Month: October 2023

If you’re a bourbon or dark rum drinker and you’re not on the cognac bandwagon by now… what are you possibly waiting for? Fall is an especially great time to start enjoying this flavorful French, grape-based brandy. Grab a bottle, drink it neat, and enjoy the warming, rich, sweet flavor profile on a cool autumn night.

The spirit — which gets its name from the city of Cognac and the surrounding wine-growing regions — is well-known for its complex flavor profile, featuring caramel, vanilla, dried fruits, spices, and other notes that all appeal to whiskey and dark rum drinkers. It even has various levels (VS, VSOP, XO, etc.) letting you know how long it spent aging in oak Limousin barrels.

Don’t take our word for it though. The folks who bide their time behind the bar love this nuanced, exciting spirit even more than we do. That’s why we asked a handful of well-respected bartenders and mixologists to tell us the best cognacs to drink this fall. Keep scrolling to see all of their picks so you’ll know which bottles to add to your home bar cart.

Camus Cognac VSOP

Heidi Finley, lead bartender at The Ritz-Carlton in Sarasota, Florida

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $60

The Cognac:

Camus Cognac VSOP is a great fall cognac. You can simply sip it slowly and savor in the delight of all of the harmonious flavors. I also like to make a cocktail with Camus VSOP that includes St. George Spiced Pear Liqueur, lemon juice, cinnamon, demerara sugar, and cardamom bitters called ‘The Perfect Pear’.

Tasting Notes:

It’s robust yet elegantly smooth with tastes of warm vanilla, bright orange zest, and a touch of baking spices, such as cinnamon and allspice.

Martell VSOP

Aleksander Simic, bartender at Hutong in Miami

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50

The Cognac:

When it’s time to sip and savor in the fall, Martell Cognac VSOP takes center stage. It’s a complex blend of eaux-de-vie in which the youngest cognac has been aged for a minimum of four years in fine-grained oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Its aroma, redolent of plum, apricot, and candied lemon, perfectly complements the crisp autumn air. Martell VSOP is a delightful choice to warm your spirits during the fall season.

Cognac Park VSOP

Alex Barbatsis, head bartender at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $55

The Cognac:

Cognac Park VSOP is a great Cognac to drink on its own and it’s not crazy expensive to feel bad about using in a cocktail. It’s aged eight months in new oak barrels to extract bright sweet tones before being aged in mature casks for at least another three years. It’s perfect to enjoy on the rocks or in a negroni variation.

Tasting Notes:

This award-winning cognac is known for its fruity, floral, vanilla, honey, and spiced palate that makes it a perfect slow sipper on a cool evening.

Monnet Sunshine Selection Cognac

Alex Fitzgerald, beverage director at Paseo in Louisville, Kentucky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $34

The Cognac:

I love Monnet Sunshine Selection Cognac for the transition to Fall, as it has all my favorite aromas and flavors of summer and fall in one. This complex blend was matured for a minimum of two years in Limousin oak casks.

Tasting Notes:

The flavor is light and sweet, with notes of peach and apricot, perfect for those warm September days, but it also has some vanilla, cinnamon, and dried fruit notes reminiscent of the colder months ahead.

Remy Martin XO

Ryan Smith Jr., assistant food and beverage manager at The St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort in Miami

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $250

The Cognac:

Remy Martin XO is a great cognac for the fall months. This blend of hundreds of complex, hand-selected eaux-de-vie that have been matured for at least ten full years in oak barrels.

Tasting Notes:

Smooth and velvety with a nice weight that sticks to you when you drink. Warm and inviting with baking spices, vanilla, and subtle caramel that makes it great for a fall sip.

Pierre Ferrand Ambré

Alex Pisi, lead bartender at The Wells in Washington, DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $40

The Cognac:

I have always enjoyed sipping on Pierre Ferrand Ambré. It’s a warming blend of Ugni Blanc and Colombard eaux-de-vie that is aged for at least ten years in French oak barrels giving it a well-rounded, nuanced flavor profile.

Tasting Notes:

Lively grape notes with juicy tones are balanced by carefully aging this cognac. Notes of bitter orange, caramel, and everlasting nuttiness make it amazing to sip neat, slightly warm, or in a sidecar.

Courvoisier VSOP

Jared Bailey, bar manager at Soho Cigar Bar in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $46

The Cognac:

Courvoisier VSOP is not only a fun word to say, but a soothing cognac to drink when the leaves start to change, and the temperature starts to drop.

Tasting Notes:

Boasting an unparalleled smoothness, it also carries tasting notes of dark grape, caramel, and subtle oak. It’s a can’t-miss cognac for the cooler months.

Camus Borderies XO

Dana Lachenmayer, head bartender at The Wesley in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $220

The Cognac:

Without price limitations, Camus Borderies XO is one of the finest cognacs to sip on this fall. It’s the product of a single estate vineyard in the smallest cognac cru.

Tasting Notes:

This cognac is at once complex, velvety, and charming. A floral bouquet and palette is balanced with dried fruit, cinnamon, and pastry that leaves you wanting more.

Pierre Ferrand 1840

Kira Collings, bar manager at Hearth and Hill in Park City, Utah

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $45

The Cognac:

Pierre Ferrand 1840 is a fantastic cognac to drink in the fall. It is complex enough to enjoy sipping on it on its own and holds up well in a cocktail. I always enjoy making a sazerac with it. I follow in the footsteps of Death & Co and make their split base cognac and rye sazerac, perfect for sipping around a warm fire.

Tasting Notes:

The silky texture, cinnamon, and ginger give it a warm spice, with notes of caramel and stone fruit to round it out.

Dudognon Reserve 10 Year Cognac

Collin Frazier, head bartender at Great Jones Distillery in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $46

The Cognac:

Dudognon Reserve 10-Year Cognac is a great pick for fall. It’s a fantastic spirit that delivers an intoxicating journey. It’s a Grande Champagne cognac that picked up a ton of fruit, vanilla, and oak during the aging process.

Tasting Notes:

From its dry floral aromatics to the mineral-driven finish, this cognac has a distinct brightness reminiscent of summer’s end, while hints of vanilla provide a coziness apropos of autumn.

Frapin 1270 Cognac

Steven Dinsmore-George, bartender at The Pembroke in Washington, DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $55

The Cognac:

Frapin 1270 Cognac is a can’t-miss fall cognac. This single estate, Grande Champagne cognac is well-known for its indulgent, almost dessert-like palate that makes it an exceptional drink to finish a heavy meal on a cool fall evening.

Tasting Notes:

It has a wonderful smoky start and a spiced finish that will highlight any fall spirit-forward cocktail such as a Sazerac or a Japanese Cocktail. It also makes for a delightful after-dinner drink by itself.

Taylor Swift has sports fans buzzing after her rumored relationship with Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce led to her showing up at the past two games. Because of this, it has raised speculation if Swift would ever play the Super Bowl Halftime Show in the future.

While she won’t be in 2024, as Usher was announced as the performer for the Vegas event, it doesn’t rule out it happening in the future. Swift is currently on a break between the legs of her massive Eras Tour, which will continue through next year.

A source also spoke with the Daily Mail about what Swift’s mindset is about playing. “Taylor is busy with her current tour, she has zero time to prepare a Super Bowl show, she will do it eventually, but she is in no rush at all to do it in Vegas or do it in the next couple of years,” they shared.

They also noted that Swift “knows she is at her peak in her career and each move from this point on is as important as the next. Working on her current tour and recording her old music and working on new music and living life are taking up the majority of her time.”

Swift won’t be any time soon, but the possibility of it hasn’t been ruled out permanently — and it could be a special, career-spanning thing when it does.

In the spirit of the film itself, I’m going to keep things short: here’s why you should see if Strange Way of Life is playing in a theater near you.

1. Strange Way of Life was written and directed by Pedro Almodóvar, the Oscar-winning filmmaker behind Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Talk to Her, and Pain and Glory. He described the project as an “answer” to Brokeback Mountain. It’s only Almodóvar’s second English-language project, following the Tilda Swinton-starring The Human Voice (it was released during the pandemic so you may have missed it).

2. It stars Pedro Pascal as a gunslinger and Ethan Hawke as a sheriff who rekindle their sexual relationship after 25 years apart. Things get complicated, however, when Hawke goes after Pascal’s son for killing a local woman.

3. You don’t get to see Pascal and Hawke’s roll in the hay, so to speak (although Pascal’s butt makes a cameo), but they have strong chemistry together. “I don’t imagine sexual chemistry as something to approach,” The Last of Us star told IndieWire in a pre-strike interview. “It’s simply a matter of playing the character. Pedro put his trust in us to inhabit the story as he felt so much of the work was accomplished by casting. I think there’s a disarming and playful sexiness to everything Pedro does, so it’s exciting to step into that world. It also helped to have a scene partner as good as Ethan.”

4. There’s a scene where an item of clothing will turn every Taylor Swift fan into the Leo pointing meme.

5. This isn’t about Strange Way of Life, per se, but if you haven’t watched the Reservation Dogs episode with Ethan Hawke, you should get on that. You should also watch the entire very special show. Don’t be a sh*tass.

6. In a flashback, younger versions of Pascal and Hawke’s characters start making out after shooting a big bag of wine.

7. Are you sick of bloated blockbusters? Well, Strange Way of Life is only 30 minutes long. That’s less than half the runtime of the Ted Lasso series finale. It’s not the best movie you’ll see this year, or even this month, and it honestly could be longer to fill out the backstory. But Almodóvar fills the screen with warmth, Pascal and Hawke give grounded performances, and again, 30 minutes. You can spare 30 minutes — and then spend the next 30 minutes trying to buy Pascal’s green coat.

You can check to see if Strange Way of Life is playing near you here.

WARNING: Spoilers for the Ahsoka Season 1 finale below.

With the Ahsoka finale now streaming on Disney+, Star Wars fans were hit with a surprising piece of lore during the late Ray Stevenson‘s presumably last scene in the series. His character, former Jedi General Baylan Skoll, can be seen standing on a set of three statues that were immediately recognizable to fans of The Clone Wars animated series.

After the finale primarily focused on Grand Admiral Thrawn making his inevitable escape and returning to assume control of the Empire, the eighth episode caught up with Baylan who wanted to stay behind on Peridea. (Unlike Ahsoka, Sabine, and his former apprentice Shin Hati, who are now stranded on the planet.) While Stevenson’s final moments are brief, they pack a huge nerd punch as Baylan walks onto the outstretched hand of a massive statue. As the camera pulls out, we see the hand belongs to the middle of three statues, and the figures shown are a powerful trio in Star Wars lore: The Mortis gods.

The Mortis gods, or “The Ones,” were a powerful family who gained immortality through their deep connection of the Force. The Daughter was strongly connected to the Light Side, while The Son was strongly connected to the Dark. The Father represented the balance of the Force. They were eventually destroyed during an encounter with Anakin Skywalker and his apprentice, wait for it, Ahsoka Tano.

The Mortis episodes in The Clone Wars were fan-favorites, and their jump to live-action (at least in statue form) seemingly supports a fan theory about what has been calling to Baylan Skoll throughout Ahsoka: Abeloth.

Unlike the Mortis gods, Abeloth has never appeared outside of the Star Wars: Fate of the Jedi books, which are no longer canon. However, she is deeply connected to the powerful family. Initially, she started out as The Servant before becoming known as The Mother as she grew close to the trio and helped keep peace between them. Unfortunately, she was not immortal and merely human, so in attempt to stay with the family, she began drinking from the Font of Power (the Dark side) and the Font of Knowledge (the Light side) which transformed her into the chaotic immortal being Abeloth.

Fearing her power, the Mortis family found a way to imprison Abeloth, and that prison could be what Baylan saw in the distance during the Ahsoka finale. His talk of being more than just the struggle between Light and Dark also lends itself very heavily to Abeloth, who found a greater power that transcends both.

Or there’s something even more wild out there. We won’t know until Ahsoka gets a second season, which has not been confirmed yet.

Ahsoka Season 1 is available for streaming on Disney+.

Thank goodness that Rachel Bilson has opened up the “controversial” fountain on her podcast again. She co-hosts Broad Ideas with longtime best friend Olivia Allen, and they have been known to get bawdy with their frank exploration of subjects that are frequently related to sexual relationships. And let’s face it, this is a fun subject for the audience at home.

Previously, Rachel made headlines for losing a gig after a production decided that she was being too forthright for their liking. Rachel had insisted that she hadn’t said anything wrong, and that was also the general consensus, especially given the customary subject matter of the podcast. Some of her greatest hits include gushing over Bill Hader’s massive dong and revealing the age when she had her first orgasm “from, like d*ck.”

Now, Rachel is expressing how she isn’t exactly thrilled at the idea of dating men who haven’t had a lot of sexual partners. She admitted that this might not be the fairest take, but nonetheless, that’s how she feels. Via Us Weekly:

“This is gonna sound so judgemental, but if a dude is in his 40s and he [has] only slept with four women … but it all depends,” Bilson, 42, said on the Monday, October 3, episode of her “Broad Ideas with Rachel Bilson” podcast. “Maybe he’s been in decade [long] relationships, totally respectable.”

Rachel further elaborated upon how she used to make a habit of asking dates about their number of former partners, although she “probably wouldn’t” continue doing so in the future. Why? She detailed how her 20s were spent in two long-term relationships, so that obviously affects the number, but she has seemed to enjoy her subsequent path, too. That is, if one can draw any interferences to that orgasm at age 38 that she previously mentioned. Back when she dropped that tidbit, she followed up to add that nothing was the fault of the dudes, and it was more about her own comfort. And these days, it’s good to hear her being comfortable again in podcast land.

(Via Us Weekly)

Blackpink is taking over the world. This past year, the ladies of the group released their sophomore album, Born Pink, embarked on a critically acclaimed tour, and performed at Coachella. While Blackpink has been killing it as a group, its individual members are also slaying as solo acts.

Back in June, Blackpink member Jennie made her acting debut as the fan-favorite Diane on HBO’s polarizing series, The Idol. Now, she is gearing up to release some solo music.

Blackpink’s official Twitter account revealed that Jennie’s new single, “You & Me,” will arrive later this week. “You & Me” marks Jennie’s first single outside of the group since her 2018 solo single, appropriately titled “Solo.”

Jennie has performed the song on stops during the Born Pink tour. In an interview with Harper’s Bazaar Korea (per Korea JoongAng Daily), she teased her upcoming solo era, saying, “I’m making a song that’s by Jennie, the most Jennie and something unique that is only Jennie’s”

The single’s poster notes that the single will be released through YG Entertainment — an announcement that arrives amid rumors of Blackpink members potentially not renewing their contracts with the label.

“You & Me” is out 10/6 via YG Entertainment and Interscope Records. Find more information here.

Aftershock Festival is kicking off in Sacramento, California this weekend, and has a lineup filled with a ton of bands to rock out to. For those who are going, here’s what to know about the set times for a few of each day’s key acts.

Thursday, October 5

White Reaper at 2:25-2:55 p.m. (Shockwave stage)
Pennywise at 3:30-4:10 (Shockwave)
AFI at 4:15-5:00 (Jack Daniel’s stage)
Pantera at 6:00-7:15 (Jack Daniel’s)
Senses Fail at 7:15-8:10 (DWPresents stage)
Incubus at 7:20-8:20 (Shockwave)
L7 at 8:20-9:10 (Coors Light stage)
Avenged Sevenfold at 8:25-9:55 (Jack Daniel’s)

Friday, October 6

Coheed and Cambria at 4:50-5:35 (Jack Daniel’s)
Megadeth at 5:40-6:30 (Shockwave)
Limp Bizkit at 6:35-7:35 (Jack Daniel’s)
Godsmack at 7:40-8:50 (Shockwave)
Tool at 8:55-10:45 (Jack Daniel’s)

Saturday, October 7

Babymetal at 4:45-5:30 (Shockwave)
Corey Taylor at 5:35-6:20 (Jack Daniel’s)
Parkway Drive at 6:25-7:15 (Shockwave)
311 at 7:20-8:15 (Jack Daniel’s)
The Amity Affliction at 7:40-8:20 (Coors Light)
Turnstile at 8:20-9:20 (Shockwave)
Korn at 9:20-10:45 (Jack Daniel’s)

Sunday, October 8

Mayday Parade at 2:05-2:35 (Shockwave)
Daughtry at 3:05-3:35 (Shockwave)
Dance Gavin Dance at 4:35-5:20 (Shockwave)
Movements at 5:25-6:10 (Coors Light)
Rancid at 5:25-6:15 (Jack Daniel’s)
Queens Of The Stone Age at 6:20-7:20 (Shockwave)
Guns N’ Roses at 7:25-10:25 (Jack Daniel’s)

Tickets for the fest are still available, including 4-day General Admission and VIP passes, as well as single-day tickets. Check out the complete set times for Aftershock Festival, along with more information, here.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

For months, the Portland Trail Blazers were in a holding pattern as they sought out a Damian Lillard trade that would come close to filling their needs for a rebuild. Trading a franchise star is never easy, particularly when they make clear they have a preferred destination, and even with that aside, you are almost never going to get full value in return for what that player provides.

That was the case with Lillard, but eventually the Blazers were able to get him to open his list of trade destinations up and found a team in the Bucks facing some pressure of their own to keep their superstar happy. With the Lillard trade (and the subsequent Jrue Holiday trade), the Blazers finally hit the reset button and come into 2023-24 with low immediate expectations but plenty of intrigue about their young core and some new additions from this offseason. Here, we’ll grade out their summer of moves starting with the Draft where they hope they’ve landed their new franchise cornerstone.

Draft: A

The Blazers landed the No. 3 pick in the Draft, but ended up with the second-best prospect in the eyes of many after the Hornets chose Brandon Miller over Scoot Henderson due to concerns about Henderson’s fit next to LaMelo Ball. That sends the former G League Ignite star guard to Portland where he ushers in a new era with the departure of Lillard, and will now join a fascinating young backcourt with Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe. Figuring out how those three work together — and if that trio should be the core long-term — is part of the upcoming evaluation process for the Blazers. Along with Scoot at 3, the Blazers also added Kris Murray (brother of Kings breakout rookie Keegan) with the 21st pick, providing some needed wing help and a 3-and-D type that should be able to contribute immediately. For those selections our Brad Rowland gave the Blazers an A and A- respectively, as they got great value from both pick spots.

In the majority of drafts over the last two decades, Henderson would’ve been the No. 1 overall prospect. With Victor Wembanyama involved, that wasn’t the case in 2023, but Henderson slipping to No. 3 on the board provides incredible value for Portland. Granted, the Blazers may have some interesting decisions to make in the future with Damian Lillard, but Henderson is too good to pass on with this pick.

Portland’s overall direction is quite interesting right now after the selection of Scoot Henderson and how that meshes with Damian Lillard. The selection of Murray works in any context, though, as he is a versatile combo forward that can shoot and defend. Yes, he’s older than most first-round prospects, but that is why he’s available now. It’s a very good value.

Free Agency/Contract Extensions: C+

The Blazers biggest free agency move was resigning Jerami Grant to a massive 5-year, $160 million deal. It was an eyebrow raising deal in the moment that became even more interesting after the Lillard trade request days later. For me, it’s the years, not the annual salary, that’s surprising in this deal, as I’m not sure who they were bidding against to need to give Grant that fifth year when he’ll be 34 and they’re going to have to start extending their youngsters like Sharpe and Henderson. The process there didn’t make a ton of sense, even though I absolutely see the value in having a veteran like Grant on the roster to help their young core. Portland also re-signed Matisse Thybulle, which is again a perfectly fine move to keep a solid defender on the roster you can pair with the young guards, and added Moses Brown, who will likely not touch the rotation now that they have Deandre Ayton and Robert Williams III. Overall this was never going to be a big summer in free agency for the Blazers and they did perfectly fine in bringing back who they did, it’s just the years on Grant’s deal that remain a bit of a mystery to me.

Trades: B

The Blazers may not be done wheeling and dealing this year, as they have taken a Russian nesting doll approach to point guards, trading Damian Lillard for Jrue Holiday for Malcolm Brogdon, who will absolutely be a trade target for contenders either prior to the season or at the deadline should Portland keep him around for the start of the year. It’s fairly clear after the return from Holiday became official that the Blazers did well in the Lillard trade and certainly seem to have gotten more out of it than they would’ve dealing with Miami. Holiday’s value was only raised by the Bucks getting Lillard, and the Blazers were able to ask for a very high price from other East contenders that now wanted an elite perimeter defender to deal with Milwaukee. Boston was willing to fork over Robert Williams III and Brogdon, along with two first round picks, to make that happen. All told, the Blazers netted three firsts, two swaps, Deandre Ayton, Robert Williams III, and Malcolm Brogdon (and Toumani Camara) for Lillard, which is a pretty good haul that could add even more draft assets in the future if they move Brogdon.

That’s not a return that replaces what Lillard provided and probably never will, but given the circumstances, they’ve done well. How you feel about the deal overall likely depends on your belief in Ayton, who they clearly valued as a better fit for their young team than Jusuf Nurkic. I still think Ayton has positive value and can be a particularly helpful player in Portland as a pick-and-roll partner for Henderson. Adding Williams as an elite rim defender is also a big help, and it’ll be fascinating to see how the Blazers deploy their two big men. They should have 48 minutes of good center play — which is somewhat ironic considering that was never the case in the Dame era — but how effective Ayton and Williams can be in two big lineup will likely determine if they can roll with those two long-term or if one (likely Williams) ends up back on the trade block.

Overall this was a wild offseason in Portland that was the culmination of a few years of decline that finally pushed Lillard to ask out — and I’m not so sure the Blazers front office wasn’t relieved by that request. They can now reset everything and try to build a contending roster again, but there are certainly no guarantees they hit the heights of the Lillard era.

Krazyzie Bone of Bone Thugs-N-Harmony is awake and appears to be recovering after a scary incident that left him hospitalized and “fighting for his life.” The Cleveland rapper returned to Instagram to share an update with fans, who were rightly relieved to find that he had survived his life-threatening health scare. “Just fought for life literally for 9 days straight,” he wrote in the caption. “And I only won the battle this time because I know Jehovah God was with me every step of the way fighting for me. Never take life for granted enjoy it while have you have it! Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers trust me I needed every last one of them.”

The 50-year-old rapper — whose real name is Anthony Henderson — was hospitalized late last month after coughing up blood when doctors discovered a bleeding artery in his lung. After undergoing surgery to repair the artery, Henderson was placed into a medically induced coma to recover, only for doctors to find that the bleeder returned, necessitating a second surgery. After bandmate Bizzy Bone asked for prayers on Twitter, fans of the pioneering Cleveland group responded in force, including fellow Cleveland native LeBron James. Here’s hoping Krayzie Bone continues to recover and gets to enjoy the renewed interest in the group in the last few years.

Lil Yachty always has the people talking. Whether it be about new music — like his new J. Cole collaboration “The Secret Recipe” — or if he’s the subject of a new meme, the internet is always abuzz for the Atlanta rapper. Lately, Yachty’s tattoos have been the subject of much conversation.

A picture of Yachty shirtless, with his tattoos in full view. Some of these tattoos include a compass, two replicas of figures designed by KAWS, and the word “Concrete” across his chest. Of course, some beholders couldn’t help but crack a joke.

“rappers spend so much money on jewelry but never on a good tattoo artist,” said one Twitter user.

Yachty caught wind of the Tweet, but it appears he’s in good spirits over the joke.

He quoted the tweet with a video of boxer Adrian Broner, saying, “Oh yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah… I ain’t gonna lie, I’m getting cooked.”

Yachty is currently on the road for his Field Trip Tour. In an interview with The Recording Academy before the tour kicked off, Yachty expressed his gratitude for the way people have received his new music, especially with his psychedelic shift on his latest album, Let’s Start Here.

“It did what it was supposed to do, which was transcend people,” said Yachty of Let’s Start Here. “If you are on that side of the world and you’re into that type of stuff, it did its job, its course — the same course as [Pink Floyd’s] Dark Side Of The Moon, which is to take you on a journey, an experience.

While Yachty’s tattoos may have garnered a mixed response, most of us can agree upon the quality of his music.