On Tuesday, special counsel Jack Smith formally indicted someone who helped foment what turned out to be a failed coup. A special congrats to Donald Trump for receiving his third indictment, not for his classified document scandal — which Smith is also investigating — but for his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. By this point Trump should be used to receiving such penalties. But he’s not and this one inspired one of his least chill public responses.
Shortly after the indictment was announced on Tuesday afternoon — as he had predicted earlier, and a rare case of him telling the truth — the Trump team released a statement that tried to sound measured but couldn’t help going repeatedly full unhinged.
The statement began by asking a strange question: Why didn’t they punish him earlier? “Why did they wait two and a half years to bring these fake charges, right in the middle of President Trump’s winning campaign for 2024?” the statement read. “The answer is, election interference!”
If conspiracy theories weren’t enough, the statement then went and made an unflattering and sloppy comparison. “The lawlessness of these persecutions of President Trump and his supporters is reminiscent of Nazi Germany in the 1930s, the former Soviet Union, and other authoritarian, dictatorial regimes,” it read.
The statement didn’t go into specifics about how slowly amassing hard evidence against someone who almost helped overturn democracy was similar to dictatorial regimes. But others accused the Trump team of projection.
Prosecuting putschists to the limit of the law is how you stop democratic Weimar Germany from turning into Nazi Germany. https://t.co/XALhWFf6xt
“Prosecuting putschists to the limit of the law is how you stop democratic Weimar Germany from turning into Nazi Germany,” tweeted The Atlantic’s David Frum, suggesting Jan. 6 was not all that different from Hitler’s failed Beer Hall Putsch, which led to his brief imprisonment.
While we’re still in the throws of the summer, the spirits industry is already in full fall release mode. Hell, fall is here as far as all commerce is concerned. There are already Halloween decorations in the stores, breweries are dropping their Oktoberfest beers, and, yup, whiskeys are hitting for the fall rush left and right. That makes this month’s list of the best whiskeys to try in August pretty goddamn big (and autumnal, flavor-wise).
Below, I’ve listed 30 new whiskeys that are worth your time, money, and effort to find. That’s a lot of new whiskey, folks. And, spoiler alert, there’s going to be even more by the time this column drops in September.
My advice is simple. Read my tasting notes, find the bottle (or bottles) that speak to you, and hit those price links to see if you can score a bottle. Good luck out there!
Check Out The Best New Whiskeys Of The Last Six Months:
This is the new whiskey from Whiskey Myers. The bourbon in the bottle is produced and bottled by Bespoke Spirits out in California. The band came together to taste through tons of permutations before landing on this easy-sipping bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich butterscotch and soft vanilla sheet cake (with a hint of sugary sparkles) drive the nose toward a hint of baking spice and maybe some soft black pepper.
Palate: That black pepper pops on the palate with a sense of old oak wrapped in mild tobacco and accented with almonds and more butterscotch.
Finish: The butterscotch goes full caramel on the soft finish with a roasted almond vibe and some more of that oaky tobacco.
Bottom Line:
This is a great table whiskey. It’s not special or a homework project to parse when tasting. It’s just good standard whiskey that gets the job done over some rocks, in a highball, or as a base for a big cocktail. Sometimes, that’s enough.
This new release from Bib & Tucker starts off as a six-year-old Tennessee whiskey aged in new oak. Those barrels are batched and re-barreled into heavily charred and smoked new oak barrels for an additional five-month rest. Finally, those barrels are batched and then the whiskey is proofed and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smoldering apple and cherrywood drive the nose toward creamy vanilla sauce and cake with sharp cinnamon, allspice, and clove spiciness.
Palate: Freshly fried maple bars and roasted corn are accented by salted butter and smoldering cinnamon sticks with a light sense of vanilla pods.
Finish: Those vanilla pods get a tad smoky on the end as toasted oak and old winter spice barks lead to a warm finish with hints of maple and cherry.
Bottom Line:
This is a solid addition to the Bib & Tucker line and really takes their whiskeys to a new level. The smokiness is so tied to the fruit and vanilla that it remains a very lush whiskey experience. This works over rocks or in any whiskey cocktail that you want to add a hint of fruity smoke to.
American Hell House Legend American Whiskey Finished With Oak Staves
This new whiskey from Lynyrd Skynyrd celebrates the cabin, Hell House, where the original band came together. The whiskey in the bottles is made and bottled by Bespoke Spirits out in California based on the current band’s multiple tastings and tinkering.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rich caramel, boot leather, and allspice drive the nose toward soft raspberry ice cream and a sense of sweet honeydew and maybe even some caramelized watermelon.
Palate: More caramelized fruit leads to woody winter spices, a light sense of dried lavender, rosewater, and almost rich cotton candy just kissed with apple or pear.
Finish: The end is light but does lean into the sweetness of the cotton candy and the dryness of the florals with a slight oakiness and minerality.
Bottom Line:
This is just … interesting. It’s very unexpected and goes far deeper than you’d think from a celeb whiskey. It’s worth sipping over some rocks or mixing into a cocktail while you spin your favorite Skynyrd vinyl.
J. Rieger & Co. 2023 Monogram Whiskey Kansas City Whiskey Solera Reserve
This whiskey is made with Rieger’s classic Kansas City blended whiskey, which is a mix of straight bourbon, straight rye, and light corn whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey is re-barreled into 10 huge Oloroso sherry butts that held 15-year-old Oloroso Especial and were 50 to 100 years old when shipped to Kansas.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: French toast leads to rich maple syrup on the nose before veering into candied orange, grilled peach, old cedar bark, and rich pipe tobacco with a sense of salted buttercream.
Palate: Pecan pies and cream soda drive the palate toward Black Forest cake, spiced winter nut cakes, rum raisin, and vanilla cookies with a hint of almond oil and fig.
Finish: The end leans into the winter cake of it all with tons of spice, brandy-soaked fruits, and nuts next to old cedar and tobacco braided together in an old leather pouch.
Bottom Line:
This is like Christmas in a glass. I’d save it for then and then pour it over a big rock or use it in a Manhattan.
Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Coast Series Pineau Des Charentes Wine Cask Matured
This limited edition expression is all about that seaside aging. The whiskey is left in old American oak casks for years, right next to the sea. Those casks are vatted and re-barreled into hand-made ex-Pineau des Charentes casks from France. Once those barrels are just right, they’re vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a classic malted honey vibe on the nose that’s accented by a whisper of bourbon vanilla before apricot jam over buttery scones leads to rum raisin, white pepper, and smoldering winter spice barks.
Palate: Candied almonds and pecan pie leads to Nutella spread over malted honey cakes that turn toward rain on a rocky beach with a whisp of smoked nori floating on the air.
Finish: The Nutella leans into espresso beans as the spices get soft and powdery on the end with a sense of sea salt-flaked dark chocolate-covered orange close things out.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent single malt. The balance of classic malted vibes and seaside depth just works wonders. This is a no-brainer sipper for anyone looking to marry old French orchards with the seaside.
Jefferson’s Reserve Very Rare Twin Oak Custom Barrel Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This special single barrel from ReserveBar and Jefferson’s takes their classic bourbon and re-barrels it in a custom-designed “wave barrel” for a final maturation run. The “wave barrel” is toasted and then heavily grooved with wavy grooves to create more surface space for the whiskey to interact with the wood.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Oak comes through like a freight train with moments of firewood, cedar, and woody winter spice accented by vanilla pods, old pipe tobacco, and boot leather.
Palate: That oak stays bright and toasted on the palate as woody apples and unripe peaches lead to woody braids of cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass are accented by soft vanilla and caramel sauce.
Finish: That cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass braid starts to smolder on the finish as the toasted oak takes on a cellar earthiness late on the finish.
Bottom Line:
If you’re into very oaked whiskey, this is going to be your jam.
This is a batch of Breckenridge’s four to six-year-old whiskeys. Once batched, the whiskey is re-barreled into 20-year-old PX sherry casks that were used to macerate Seville oranges for eight months. The whiskey spends about three months finishing in those casks before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Candied peach and apricot lead to bitter chinotto orange with a deep sense of rum raisin and winter spice over lush vanilla.
Palate: That rum raisin really pops on the palate with a rich marmalade over cinnamon toast, fig pudding, and a touch of old spice barks and smudging sage.
Finish: The end leans hard into the chinotto with plenty of marmalade sweetness, winter spice, and cedar cigar humidors.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and easy sipper that really leans into orange. That makes this a great candidate for an old fashioned or whiskey sour.
Nashville Barrel Company Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey Cask Strength Aged 6 Years
This brand-new release from Nashville Barrel Company is their continued foray into small batching the best barrels. In this case, the whiskey in the bottles is a very small batch of six-year-old Kentucky whiskeys from a “fan favorite” distillery. Those barrels were stored and stewarded in Tennessee before batching and bottling as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a light sense of saddle leather and old tobacco humidors next to apple and peach orchards, winter spice racks, and soft vanilla cakes with a hint of maple.
Palate: The taste leans into those orchard fruits with a woody edge that leads back to the spices with a touch of brandy-soaked cherry, sultana, and marzipan.
Finish: The end really embraces the nuttiness of the marzipan as soft pear soda cut with deep vanilla leads to a dose of spiced holiday cakes and old tobacco vibes.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and easy sipper. It’s quintessential bourbon from top to bottom and hits every note pretty much perfectly. This is a very “sit back and enjoy” pour of whiskey.
This new edition from Penelope is an amped-up rye whiskey. The whiskey in the bottled is classic MGP rye that’s finished in a new barrel that’s been heavily toasted. Once the whiskey is just right, it’s bathed, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Salted caramel chews and moist vanilla pound cake drive the nose with a sense of mint cotton candy and smoldering marshmallows just kissed with dark chocolate and winter spice.
Palate: The palate really leans into the campfire marshmallow with a nice caramel butteriness that’s counter by almost spicy fresh mint cut by brown sugar and holiday baking spices.
Finish: Those spices drive the finish toward warmth and woodiness with a sense of fresh cedar kindling, chewy pipe tobacco, and caramel cakes.
Bottom Line:
This has a great balance of wood and sweet that just works. I’d pour it over some ice to draw the wood back a tad, but it’s not necessary — especially if you’re looking for a nice woody bourbon.
Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series Soaring Spice Frey Ranch Nevada Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This new drop from Lost Lantarn celebrates a single distillery in a special small batch release. In this case, that’s a four-grain Frey Ranch bourbon. The mash is made with Frey Ranch-grown corn, barley, rye, and wheat. The hot juice spends four years aging in Nevada before Lost Lantern batched and bottled 900 bottles at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Spicy holiday cakes dominate the nose before focusing on allspice berries, cardamon pods, and eggnog-heavy nutmeg creaminess with a hint of orange rind and vanilla as well.
notes of clove, nutmeg, orange peel, cardamom, and allspice, a deep oak flavor, and a long, warming finish
Palate: The palate is very winter nut cake with a lot of pecan, almond, and walnut next to rum raisin, brandy-soaked berries, and tons of dark winter spice with a touch of buttery toffee.
Finish: The end is warm and leans into the winter spice barks with a sense of hot chewing tobacco and chili-spiced chocolate sauce.
Bottom Line:
The end of this one gets firey hot, so I’d recommend a cube or two to calm it down. Once you add that water, this gets super creamy and even more holiday-forward.
Barrell Bourbon Single Barrel Cask Strength Barrel Z5G2 Topflight Series by ReserveBar
This single-barrel pick from ReserveBar is a very unique bourbon. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a 99% corn and 1% rye Indiana bourbon. The team at Reservebar picked one special eight-year-old barrel of that whiskey and bottled it 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Rummy spice and fruit open the nose with a sense of nutty winter cakes, caramel sauce, and soft kindling with a light whisper of tobacco just kissed with chili chocolate.
Palate: The palate really leans into the chili-chocolate vibes with plenty of winter spice barks, soft vanilla lusciousness, and a good dose of mincemeat pie.
Finish: Stewed plums and dates drive the finish toward sharp spice barks, more tobacco, and a whisper of walnut bread.
Bottom Line:
This is a nice and spicy whiskey that really blooms with a little water, adding creaminess and more chocolate fruitiness. It’s a great experience.
Waterford Irish Single Malt Whisky Peated Fenniscourt 1.1
This Irish whisky is extraordinarily special. The whisky is made with Arcadian barley grown in Fenniscoury in County Carlow on the Byrne Family farm near the River Barrow. The barley was kilned with peat from Niall Carroll’s cuttings at Ballyteige in County Kildare before mashing and distilling. The whisky was then aged in first-fill bourbon barrels, French oak, and Vin Doux Naturel casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a bold sense of a football field after a rainstorm that’s accented by fresh lemonade, moist marzipan, buttermilk biscuits, pancake syrup, and dried pear slices kissed with sea salt and olive oil with these fleeting sense of roasting herbs.
Palate: Those roasting herbs take on a fatty smoked pork vibe on the palate as old tobacco leather and salty chili spice lead to dark cherry and lychee with a mild sense of plum jam.
Finish: The end circles back around to that rainy field with a sense of warming spices, old tobacco, and soft salted creaminess.
Bottom Line:
This is a wild ride and fantastically educational. These notes might sound intimidating, but there’s immense value in expanding your palate with this pour.
Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Càirdeas 2023 White Port And Madeira
The new Càirdeas from Lahroaig has arrived. This whisky was aged right by the sea in Islay in White Port and Madeira casks until just right. Then the whisky was vatted and bottled at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fresh ginger coins and green apple pulp dance on the nose with caramelized pear cut with orange zest and ground cinnamon that’s all countered by a sense of old campfire coal that’s still just smoldering and spitting tiny drops of rain.
Palate: Honey malt cakes dipped in orange syrup draw the palate toward heavy oak dipped in Nutella and caramel before the peat kicks in with massive amounts of bandages, seawater, and smoldering orchard barks.
Finish: The smoldering bark gets ashy on the finish with a real sense of the inside of a cold smoker that’s smoked everything from pears to salmon to brisket before a lightly sea-salted dried pear comes in with a hint of brandy.
Bottom Line:
This is not for the faint of heart. The peat here is massive and takes no prisoners. If you’re looking for a funky and fire-peated malt, this is going to be your jam. If not, this could turn you off of peated whisky for life.
Lost Lantern Single Cask Series Tom’s Foolery Ohio Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This single barrel bottling from Lost Lantern is one-of-a-kind. The whiskey in the bottle is made in Ohio from a mash of 52% yellow dent corn, 20% winter rye, and 28% 6-row malted barley. That juice was left to age for nine long years before Lost Lantern came along and bottled it 100% as-is at cask strength, yielding only 117 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a rich nuttiness on the nose that veers from marzipan to walnut cake (with plenty of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice) before a rich and creamy peaches and cream ice cream takes over with a hint of buttermilk biscuit.
Palate: Fresh sourdough old fashioned doughnuts with a cinnamon frosting drives the palate toward honeyed Graham Crackers, caramel malts, and a deep sense of leathery pipe tobacco.
Finish: The end is lush with a sense of bourbon vanilla and dark cherry next to malted vanilla and cakey doughnuts cut with winter spices and light notes of pecan.
Bottom Line:
This is a classic nutty bourbon that feels like breakfast in a glass, especially if you’re looking for some doughnuts and vanilla malts. The best part is that the ABVs don’t overpower this one. It’s nicely balanced as a neat sipper. But adding some water or ice will expose creamy chocolate and espresso with more nuttiness.
Lost Lantern Blend Series Far-Flung Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskeys from Nevada, Ohio, Colorado, & Texas
This new series from Lost Lantern highlights whiskeys from all over the American craft scene in one small batch release. The whiskeys in this batch are from Nevada’s Frey Ranch, Ohio’s Watershed, Colorado’s Boulder Spirits, and Texas’ Still Austin. All the barrels were three to seven years old and were all straight bourbons. Finally, once batched the whiskey was bottled as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Ancho chili spiked dark hot chocolate opens the nose with a sense of dried ginger candies, old oak staves, and sweet cornmeal cut with buttery toffee.
Palate: That spicy dark chocolate creates a lush palate with a sense of clove-studded orange, soft vanilla cakes, and rich winter spice barks with a pipe tobacco edge.
Finish: The tobacco takes on some Ancho chili and salted dark chocolate vibes as espresso beans, oily vanilla, and woody spice draw out the hot finish.
Bottom Line:
This needs a rock or water. Then it blooms into this beautiful chocolate sauce full of spice, tobacco, dried fruit, and florals that conspire to make this just lovely as a slow sipper.
This new rye is from award-circuit darling Southern Distilling Company. The whiskey is made from a low-rye mash of 51% rye, 39% corn, and 10% malted barley. The whiskey then ages for at least four years before it’s batched and proofed to bottled in bond strength (100-proof) for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: This opens with a medley of winter spices — clove, nutmeg, cinnamon, anise — that leads to a mixed berry jam with a touch of salted butter over rye toast next to dark cherry leatheriness.
Palate: The vanilla opens the palate with creaminess as the winter spices adhere to the dark berries and build a sort of berry crumble vibe next to woody dryness.
Finish: That woodiness drives the finish toward more winter spice, a hint of that rye toast, and more berries with a deep earthiness — think rich black potting soil — on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This has a nice earthiness to counter the sweeter notes. Overall, this is a really good sipper or cocktail base.
Pinhook Straight Rye Whiskey Vertical Series Rye Tiz Rye Time 7 Years Old
This rye whiskey is an experiment in curating Indiana MGP rye barrels (95/5 rye/barley) in Kentucky. The latest release is a batch of 28 Kentucky-aged barrels that are all seven years old. The rye was batched and bottled as-is to highlight the whiskey that came out of the barrel.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a sense of black-tea-soaked and cinnamon-infused date-heavy sticky toffee pudding with a dollop of brandy butter that’s countered by a hint of grapefruit pith, soft suede, and Werther’s Originals.
Palate: The palate lets that leather get a little worn as the Werther’s get darker (almost burnt) and notes of black licorice ropes, clove buds, dry oak, and brandy-soaked raisins mingle.
Finish: The finish has a bit of a dry straw by way of a black pepper vibe that lingers on your senses for just the right amount of time, leaving you with a final note of gingersnaps.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent rye that works wonders as a slow sipper or in your favorite Manhattan cocktail recipe.
This new release from Keeper’s Heart continues their tradition of blending Irish whiskey with classic American whiskeys. In this case, the whiskey in the bottle is a blend of triple pot still Irish whiskey (made with malted and unmalted barley) that aged for over four years in ex-bourbon barrels, a grain whiskey (made with corn and malted barley) that spent over four years in ex-bourbon barrels, and classic bourbon (made with 75% corn, 21% rye, and 4% malted barley) that aged for four years before batching.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Hints of chocolate malts mingle with dark caramel and old oily vanilla pods with a touch of apple/pear in the background with a note of woodpiles.
Palate: Spiced apple cider with a hint of sweet oak drives the palate toward vanilla cream with burnt sugars next to a hint of apple crumble with plenty of brown sugar, butter, and winter spice.
Finish: There’s a twinge of black pepper on the woody finish with dark vanilla and toffee next to a soft graininess and a hint more of that sweet oak and apple orchard.
Bottom Line:
This is a great Irish-American whiskey and feels like the future of the category. It also makes a mean cocktail or slow sipper over some ice.
Lost Lantern Single Cask Series New Riff Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This Lost Lantern single-barrel bottling is all about the high-rye bourbon. The whiskey from New Riff in Kentucky has a mash bill of 65% corn, 30% rye, and 5% malted barley. That juice was left to age for four years before bottling at cask strength, yielding only 214 bottles.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a nice spiciness that leans toward chili, winter baking spices, and sharp herbs on the nose with a sense of oak staves and cherry.
Palate: Dark cherry comes through on the palate with deep vanilla buttercream and rummy molasses next to candied mint and lemon pound cake cut with poppy seeds.
Finish: That lemon, cherry, and vanilla vibe darkens on the warm finish with sharp mint and old winter spice barks wrapped up in tobacco leaves and worn leather.
Bottom Line:
This is delightfully fun. The lemon cakes and dark cherry just work. This is an easy-sipping bourbon that aims to please.
Heaven’s Door Aged 10 Years Decade Series II Straight Rye Whiskey
This brand-new release from Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door focuses on 95/5 rye whiskey. In this case, select barrels that were 10 years or older were chosen for the batch. Once batched, this whiskey was proofed to 50% and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Holiday spice cakes and vanilla cookies lead on the nose with very dark and leathery dried fruit sheets over salted toffee rolled in roasted almonds and dipped in espresso-heavy dark chocolate with a rush of grassiness on the backend.
Palate: That grassiness rears its head on the palate and leads to dry roasting herbs with a sense of rye bread stuffing, dark fruit competes, and woody vanilla pods with a bark-heavy clove, anise, and cinnamon.
Finish: The end inches toward earthiness with an old woody spice vibe next to firewood stacked in fresh dirt with a sweet edge over lush vanilla cream.
Bottom Line:
This is a deep and satisfying rye. If you’re looking for a rye to really wow over rocks or in your favorite cocktail, this is it.
Sagamore 8-Year-Old “The First” The Prime Barrel Exclusive Single Barrel Straight Rye Whiskey
This new barrel pick from The Prime Barrel is a limited release that highlights the power of the folks picking the whiskey. The whiskey in the bottle is an eight-year-old Maryland rye produced in Baltimore. The whiskey went into the bottle as-is to highlight the local vibe.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dark fruit leather kissed with clove, anise, and cinnamon drives the nose toward moist and buttery salted banana bread with black walnuts and plenty of real vanilla with this whisper of old cobwebby cellar oak staves.
Palate: The palate is luscious with deep vanilla buttercream, soft salted caramel dipped in lush dark chocolate cut with burnt orange rinds next to woody walnut shells, old cinnamon sticks, and a braid of smudging sage, cedar bark, and dill-laced tobacco.
Finish: The end just keeps going while layering in caraway-crusted rye crusts, old orange rinds soaked in brandy, more of that salted caramel, and this fleeting sense of singed marshmallow smushed into a shot of espresso.
Bottom Line:
This is another great rye whiskey. Though, this does lean very holiday-esque, so I might save it until there’s frost on the pumpkin.
This new release from Nevada craft farm distillery, Frey Ranch, is a true grain-to-glass experience. The mash is Frey Ranch’s classic four-grain mash of 66% non-GMO corn, 12% Two-Row malted barley, 11.4% Winter rye, and 10% Soft White Winter wheat — all grown on the ranch. After almost five years of aging in the mountains of Nevada, the whiskey was batched and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose bursts forth on this one with deep cinnamon candy, nutmeg-heavy eggnog, creme bruleé, salted caramel, and buttery croissant next to old cedar kindling, dark boot leather, and a hint of dusty old wine cellar.
Palate: There’s a Black Forest cake vibe on the front of the palate that leads to clove-studded oranges, leathery apricot, black-tea-soaked dates, and rich and moist pound cake just kissed with poppy seeds and vanilla oils.
Finish: The end leans into black cherry with a flake of smoked salt, dark orange, and fresh cacao with a return of that cedar kindling and old boot leather next to this faint note of old rickhouses full of well-aged barrels of whiskey.
Bottom Line:
This is a great pour of bourbon. Great. Buy two.
Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series Straight Tennessee Whiskey Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels
This new edition of the Jack Daniel’s Distillery Series (number 11) is a classic Tennessee whiskey with a special finish. Classic Jack was re-barreled into añejo tequila barrels for a finishing run for this limited release. Those finishing barrels were originally new oak that the Jack Daniel’s was originally aged in that were sent down to Mexico to age tequila and then sent back to Tennessee to finish this whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a light sense of old leather that gives way to dried chili spices on the nose with a sense of burnt orange, old oak staves, and light tobacco spiciness.
Palate: There’s a hint of peppery agave on the palate with soft apple butter, walnut bread, and old oak staves with a hint of winter spice and fruit orchard bark wrapped in leather.
Finish: White pepper just peaks in on the finish as apple and pear bread with cinnamon and walnut vibes with soft leathery tobacco and a whisper of clove and nutmeg rumminess.
Bottom Line:
This is a really easy sipper that just hints at old tequila by way of Tennessee. There’s a lot going on and it all makes sense, even neat. I can also see this working wonders in a cocktail.
Green River Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Full Proof
The latest addition to the core Green River lineup is a doozy. The Kentucky whiskey is a rye-forward single-barrel bourbon. The mash bill is 70% Kentucky-grown corn with 21% rye and 9% malted barley. That whiskey rests for at least five years before water is added to bring the proof back down to entry proof, hence “full proof”. The whiskey is then bottled directly from the barrel as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cream soda and honeycomb greet you on the nose with a light sense of spiced holiday cakes, vanilla sheet cake, soft dried chili, and old woody spice.
Palate: The honey and vanilla bond on the palate to create a luscious mouthfeel that leads to balanced notes of sharp dried chili spice, soft worn leather, pipe tobacco, and rich walnut bread with plenty of butter, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice.
Finish: The end leans toward the leather and tobacco with a chili-choco vibe that’s accented by soft walnut and even softer vanilla.
Bottom Line:
This is a lush and delicious pour. Let it wash over you and savor the layers of flavor.
Old Forester The 117 Series Bottled in Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
This new edition of the much sought-after The 117 Series is a throwback to old-school bottled-in-bond bottlings. The whiskey in the bottle was distilled in Louisville back in the spring of 2014 and filled into new oak in the same distilling season — as per bottled-in-bond law. That whiskey spent nine years mellowing before select barrels were chosen, batched, and proofed down with local water for this special bottling. The focus was to take a one-time look at Old Forester bourbon that shines the brightest when proofed to bottled-in-bond proof.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Blackberry hand pies iced in powdered sugar dance with a sense of vanilla buttercream, nutmeg-heavy eggnog, apricot brandy-infused marzipan, and a slight sense of an old cellar floor deep in the background.
Palate: The palate leans toward stewed pear and rich marmalade with a dark sense of cherry fruit leather, old dates, and figs before a rush of winter spice barks dipped in caramelized apple cider leads to sticky spearmint syrup-soaked tobacco.
Finish: That vanilla buttercream creates a luscious end with vibrant notes of stewed apricot, more marmalade, blackberry pie, and this whisper of mint tea cut with piney honey.
Bottom Line:
This is an excellent version of Old Forester’s bourbon. While it’ll be fleeting, it’ll be worth every moment spent to actually enjoy this delightfully deep and rewarding bourbon.
This new whiskey is from country star Eric Chruch. The whiskey in the bottle is a blend of American whiskeys. 70% is a corn-fueled Indiana bourbon that’s at least eight years old. 21% is a Canadian rye that’s 20 years old. And 9% is an American single malt that’s four years old.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a hint of old dried roses on the nose that leads to caramel-crusted doughnuts dusted with cinnamon next to a whisper of dried cranberry and turkey roasting herbs.
Palate: The cranberry leans toward dried cherry dipped in chocolate with a dash of woody baking spices over honey-dipped kindling with a dash of fresh pipe tobacco.
Finish: That pipe tobacco takes in the tart red cherries and woody spice as a lush vanilla base with rich caramel and soft nuttiness slowly warms your palate with sharp winter spice barks and burnt orange.
Bottom Line:
This is a lush pour of whiskey. Take your time with this one and really dive deep on the palate with some water or ice and you’ll find maltiness, creaminess, and nuttiness that goes deep.
This new whiskey from Playboy is a super-elite pour. The whiskey in the bottle is from 30-year-old Canadian rye casks that were finished in Pineau Des Charentes casks before batching, proofing, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Soft vanilla is accented by rum-soaked raisins, old and funky honeycomb, and white summer flowers on the nose.
Palate: Dried chilis popping off in brown butter burst on the palate with a sense of moist walnut bread, old black licorice, and toasted coconut with a subtle sense of dry ginger root and old driftwood on a rocky beach.
Finish: The rum-raisin comes rushing back on the finish with winter spice barks, banana bread, and a light sense of floral honey with a deep oakiness that feels like walking through an old cellar.
Bottom Line:
This is another whiskey that is just plain old great. It’s a 30-year-old Canadian whisky that we’ll never see again, which adds to the mystique. Get it while you can.
The Hakushu Single Malt Japanese Whisky Peated Malt Aged 18 Years 100th Anniversary Suntory Whisky
This whisky was blended from 18-year-old peated single malt casks (a lot of different woods in play) to celebrate the centenary of Suntory. Once vatted, the peated whisky was mellowed with super soft mountain water that has spent millennia filtering through granite.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright fruit greets you on the nose with fresh and tart apples leading to juicy pineapple with a hint of woody honey, smoked pear, and a light sense of roasting sage.
Palate: The peatiness layers through roasting herbs, grapefruit peels, and more woody honey but never overpowers while minor keys of white flowers and creamed honey create a luscious texture.
Finish: Pomelo and grapefruit oils linger on the finish with a line of smoke that’s … clean. It’s like a thin whisp of smoke from whisky-soaked coal that wafts through an apple orchard in full bloom while you sip from green tea just kissed with fresh honey.
Bottom Line:
This is a bafflingly delicious whisky.
The Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky Mizunara Aged 18 Years 100th Anniversary Suntory Whisky
This Yamazaki was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Suntory. The whiskey is a blend of single malts that were aged for 18 long years in Mizunara casks before vatting, proofing with mountain spring water, and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peach pits and cherry stems drive the nose toward lashes of cinnamon bark piled high with whole nutmeg next to a sense of dry gunpowder green tea leaves just touched by sandalwood.
Palate: The palate is impossibly delicate with a sense of old parchment paper and dry ink over soft incense, clove buds, and toasted coconut cream.
Finish: That clove and coconut bind on the finish with the sandalwood making an appearance with a dried sense of nutmeg tobacco by way of a cherry orchard in full bloom.
Bottom Line:
This is also really deep and deeply delicious. It’s so unique while somehow being light and almost airy. A masterpiece.
Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Jamaican Rum Casks “Voyage”
The latest entry in Wild Turkey’s Master Keep line is a collaboration between Wild Turkey’s Eddie Russell and Appleton Estate’s Dr. Joy Spence — both icons in their fields. The whiskey in the bottle is a 10-year-old batch of Wild Turkey bourbon that’s refilled into Appleton Estate rum barrels from Jamaica. Those barrels held classic pot still rum for 14 years before they were shipped up to Kentucky. The bourbon rested for 10 to 12 months before batching and bottling with a touch of local limestone water for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a sense of classic Kentucky bourbon with a sharply spiced cherry/apple vibe that gives way to a deep cellar funk next to rum raisin coffee cake, dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, and rich marzipan dipped in orange oils and maybe a whisper of palm flower (flor de izote).
Palate: The palate leans into rich vanilla creaminess as spice barks and black cherry combines for a moist Black Forest cake soaked in dark rum with a sense of green peppercorns and dried ancho chilis offering a sharp counterpoint next to a whisper of floral summer honey and old cellar oak.
Finish: The end softens dramatically toward orange-infused marzipan and vanilla malts with a cherry on top next to honey tobacco rolled with smudging sage, cacao nibs, and funky oak staves.
Bottom Line:
This is one of the best rum-finished bourbons on the market. Get it while you can. It’s divine.
Obviously, when it comes to breweries, the quality of the beer is by far the most important aspect. If they’re crafting award-winning IPAs, barrel-aged stouts, or fruited sours, but they’re located in the bathroom of a gas station, drinkers will still flock there for their newest can or bottle release.
Still, there are few things better than sipping a well-made, flavorful beer while you enjoy a great view. Whether it’s a nice deck overlooking a lake or the ocean, a brewery with a mountain range as its backdrop, or a patio that looks down at an epic valley, drinking beer while enjoying a memorable view just makes the beer taste better. And not surprisingly, with more than 9,000 breweries currently operating in the US, there are more than a few with access to great vistas.
To find some of the best brewery views, we turned to the professionals for help by tapping in with a handful of well-known craft beer experts, brewers, and beer pros. Check their picks below.
Upslope Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado. It helps having family in the area and it has been fun seeing the brewery grow. Though the taproom itself is in a bit of a strip mall, it has a great view of the Rockies, and out into the plains, and is convenient to get to. Though I live closer to the ocean now, I will always be a mountain boy at heart.
What To Drink:
While we love Upslope’s pine-centric Spruce Tip IPA, it’s only available during the winter months. The summer calls for its crisp, refreshing lager or Citra Pale Ale.
Breweries don’t always have the best views, because for the most part, they are manufacturing operations and the cost per square foot for great views is often much higher than the cost per square foot in an industrial area (and industrial areas are not really known for their great views), but there are a few exceptions to this rule. Pelican Brewing in Pacific City Oregon is one such place. It sits right on the beach with an expansive view of the ocean and Oregon coast.
There is sun, sand, and surfing all along the huge beachfront where their brewery sits. It’s an impressive view even in the stormy winter months, and the sunsets are amazing (and the food and beers are impressive too).
What To Drink:
If you’re already enjoying beach views, why not enjoy a beer that fits this vibe. We suggest pairing the un-ending appeal of the Pacific Ocean with its Head Out American Style Hefeweizen. Sweet, floral, fruity, and perfect for a day at the beach.
Anderson Valley Brewing Co. – Boonville, California
Without a doubt one of the most picturesque breweries, I’ve ever visited was the Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Boonville, California. Located in a valley that’s so isolated that the inhabitants developed their own language called Boont. At the time they were operating out of the basement of their tasting room out of the Buckhorn Tavern. I looked out the window at the lush valley framed by mountains and realized that’s the view in the background on their labels. The picture window that displayed that view was surrounded by feeders visited by hundreds of hummingbirds. They’ve now relocated brewing operations to larger digs down the road a bit. The new home also has a tasting room and event space. And views, too. W
hen AVBC started they were one of maybe 20 “microbreweries,” as they were called, in the country. It’s important to shepherd these brewing pioneers into the future of craft brewing.
What To Drink:
While we really like Anderson Valley The Pilsner on a hot day, summer weather was really meant for Anderson Valley Holy Gose. It’s filled with fruity, citrus, and light salinity.
The brewery with the best view that beer drinkers should visit this summer is definitely Schilling in Littleton, New Hampshire. It sits right on the Ammonoosuc River and is a wonderful view at all times of year (and especially in the summer). A few beers in a beautiful riverside setting is pretty great. What’s better than New England in the summer?
What To Drink:
Well-known for its European-inspired beers, we suggest trying its popular Czech-style pilsner Alexandr. Sessionable and crisp with a nice malt backbone — it’s the kind of beer you’ll travel all the way to New Hampshire for.
Wolves & People Farmhouse Brewery – Newberg, Oregon
All people (and wolves) should visit Wolves & People. Located on Springbrook Farm, a working family farm that grows filberts—also known as hazelnuts—the brewery focuses on farmhouse ales but does clean-fermented styles equally well. Mahogany nut shells crunch underfoot as you make your way toward the white-painted farmhouse built in 1912.
After you order your beer—no matter what you get, it will be perfect—turn around and take in the entirety of Oregon wine country undulating before you like a green velvet blanket. This is true farmhouse brewing. Go on Thursday nights, when local musicians gather to play bluegrass.
What To Drink:
If you’re visiting in the summer months, you absolutely should try one of the brewery’s farmhouse ales. We love Vers, a Belgian-style farmhouse blonde with a spicy, fruity, dry flavor profile.
Berkley Beer in Taunton, Massachusetts. Its bright and airy taproom is just feet away from the Taunton River. It has a very large patio with all the fixings with a beautiful view of the river. On a sunny, breezy day, this is the place to be. Brewer, Glenn Barboza and their team brew fantastic beers from classic styles with a modern approach. They also have house-made hard teas that are well-fruited and amazing.
The food is not to be missed either, ranging from fresh salads to pizza, and other classics.
What To Drink:
Berkley is well-known for its year-round favorites as well as seasonal offerings. Since it’s the summer, we believe you should try its Lobotomy IPA. Brewed with Chinook, Centennial, Citra and Columbus hop hash, it’s a classic floral, piney, citrus, and bitter West Coast IPA.
Ska Brewing – Durango, Colorado
Ska Brewing
Garth Beyer, certified Cicerone and owner of Garth’s Brew Bar in Madison, Wisconsin
Ska Brewing in Durango takes the cake for the best view because you get a beautiful gander of the mountains driving in and the chance to reflect on your path once you’ve arrived. Looking at it from a 360-degree view, you feel tucked in and comforted by the world around you. Many times, a beer helps you feel like you’re escaping the world. Beer from Ska makes you relish in the fact that you already have.
What To Drink:
Ska is a great brewery for IPA fans. And while you can’t go wrong with any of the choices (including seasonal offerings), no trip to Durango is complete without a pint or two of the pine, citrus, and pleasurably bitter Modus Hoperandi IPA.
Dirt Farm Brewing in Virginia is a must-visit brewery for anyone looking for an epic view with their beer. It has an amazing patio with incredible views of the Blue Ridge Valley. It’s so breathtaking that pictures don’t even do it justice. Plus, it’s a great story of a Family-owned brewery that started as a farm and they grow their own grain and hops.
What To Drink:
Summer is a time for hazy IPAs. Dirt Farm has a great one with Bumpah Crop. This New England-style IPA, brewed with Mosaic and Galaxy hops, is juicy, hazy, filled with tropical fruit flavors, and perfect for overlooking a seemingly never-ending valley.
Rudy Giuliani could have stayed basically retired. He could have rested on his laurels as the former “America’s Mayor.” Instead he went to work for American history’s most chaotic president. What does he have to show for it? Only the destruction of his reputation, the suspension of his law license in New York and D.C., a few pricey lawsuits, and some mystery goo. Through it all he refused to throw Donald Trump under the bus to save his hide. His reward: possibly being thrown under the bus by Donald Trump.
In a new report by Rolling Stone, Trump advisers claim Trump and his team are already cooking up ways for him to weasel out of his third indictment, this one pertaining to special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into his handling of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. (At the time the report emerged the indictment hadn’t yet been made public.) Trump has been claiming on Truth Social that he “did nothing wrong,” saying he was “advised by many lawyers.” Well, those lawyers might wind up taking the blame, as per RS:
The attorneys were acting on Trump’s behalf. But in this legal strategy, Team Trump would argue it was the lawyers leading Trump, rather than the other way around.
“It is an argument the [former] president likes, and the team is on board with it,” one Trump adviser bluntly says, then somewhat ominously adding: “John [Eastman] and Rudy [Giuliani] gave a lot of counsel … Other people can decide how sound it was.”
Even if Trump doesn’t turn on two of his lawyers — and c’mon, they guy would allegedly turn on his own kids — both Giuliani and Eastman are in big doo-doo. In late July Giuliani admitted in court filings that he knew the claims he was making about alleged Georgia election fraud was bunk. Meanwhile Eastman admitted to the Jan. 6 committee that he knew his plan to have Mike Pence overturn the election results was illegal, yet he pushed for it anyway.
Still, one of Trump’s former lawyers, Tim Parlatore, told RS that Trump’s alleged plan to blame Giuliani and Eastman is weak given the sheer number of people he was listening to at the time. Besides, using the “advice of counsel” line has its limits:
“[The ‘advice of counsel’ argument] has its limits. As a lawyer, I can’t tell my client: Look, there’s this obscure, ancient law that I found that says you can kill your wife. If the client goes out and kills his wife, it doesn’t really work if the client turns around and says, ‘Well, wait, my lawyer told me I could do that,’” says Steven Groves, who used to work as an attorney and then as a spokesman in the Trump White House.
So good job, Rudy. And good job, today’s GOP, who are once again rallying behind a guy who will reward his loyal cronies’ allegiance by turning them into Johnny Law.
Stars shine the brightest in the biggest moments. For Ricochet, that’s been the case throughout his career in the world of professional wrestling, whether it’s on the independent scene, Japan, NXT, or most recently in WWE.
“Any match Ricochet is in is going to be arguably the best match of the night. So now the pressure is on Logan (Paul),” Ricochet told Uproxx Sports ahead of his SummerSlam matchup. “When a team’s in the playoffs or the Finals or the Super Bowl, they like that pressure. That’s where they thrive. That’s where Ricochet thrives is the big moments, the big matches.”
As a lifelong fan of the product, a marquee matchup at SummerSlam is something he’s always dreamed of. When he heads to SummerSlam on Saturday at 8 p.m. in Detroit, Ricochet is ready to embrace the adrenaline rush and electricity that an event of this magnitude brings.
He also understands he’s in a unique position with a crossover star backed by the following Paul has. It was only a few months ago that Bad Bunny and Damian Priest showed what can happen when you blend a star whose fame goes far beyond the WWE universe, someone who knows their way around the ring, and an electric live audience.
“I know the extent of Logan’s social media reach, how insanely wide his audience is. At the same time, I see that as a huge audience that’s going to love Ricochet,” Ricochet says. “This match obviously is a big marquee match for me not just with Logan’s reach, but also being on SummerSlam, one of the biggest premier live events of the year. I get the stakes at hand. It has to be one of the biggest matches I’ve ever had.”
While it’s their first one-on-one match against each other, both competitors have stepped in the ring in the past. Ricochet and Paul crossed paths at a pair of live events earlier this year, with Ricochet responding to a question about working with Paul by simply saying “It’s great that I get to smack and kick Logan in the mouth every week. I love that. Who wouldn’t love that?”
This weekend, Ricochet believes the pressure is on Paul to perform. He’s stepping into a world that Ricochet knows well, as he boasts a catalog of matches that support his claim as a top-tier star on WWE’s roster.
“I think Ricochet has already set that tone, this is just a bigger stage for him to do it on,” he says. “If he wants to (go on SummerSlam) first, I’ll make sure that he can leave first with a loss and go watch his brother. Going out there and letting everybody see Ricochet, whether that’s casual fans, new fans, old fans. Once they see, they’re going to be hooked.”
As for how exactly the pair will hook the audience, Ricochet wasn’t willing to spoil anything after his memorable Royal Rumble spot against Paul followed by an attempted Spanish Fly through a table at Money in the Bank.
“Ricochet never has anything planned,” he says. “Ricochet is an instinct environmentalist. He uses his environment, he uses his instincts. He goes out there, and he just does what he knows he’s capable of doing. So, that’s what you can expect.”
Obviously, that’s something that needed to be remedied ASAP. And this spring, I did exactly that — visiting three ME by Meliá properties across Spain. As Spain’s largest hotel company, Meliá stands for all things luxury. I know that’s easy to say and can easily sound like marketing lingo, but I truly felt like the properties I visited were operating at a high level and catering to my needs. Each property had a department dedicated to guest service — an “Aura team” — that works directly with guests to help connect them to their individual interests and tastes.
Not a bad way to level up your stay. If you feel like you want to explore the best clubbing scenes in Ibiza, there’s a person for that who will make sure you do it right. Or they can help you find a yoga instructor or massage therapist. It’s a pretty handy service to have.
While each of the six global ME locations creates its own features and offerings – including Cabo’s elevated adults-only spring break atmosphere – all of them highlight a connection to their natural settings. The three properties I stayed at were built with their surroundings in mind from the ground up, whether it be on the quieter cliffs of Ibiza, within the city center of Barcelona, or just steps away from the seaside in the smaller town of Sitges. Once inside, cutting-edge (and dare I say provocative) art and décor lit up the various shared spaces — giving each location a unique cultural/creative energy.
As you can see, I couldn’t pick just one “Hotel We Love” — because I truly loved all three properties in their own way. Next time you’re planning a getaway in Spain, don’t sleep on these hotels. Sleep in them.
ME IBIZA
WHY IT’S AWESOME:
MIKALA LUGEN
Aside from literally having the most breathtaking 360-degree rooftop views of Spain’s “White Island,” ME Ibiza truly lets you feel like you’re the most important person in the room. As soon as you walk in, you’re greeted with a relaxing vibe and overall sense of peacefulness while overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Bohemian decor fills the space, with colorful flares of Spanish contemporary art.
A constant salty breeze emanates through the wide-open, well-lit downstairs area. When I say this property was strategically placed among its settings — it really was. Everything seemed to tie into the environment, which made it feel more natural. I was surprised to hear this wasn’t a fully adults-only hotel. I was fooled — considering each person I saw on the grounds was young, hot, and wore only the most stylish clothing. No one would want to see anyone under the age of 18 hanging around this place, so I was happy to see there actually weren’t many families.
The hotel is located in Santa Eulalia del Río, less than three miles from Ibiza’s city center. While Ibiza is known for its globally recognized nightlife and clubs, ME Ibiza allows you to still get some much-needed R&R during your stay. Several private beach nooks prove perfect for relaxation — then take a quick car arranged by the hotel to bring you downtown to some of the world’s best nightclubs. Located right on the property, the famous Nikki Beach offers a lush paradise tucked away for adults only with a lavish beach club flare alongside international, Spanish cuisine.
I managed to chill here for some time on Sunday and it was a full-blown, spring-break beach party loaded with beautiful people. There’s also a more quiet, adults-only rooftop pool and an outdoor Thai Pool to hang in if you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing space.
IN-HOUSE FOOD & DRINK:
ME IBIZA
ME Ibiza is home to six restaurants and bars. It was hard for me to tell which was better though – the food or the views. While I had preconceived notions that Ibiza was only a nightclub and party destination, I was wrong. Ibiza is definitely a whole freaking food destination.
Listen, I know hotel breakfast buffets can get really questionable sometimes, but I can’t say enough good things about ME Ibiza’s breakfast. The morning buffet in Bianco Mare features a fresh juice bar (think all-you-can-drink fresh papaya and pineapple juice), an array of meats, cheeses, and breads, bottles of Moet and Chandon, pastry desserts, fresh fruit, and just-enough-caffeinated cappuccinos. It truly sets you up for success for your day ahead and it really exhibits the slower and more chill morning approach that is practiced all throughout Spain.
Origens was the most impressive of the hotel’s dining options. I went here for lunch on the second day and tried at least half of what was on the menu. What stood out was that I could literally taste the local touch in each dish. The chefs here really surrender to the flavors of the island and incorporate an amazing array of fresh, local, and organic ingredients like olives, almonds, tomatoes, citrus fruits, and more. Some key highlights:
“Cecina de Léon” Smoked Dried Beef with Cheese in Oil: If you weren’t eating smoked/dried beef or ham while in Spain, you were doing it wrong. I had this at almost every meal but this was the best rendition I tried — the light smoky flavors really came alive here in the oil.
Santa Cristina “Mojama” Dried Salted Tuna with Almonds: Fresh fish on the beach! The crunchiness of the almonds with the tuna was perfectly paired here.
Anchovies Accompanied by Toast and Tomato: I wouldn’t say I’m a fan of anchovies or would ever seek them out. I was a little hesitant to try these, but it turned out to be pretty damn delicious. The tomatoes used here were from a local farm on the island and the anchovies were fresh as well and weren’t overly salty like you might immediately think if you’ve only eaten the canned version from the U.S.
Roasted Black Monkfish with Bacon: This was divine. The crispy and fatty bacon wrapped around the fish was a match made in Heaven. The fish was perfectly cooked and moist, which went along nicely with the cripsy bacon.
Ibizan “Pork” Porcella with Pink Grapefruit: The grapefruit flavor was just acidic enough to balance the fattiness of the pork. At this point, I was getting quite full so I was only able to take a couple of bites but I wished I could have had more.
AMENITIES:
ME IBIZA
Direct beach access
Thai room spa
Infinity Pool
Rooftop bar with 360-degree panoramic views
24-hour gym
Local music & DJs
Kids club
Valet parking
Electric car charging station
Sun terrace
Pet-friendly hotel
ME+ VIP service add-ons
Complimentary yoga sessions
ROOM TYPES:
ME IBIZA
ME Ibiza offers 13 different rooms and suites. You can choose from the Always ME (first or second floor), Always ME Levelled Up, and then a variety of Superior rooms and suites, including some with private terraces and pools.
Entry-level rooms start at 625€ per night ($685 US right now) and suites start at 1325€ ($1455). Learn more about the different room types and book your stay here.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 10-MINUTE WALK:
SUP YOGA
The best thing to do within a 10-minute walk is… walk. The hotel actually sits right on a half-mile “hiking” path right on the coast. Right off of Nikki Beach, you can turn right and walk as you please on a semi-shaded coastal path. It was very serene and quiet and really typified the calm and peaceful energy of the property as a whole.
Tranquility is the perfect balance to partying, if you ask me.
If a walk isn’t for you, the hotel also offers newly incorporated SUP paddleboard yoga sessions right onsite. I was definitely a little wary of this whole activity fusion at first — it happens in the morning and it was kind of chilly — but you dock your paddleboard to an anchor for more stability. It turned out to be an incredible way to get my body moving in the morning and was an interesting offering from the hotel.
If you want to stay in party mode, let me re-shout out Nikki Beach. This is literally Ibiza’s most incredible daytime house music party beach club. Get yourself a Bali bed for the day and revel in the sunshine while savoring tropical house music and fresh seafood.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 20-MINUTE DRIVE:
MIKALA LUGEN
Ibiza is a fairly small island; you can drive from the North end to the South end in around 45 minutes. With that being said, ME Ibiza is located in a quieter area of the island in Santa Eulalia del Río, offering a more secluded stay on the island but still relatively close to the lit-up downtown area. Of course, you can’t go to Ibiza without hitting up one of its world-famous night clubs. I went to Pacha and as someone who regularly tours the global house music scene, it did not disappoint. The only thing that caught me off guard was that the doors to the party opened at midnight and the high peak of the crowd was at around 3 am.
Those Europeans love to party late. Be prepared.
During the day, exploring Ibiza’s historic heart, the Old Town, is a must. It truly was a scene out of a movie walking through the idyllic streets full of restaurants and shops. If you want to get a wider perspective on the island as a whole, you can also go out on the Mediterranean Sea for a boat tour. I went out with Say Yacht where I spent the afternoon lounging on the pool deck near the coast of Tagomago Island. All of this was arranged by the “Aura” team on-site, who did a great job at knowing that I wanted to party late but also get a sense of the underrated history of the island and relax in luxury.
BED GAME:
ME IBIZA
In my Superior ME Sea View, the bed was of course facing the sea. And who doesn’t like to lay in bed with a view? The king-sized bed was definitely comfortable and also had several smaller pillows which I always appreciate since I sleep with a pillow in-between my legs.
Rating: 9/10
SEXINESS RATING:
MIKALA LUGEN
I feel like everyone who stayed at ME Ibiza was very naturally attractive and overall displayed a sultry and sexy attitude. As soon as you walk in, you’re ensconced in an upscale, white-and-cream-hued bohemian beach aesthetic, full of pretty-looking people in sophisticated beach attire. The relaxing and calm corners of the hotel mixed with Nikki Beach’s full-fledged tropical house day parties would turn anyone on.
They technically allow kids (though again, kids aren’t present at all), so the highest we can go here is 9.
Rating: 9/10
THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:
ME IBIZA
Oh, the views. With my room on the fourth floor, I could’ve easily gawked out of my floor-to-ceiling window all day. But then I remembered the rooftop bar and restaurant with even better 360-degree views of the island. You can have many breathtaking moments on that rooftop just by looking out and centering yourself.
Rating: 9/10
BEST SEASON TO VISIT:
MIKALA LUGEN
Anytime from May to October. I was here in mid-May, which is right before the busy season fully starts. All of the music residencies start-up in June, so many people flock to the island to party throughout the summer and enjoy a warmer swim in the Mediterranean Sea.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:
MIKALA LUGEN
I was a little confused as to why there was a television in my room. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t assume anyone would be watching TV while in Ibiza. It was also placed in the middle of the floor-to-ceiling seaview window in front of the bed, which messed up my cool photos gazing into the middle distance.
BOOK HERE:
If you want to stay at one of the Leading Hotels of the World in a prime, luxurious location in Ibiza, ME Ibiza is the place to be. Book your stay at ME Ibiza here.
MORE INSTAGRAM IMAGES FROM ME IBIZA:
ME BARCELONA
WHY IT’S AWESOME:
ME BARCELONA
When you’re visiting Barcelona, being in the heart of the city makes all the difference for the ease of your trip. Plus, it’s ideal to be situated amidst all that breathtaking historical architecture. Opened in November 2021, ME Barcelona is basically brand new (“pandemic new”). The hotel truly caters to the upscale and sophisticated style of Spain, which is easy since it’s located on Passeig de Gràcia in the middle of all the hustle and bustle of Barcelona.
If this hotel was a cologne, it would be Baccarat Rouge 540 with all the sexy appeal lasting all day and definitely lingering into the evening. I felt like I was staying in the mansion of a fashion designer and found myself at odds between wanting to fully relax and play while also being a boss b*tch, dressed for success. Everyone seemed to embody a “work hard, play hard” mentality here and it oozed sexy-meets-urban-meets-Europeans-are-cooler-than-Americans appeal.
The urban vegetable garden on the patio terrace was a great contrasting touch. It seemed a little out of character for the ultra-stylized aesthetic of the hotel but if the message is that gardening and eating local is cool, I’m all for it. Greenery also dripped from the ceilings in the 2nd-floor dining and lounging spaces, which I loved.
IN-HOUSE FOOD & DRINK:
ME BARCELONA
In a city known for its worldly tapas, ME Barcelona did not disappoint. While being in the heart of the city may have made space tighter, the hotel strategically used all available spaces wisely. Three different cuisine concepts are hosted in the hotel — all of which use fresh ingredients from the property’s urban vegetable garden. Huge brownie points for this sustainability initiative.
The restaurant’s flagship restaurant – BELBO Terrenal – offered a serene Mediterranean-style garden for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or late-night cocktails with bohemian and lush decorations. It was so calming that I felt I needed a little pick-me-up, so I may or may not have had a couple of late-night absinthe shots that led to a blurry, adventure-filled evening in the historical old neighborhood of El Born.
And yet, it was the dinner experience at the hotel’s Belbo Fasto restaurant that had me hooked. A few highlights for dinner:
Puglia Burrata With Three Seasonal Tomatoes: I had a lot of burrata salads while in Spain. I loved that this one incorporated on-site-grown tomatoes to really take it up a notch.
Spaghetti Carbonara in Pecorino Cheese: Superrrr rich and creamy in all the best ways.
Chocolate Sphere, Ricotta, Pistachios, Passion Fruit, and Currant Sorbet: Chocolate on top of chocolate inside more chocolate. You have to love chocolate to love this dish, which is why I did indeed love it. I giggled with glee when one of the chefs came out and poured dripping hot chocolate on top of this chocolate shell and saw it open up to more chocolate.
AMENITIES:
ME BARCELONA
Located in the heart of the Passeig de Gràcia, the Barcelona Golden Mile
Stunning rooftop with views of Sagrada Familia, Plaza Catalunya
Heated pool
Spa
24-hour gym
Sophisticated event space
Valet parking
ME+ experience program
ROOM TYPES:
ME BARCELONA
ME Barcelona offers 19 different rooms and suites. You can choose from the Standard ME, Standard ME City View, Standard ME Patio View, and then a variety of Superior rooms and suites.
Standard ME City View rooms start at 400€ per night and Extra ME Junior Suites Sea View start at 700€ ($770). Learn more about the different room types and book your stay here.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 10-MINUTE WALK:
MIKALA LUGEN
What can’t you do within a 10-minute walk of ME Barcelona? Due to its location, you’re placed in the heart of the city, with endless options to do whatever your little heart desires. During my stay, I walked over 10 miles through the city streets and alleyways.
One of my personal highlights was a walk through the beautiful El Born neighborhood, gawking at the impressive historical architecture before visiting one of the many nearby museums. I spent a couple of hours at Moco Museum for a day of modern, contemporary art. There’s also the famous Museu Picasso, dedicated to the life and work of Pablo Picasso, just a short walk from the hotel.
I spent nearly a whole day just walking around appreciating the impressive architecture of the city. A short walk from ME Barcelona is the magnificence of Sagrada Familia. This one-of-a-kind temple was built by Antoni Gaudí and has continued to evolve over five generations. A radiant light blesses all who walk in to see for themselves the remarkable architecture and design. You can also walk over to Sant Pau, which was formerly known as Barcelona’s most important hospital. The structure and color palettes used throughout this mini city within the city are striking.
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There’s also Casa Batlló, another architectural masterpiece by Gaudí. I highly recommend going here for an evening and exploring this little castle in downtown Barcelona that the architect once lived in. The only thing I found weird here was that it was heavily emphasized to use a supplied iPad and go through the rooms with an A.I.-driven visual tour that I found far less interesting than the property itself.
Don’t forget to visit some parks while in Barcelona. Close by is Parc de la Ciutadella which is connected to Arc de Triomphe, the city’s landmark.
If you feel like basking in the Spanish essence, the hotel’s rooftop pool provided a great setting to lay out and relax. I could’ve gazed out over the city view all day while swimming in the clear-framed heated pool.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 10-MINUTE DRIVE:
An exact 10-minute drive from ME Barcelona, you can get to Barceloneta Beach. This is the city’s most famous beach and offers stunning views of the city skyline while being right on the coast.
BED GAME:
ME BARCELONA
The beds were strategically placed close to the windows overlooking the amazing city views, which I enjoyed. Comfortable but not overly done up. Unlike ME Ibiza, the beds here did not have any smaller pillows for additional neck or body support, so I used a smaller pillow sitting on the couch.
Rating: 8/10
SEXINESS RATING:
ME BARCELONA
This hotel is loaded with a high sexiness factor. The warm and fashion-forward art and design fully sets ME Barcelona up to be an overall avant-garde, sexy accommodation. During my stay, I was naturally inspired to dress for success among the five-star, attractive clientele.
Rating: 8/10
THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:
ME BARCELONA
The eighth-floor rooftop terrace set up such a beautiful view. Since the hotel sits in the heart of the city, you can look in every direction overseeing the Barcelona skyline and far out in the distance into more hilly landscapes. You can also point out several of the city’s most important architectural landmarks, including Sagrada Familia. Nothing wrong with taking endless Instagram photos in the clear-sided heated pool either.
Rating: 9/10
BEST SEASON TO VISIT:
While southern Spain can definitely get humid during its busy summer months, I found that mid-May was a perfect time to explore the city. It’s right before the city ignites with its tourism crowds and you get to avoid the hot and humid days, which makes walking much more enjoyable.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:
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This was actually kind of a no-brainer for me. I wasn’t a fan of having to take two elevators to access my room. You enter the hotel through the lobby and then you can either take the stairs or elevator one floor up to access the restaurants and terraces. You have to get off the elevator and walk down the hall to a different elevator to then go up to your room. It took me my whole stay to figure this out and I got lost multiple times.
BOOK HERE:
Bridging art, design, and fashion in a sleek, luxury stay, ME Barcelona is one of the city’s newly built hotels. Book your stay at ME Barcelona here.
INSTAGRAM IMAGES FROM ME BARCELONA:
ME SITGES TERRAMAR
WHY IT’S AWESOME:
ME SITGES
Sitges deserves a spot on your Spain must-visit list. This little 50,000-person town is just 45 minutes south of Barcelona and absolutely stole my heart. What makes ME Sitges awesome is that it sits directly across the beach…less than 50 steps away. You can smell and feel the sea breeze and briney salt through the front doors. And while most hotels make you pay extra to secure a room with a view, there isn’t a bad view (or room) in this whole property. In fact, almost every room has a balcony or a larger terrace, with most of them overlooking the city of Sitges and the Mediterranean Sea.
I was surprised that although Sitges is in a small little beach town, it had the most risqué art. I’m talking modern, warped photos of splattered painted nude models – some kissing or in sexual positions. It wasn’t a prim and proper small-town “five-star hotel” that caters to conservative mindsets. It’s the opposite. The clientele who come and stay here come to get some quieter beach time outside of Ibiza or Barcelona aren’t prudes. The property is proof that modernity and serenity can be experienced together in a small town.
IN-HOUSE FOOD & DRINK:
ME SITGES
ME Sitges Terramar is home to five restaurants and bars, all dialed in on Mediterranean flavors and creative cuisines. I was most impressed with the hotel’s beachfront restaurant La Bermutería. Just across the street from the hotel, I enjoyed tapas and cava in a shaded boho-beach environment. I thought the overall structural design of this restaurant was well thought out because the day I arrived it was quite windy but I was spared from the wind without feeling like I was constrained inside a room while on the beach.
I waited the whole trip for the moment when I was served a huge dish of homemade paella on the beach. It was everything I could have asked more when it came to experiencing the authentic Spanish dish and had perfect-sized pieces of fresh seafood and prawns mixed into the rice.
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Beso Sitges – the hotel’s main restaurant – I thought was more beautiful than appetizing. I loved the layout of the large dining space, almost feeling like you were in a tropical greenhouse. However, the breakfast buffet lacked hot food options compared to its Ibiza and Barcelona counterparts. Some food highlights from both the breakfast and dinner menus:
Honeycomb: As someone who drinks tea with honey every morning (no coffee for me), this was insane. I’ve never seen a honeycomb this size that was available to directly dish out to eat raw. It was love at first sight.
Burrata With Tomato Tartare, Arugula & Andavocado Cream: The best burrata I had in Spain. It was huge (basically a whole meal) and the cheese was to die for. I loved the addition of arugula for some peppery -vegetal flavors.
Beso Style Rock Mussels: I wouldn’t call myself a mussel fan. Yet, I found myself eating most of the table’s serving of mussels. The butter-to-seafood ratio here was superb.
Chocolate Ganache With EVOO & Salt Crystals: The best dessert out of all the ME hotels in Spain. Think rich and thick mousse topped with a light layer of oil and sea salt. While I’m always down to share desserts, I didn’t share this one. It was all mine, and I ordered another to-go to eat in my room later that night.
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AMENITIES:
ME SITGES
Located right on Mediterranean shore
Rooftop bar
Pool with Bali beds
Wellness center
24-hour gym with personal trainers (extra)
Nearby golf course
Yoga classes
Electric car charging station
Valet parking
Bike rental
Live music and local DJs
ME+ VIP service add-ons
ROOM TYPES:
ME SITGES
ME Sitges offers 11 different rooms and suites. You can choose from Always ME Garden View, Always ME Partial Sea View, Extra ME Sea View, Studio ME Suite Sea View, and then a variety of Superior rooms and suites.
Standard ME Garden View rooms start at 280€ per night and Extra ME Junior Suite Sea View start at 580€ ($637). Learn more about the different room types and book your stay here.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 15-MINUTE WALK:
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The beach is literally right across the street, so you have no excuse to not put your toes in the sand at least once while staying here. There’s also a really cool rock jetty that you walk on to overlook the whole hotel and the coastline of Sitges.
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The hotel is appropriately located just outside the city limits, which means you can easily walk a paved beachside path directly into the town center of Sitges. The town’s architecture is classic Spain, with a beachside twist — plenty of colorful alleys and streets full of boutique shops, bars, and even some nightclubs. Right in the old town, you can visit Cau Ferrat Museum, a home workshop-turned-museum founded by artist Santiago Rusiñol in 1893. The house is beautifully adorned with artistic tchotchkes and and was beautiful to walk through.
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There’s also Palau de Maricel, which was one of – if not the most – stunning buildings I’ve been in. It truly looked like a palace out of a storybook sitting on the Mediterranean coast. The palace was originally owned by Doctor Jesús Pérez-Rosales in the late 1800s who adorned it with fine art collections, Renaissance carvings and altarpieces, precious metal, ceramics, and porcelain for an overall “Noucentista” style castle.
Each room takes you back in time to a place of fanciful living with the rooftop terrace being the most beautiful.
THE BEST THING TO DO WITHIN A 30-MINUTE DRIVE:
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Being 45 minutes outside of Barcelona, Sitges not only sits right on the water but is located among Spain’s rolling rural hills. Making it the perfect town for someone wanting to tour the country landscape and visit a winery. An easy 30-minute drive from the hotel is Torres Vineyard, which blends tradition and innovation. The vineyard was beautiful and I appreciated the holistic and sustainable approach they were taking in response to drier seasons due to global warming.
The wine was also delicious, which is always a perk.
BED GAME:
ME SITGES
The bed was appropriately placed adjacent to the sliding glass doors that lead to the terrace, greeting you with incredible views. As someone who also doesn’t like to sleep with the air conditioning on, leaving the terrace door open to breathe in fresh air as I sleep was wonderful. I woke up refreshed and well-rested each night, although there weren’t any small pillows to be found in the room to use for body support.
Rating: 8/10
SEXINESS RATING:
ME SITGES
The Bali beds overlooking the pool and sea, the taboo, sensual modern photographs lining the walls, and the incredible views that are attached to nearly every room in the hotel would turn anyone on. It’s a perfect escape for a romantic getaway in a coastal Spanish town with amazing amenities and plenty to do.
Rating: 8/10
THE VIEWS AND PHOTO SPOTS:
ME SITGES
The views at ME Sitges Terramar were the best of all three hotels. The other hotels boasted incredible views but really only from the rooftop. At ME Sitges, you’re treated to incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea and the historical town of Sitges right from your room. Plus, when you got to the rooftop, you could see far out into the hills and mountains of Spain, offering a new perspective that most don’t see.
Rating: 10/10
BEST SEASON TO VISIT:
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It’s best to come here in June through August. Being here in mid-May was absolutely beautiful, but it was still a little too cold to jump into the water and I always had a little shawl with me. To fully enjoy staying at ME Sitges, come during the warmest months of the year and fully enjoy the beach and rooftop views.
IF I HAD TO COMPLAIN ABOUT ONE THING:
The one complaint I would have is that my room didn’t have any small pillows and I did have to request washcloths in my room because there weren’t any automatically provided. Also, I thought the shower was overly complicated and I literally had to get help to figure out how to turn on the hot water.
BOOK HERE:
A true hidden jewel on the Mediterranean coast, ME Sitges Terramar offered a sweet escape. Book your stay at ME Sitges here.
Governor Ron DeSantis — a guy whose mannerisms make robotic Mitt Romney circa 2012 appear normal — is struggling to convince voters (and his own campaign team), that he’s the kind of guy they spend one dollar to drink a beer with. In fact, after a recent string of disastrous public meet-and-greets, some are wondering if DeSantis can even stand his own kind. (By “kind” we simply mean living, breathing human beings.)
Democratic pollster Fernand Amandi and podcast host Christina Greer joined MSNBC’s Joy Reid on her show to dissect the seemingly lifeless corpse that is DeSantis’ 2024 presidential campaign. To date, he’s made headlines for eating pudding with his fingers, sugar-shaming children, and going on weird pizza dates with Fox News contributors. According to the trio, the GOP dud is so socially awkward and politically incompetent that even his own staffers hope his campaign chokes.
“I know Florida Republican legislators who are on his campaign committee that hate him like poison privately,” Amandi said. “They can’t wait to see him go down.”
The women also poked fun at the governor’s inability to connect with voters. Greer claimed, “Ron DeSantis doesn’t seem as though he likes people,” when talk turned to how vital it is for the Florida Republican to make a personal impression on voters in Iowa.
“Why would you be inspired to vote for someone or to continue to give money to someone who doesn’t even seem as though he likes you,” she asked, “let alone wants to fight for you?”
Amandi labeled DeSantis as “the kind of guy you need 10 beers just to put up with,” clocking him as a candidate with “no charm, no charisma.” And Reid simply wondered aloud how DeSantis had made it this far in politics to begin with. All while a compilation of bad headlines proving DeSantis can’t even run his own state runs in the background.
Euphoria fans are still reeling from the gut punch of hearing that Angus Cloud passed away at age 25. Tributes swiftly began pouring out, including from the hip hop world and the Euphoria team at large. The Emmy-winning Sam Levinson series surely cannot fill the void left by the actor who portrayed Fezco “Fez” O’Neill in what was actually his first acting credit.
Two of Angus’ co-stars, Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney, have now stepped up to pay tribute to their good friend and “brother,” who will be dearly missed by so many. From Zendaya’s Instagram:
“Words are not enough to describe the infinite beauty that is Angus (Conor). I’m so grateful I got the chance to know him in this life, to call him a brother, to see his warm kind eyes and bright smile, or hear his infectious cackle of a laugh (I’m smiling now just thinking of it) I know people use this expression often when talking about folks they love…’they could light up any room they entered’ but boy let me tell you, he was the best at it. I’d like to remember him that way. For all of the boundless light, love and joy he always managed to give us. I’ll cherish every moment.”
Sweeney added her voice to the chorus on Instagram as well:
“Angus you were an open soul, with the kindest heart, and you filled every room with laughter. This is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to post, and I’m struggling to find all the words. You will be missed more than you know, but I’m so blessed to have known you in this lifetime, and I’m sure everyone who has ever met you feels the same. This heartache is real and I wish we could’ve had one more hug and 7-11 run. All my love is with you.”
An official cause of death has yet to be released, although TMZ reports that a 911 call was made for “possible overdose” and that Angus had been struggling to cope with his father’s recent death. Additionally, word in Hollywood is that Angus completed two upcoming films prior to his passing, although he should have made so many more.
Parenting is a hard gig regardless of whether you planned to have children or they were a happy surprise. As many parenting books as there are out there, none of them have the perfect equation to get it right and most parents do the best with what they learned, or unlearned, from their own parents.
Samantha, a parenting content creator on TikTok under the name Raising Self, has been working hard to overcome generational trauma and parent her children differently. Recently she was doing a live video to interact with her followers when one of her children made a stunning revelation: he was scared of her.
You could tell by her expression that his confession was a surprise, and though her son barely took his eyes off the video game he was playing, the two had a very meaningful dialogue. Instead of being upset or even happy that her child was fearful, she responded with curiosity.
Some people believe that children should be fearful of their parents in order to respect them, but the exchange Samantha had with her son turned that thought process on its head. He started off the conversation by saying, “I know this might be a little shocking but I do sometimes actually find you a little scary.” When Samantha probed him a little she found that what’s causing him to be fearful is when her “grandma instincts come out,” referring to a generational pattern that his mother has been trying hard not to repeat.
Samantha didn’t hesitate with her response: “Yeah, I did not know that. I’m sorry that you’re experiencing that.” She continued, “When it’s happening, please call it out. Cause that allows me to understand what behaviors I’m not doing a good job mitigating.” Even though she was shocked, the conversation didn’t end there. It’s a beautiful exchange that can guide other parents on how to navigate these types of conversations.
Sixty-one years ago, Yuri Gagarin became the first human to make it into space and probably the first to experience what scientists now call the “overview effect.” This change occurs when people see the world from far above and notice that it’s a place where “borders are invisible, where racial, religious and economic strife are nowhere to be seen.”
The overview effect makes man’s squabbles with one another seem incredibly petty and presents the planet as it truly is, one interconnected organism.
In a compelling interview with Big Think, astronaut, author and humanitarian Ron Garan explains how if more of us developed this planetary perspective we could fix much of what ails humanity and the planet.
Garan has spent 178 days in space and traveled more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits. From high above, he realized that the planet is a lot more fragile than he thought.
“When I looked out the window of the International Space Station, I saw the paparazzi-like flashes of lightning storms, I saw dancing curtains of auroras that seemed so close it was as if we could reach out and touch them. And I saw the unbelievable thinness of our planet’s atmosphere. In that moment, I was hit with the sobering realization that that paper-thin layer keeps every living thing on our planet alive,” Garan said in the video.
“I saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life,” he continues. “I didn’t see the economy. But since our human-made systems treat everything, including the very life-support systems of our planet, as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it’s obvious from the vantage point of space that we’re living a lie.”
It was at that moment he realized that humanity needs to reevaluate its priorities.
“We need to move from thinking economy, society, planet to planet, society, economy. That’s when we’re going to continue our evolutionary process,” he added.
Garan says that we are paying a very “high price” as a civilization for our inability to develop a more planetary perspective and that it’s a big reason why we’re failing to solve many of our problems. Even though our economic activity may improve quality of life on one end, it’s also disasterous for the planet that sustains our lives.
It’s like cutting off our nose to spite our face.
Actor William Shatner had a similar experience to Garan’s when he traveled into space.
“It was among the strongest feelings of grief I have ever encountered,” Shatner wrote. “The contrast between the vicious coldness of space and the warm nurturing of Earth below filled me with overwhelming sadness. Every day, we are confronted with the knowledge of further destruction of Earth at our hands: the extinction of animal species, of flora and fauna … things that took five billion years to evolve, and suddenly we will never see them again because of the interference of mankind.”
“We’re not going to have peace on Earth until we recognize the basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality,” Garan said.
However dire the situation looks from the surface of Earth, the astronaut has hope that we can collectively evolve in consciousness and wake up and embrace a larger reality. “And when we can evolve beyond a two-dimensional us versus them mindset, and embrace the true multi-dimensional reality of the universe that we live in, that’s when we’re going to no longer be floating in darkness … and it’s a future that we would all want to be a part of. That’s our true calling.”
This article originally appeared on 12.16.22
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