake — a really good one.
Judging from the press release for the single, which also officially announces his next album, A Love Letter To You 5, fans might get to see a lot more of this Trippie Redd in the future, as the release cites a “new chapter” for the Ohio rap-crooner. Trippie’s last A Love Letter To You album, the fourth in the series, came out in 2019 and blended Nirvana-esque guitar strumming with thumping trap drums and plenty of wounded dog howling from Trippie vocally, although there were offerings like the upbeat soft-rocker “‘Til The End Of Time,” as well.
Trippie’s last few albums, though, have leaned more heavily on either the Lex Luger-ish and murky Pi’erre Bourne-inspired video game trap of (the apparently rushed) Mansion Muzik and Trip At Knight. With his latest transformation, Trippie proves he remains one of the most versatile rappers in music today. You can watch his “Took My Breath Away” video up top and stay tuned for more on A Love Letter To You 5.
In an effort to knock Donald Trump out of the Republican primary, “Meatball” Ron DeSantis is set to visit Nevada where the Florida governor will attend the Basque Fry, a key political event that could secure the state for DeSantis. Politically, it’s a solid move for the Florida governor. Comedically, it presented a golden opportunity for Trump’s campaign to hit below the belt.
While the Basque Fry is a proud Nevada tradition that has hosted Republican politicians for decades, the event is centered around the “stewing and frying of lamb testicles,” and you can see where this is going. Trump’s campaign has already signaled that it plans to attack DeSantis’ manhood, his “Tiny D” if you will, which made this low-hanging fruit too good to ignore.
A strategist for the front-running Trump, fresh from an arraignment this week in federal court, punched down on DeSantis and rejected the suggestion that he could encroach on Trump’s turf.
“Not surprised Ron DeSantis is looking for a set of balls,” said Chris LaCivita, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign.
In what could be a critical mistake going into the Republican debates where MAGA voters love seeing Trump insult his opponents, DeSantis’ campaign took the high road and scolded the former president’s campaign. DeSantis’ team did, however, pull from the anti-woke playbook.
“The Trump team’s obsession with men’s genitalia is more perverted than a woke grooming book,” DeSantis communications director Erin Perrine told NBC News.
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a proper rock star 
