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Shocked girl asks older people how they looked ‘trivial’ things up before Google

Google and smart phones have been around so long that Gen Z doesn’t know a time before those things existed. They may have Googled what a card catalog was used for but plenty of them don’t know the pressure we all felt having to learn the dewy decimal system while walking around the library with a card with numbers scribbled on it.

They’ve never experienced the frustration of having an out of date Encyclopedia collection from the thrift store that was missing books “D” and “X-Z” when you had a research assignment due. Oh, sweet tech savvy – we not me generation, doesn’t understand that riding shot gun on a road trip meant you were suddenly a pirate with an Atlas map bigger than the dashboard.

Even as someone that was alive when having a rotary phone was the norm, I sometimes forget what life was like before all of the technological luxuries. It’s not surprising that Gen Z is confused on how we survived back then without knowledge at our fingertips, so when one of them asked, Gen X, Xennials and elder Millennials entered the chat.


Sarah Adelman posted a video to TikTok with the caption, “pls help I was born in 1997.” In the video she says she has a genuine question for older people and that’s when she asks, “what did you do before you could look something up?”

Adelman gives the example of something that isn’t in the dictionary or Encyclopedia. She wants to know what someone would do if there was a celebrity whose name you couldn’t remember or other trivial things like that.

“Would you go to the library? Like gen..and like okay, without Google Maps, like I know that there was MapQuest but before that like genuinely what would you do? Would you just accept not knowing,” the Gen Zer asks before saying she doesn’t think she would be able to survive without knowing.

Unfortunately for Adelman, the older generations informed her that this is exactly what we did back in the 1900s. We simply wondered about things that popped into our heads. In fact, since we knew there was no way of knowing the name of the actor that played on “Matlock” for one episode, we didn’t bother attempting to look it up. You’d either see them again in a rerun or it would come to you randomly while trying to locate a payphone.

“The name of an actor would come up to you 3 weeks later while you were eating a bowl of cereal,” one person writes.

“You would just be forever annoyed by it, keep it bookmarked in the back of your mind, then realize one day that dude’s name is Ray Liotta or something,” another commenter says.

“Ummm. I love how you reference Mapquest. We used maps. Just maps. Good ole paper maps,” someone writes.

“We just lived in blissful ignorance and then in the middle of a conversation about pretzels a week later we would just yell out the answer,” one person reveals.

To no one’s surprise Adelman did not like these answers. She replied to someone explaining that we simply wondered with, “I could never.” The official Google account even chimed in saying, “however it worked, sounds bad.”

Ehh, it wasn’t so bad. We didn’t know any different, but in a way Adelman had that good old fashioned pre-Google experience when she posed this question. You can watch the perplexed girl’s video below:

@sarah_adelman

Pls help i was born in 1997 #90s #genz #90skids #iphone #rant #question #funny

This article originally appeared on 9.7.23

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Gen X couple share a delightfully cheesy rap song welcoming millennials into their 40s

It is pretty wild to consider that Millennials are now entering their 40s and no longer hold the mantle of the young and up-and-coming generation. According to Pew Research, Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, so these days they range between the ages of 29 and 42.

These are the years when people begin to settle down, start families and experience the first uncomfortable signs of aging.

The Holderness Family is headed by a Gen X couple, Kim and Penn Holderness, who are best known for their viral comedy songs. Their latest video is about welcoming Millennials to their next phase in life, one that’s less about spending all night in the club and more about embracing a quieter, more practical life.

In this case, “the club” isn’t a loud place to get a Long Island iced tea but a state of mind where you’re more likely to appreciate a good walk for your mental health.


Holderness Family Music has over 797,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 230 million views since they started their page in 2011. They “create original music, song parodies, and skits to poke fun of ourselves, the world we live in, and (hopefully) make you laugh.”

The “Welcome to the Club, Millennials” video is a bit of a departure from the usual intergenerational bickering we’re accustomed to seeing on social media. Instead, Gen Xers open their doors to the Millennials entering the next phase in their lives. “Well, Gen X is here to say ‘don’t be bummed, come on in, welcome to the club,’” Penn raps.

According to the song, if you’re a Millennial and have done any of the following, you’re officially in “the club,” whether you know it or not:

Hung a calendar on your fridge

Have strong opinions on who’s the best “Jeopardy!” host

Play Wordle

Wore reader glasses

Drink seltzers

Had Gen Z call your clothes “vintage”

Gone Christmas shopping in October

Had a three-day hangover

Gone to a movie theater because it serves food

Took a mental health walks

Bought a chair for your back

Grooved to supermarket music

Own plastic houseplants

Taken supplements

Saved money for a Disney vacation

Have zero f**cks to give

Still love Blink-182

Millennials who are a little leery of aging should be happy to learn that they may be in the happiest times of their lives. According to developmental psychologists, the period of life between ages 30 to 45 is known as “established adulthood” and is a time of life when people are happiest.

Even though people in this age group are stuck in the “career and care crunch,” where they are likely to juggle a job while caring for children or older relatives, this developmental stage is also very fulfilling.

“Yes, people were feeling overwhelmed and talked about having too much to do in too little time,” Clare Mehta, Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College, wrote in The Conversation. “But they also talked about feeling profoundly satisfied. All of these things that were bringing them stress were also bringing them joy.”

This article originally appeared on 5.01.23

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Kristen Stewart And Her A24 Bodybuilding Movie Co-Star Katy O’Brian Bonded Over Cat Pee

A24
A24

Kristen Stewart sounds like a fun hang. The Crimes of the Future actress celebrated getting nominated for an Oscar by golfing (or as she put it, “Let’s go hit some balls into small holes”). She wanted Guy Fieri to officiate her wedding. She might even talk about her “stoner girl comedy” which she thinks is “really f*cking stupid” (complimentary) after offering you an edible. The latest chapter in the story of Stewart being cool comes from Katy O’Brian, her co-star in the upcoming A24 bodybuilding drama, Love Lies Bleeding.

In April 2022, in response to an aggregated Film Updates tweet about the film “looking to cast its lead for the role of a female bodybuilder,” The Mandalorian actress replied, “I’m free.” She also posted a photo of herself working out.

A convincing argument. Anyway, fast forward to December 2023, when A24 shared the first poster for Love Lies Bleeding. Guess who got the gig:

To quote @thisisnotahmad, “she really manifested it.”

O’Brian recently explained how it happened .@LAUFEYS6NS told me about LLB & I made a PowerPoint for casting about why I should get it & told my agent to get me in or I’d riot,” she wrote on X. “I had an audition, callback, chem read, coaching session, & 2 directors sessions before I was like you want me or not. Twas Werk but well worth it.” When a follower asked, “Was that the first time you met Kristen Stewart? How was that?” she replied, “Yeah she was just chilling in the corner so I went over to chat and I told her my car smelled like cat pee cuz my cat peed in it twice and she was like word.”

The Muppets were right: Hollywood is a magic store (that smells like cat pee).

Love Lies Bleeding, which also stars Jena Malone, Anna Baryshnikov, Dave Franco, and Ed Harris, premieres at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival.

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How To Watch Jack Harlow’s ‘No Place Like Home’ VR Concert

jack harlow 2023
William Wark

Jack Harlow is bringing it back home — and this time, he’s taking us with him for the full experience. Back in November, Harlow returned to his home state of Kentucky to kick off his third annual No Place Like Home Tour, during which he performs in various venues across the state. During the final show in Lexington, footage was captured as Harlow performed at Rupp Arena, to later be used in a special concert film and documentary.

On January 4, 2024, fans will be able to tune into Jack Harlow No Place Like Home: A VR Concert through the Metaverse. On that day, fans can watch the concert film, and get an intimate look at the making of the tour, beginning at 5 p.m. PT. Using the Meta Quest VR headset, fans will be able to get a full, first-person experience of the concert.

“At some point last year I realized how much of my home state I’ve never seen. I suddenly got this urge to take a tour bus across Kentucky with all my childhood friends. So that’s what we did,” Harlow said in a statement. “Six shows in different towns across the state, with the final stop being in Lexington. We decided my first show at the historic Rupp Arena was the perfect moment to capture in VR. Enjoy.”

Those who aren’t able to tune into the live premiere will be able to replay the concert until January 25.

Jack Harlow is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

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Michael Mann On ‘Ferrari’ And The Movies He Still Wants To Make

michael mann
Getty Image/Merle Cooper

When making movies, Michael Mann doesn’t compromise. And judging from his filmography, I tend to believe this is true. (I even love The Keep, a movie that is not Mann’s favorite.) Though my point was more the compromise of having to wait a few decades to get Ferrari made the way he wanted it made, but, as Mann points out, this is semantics. And this is definitely true.

In Ferrari, Adam Driver plays Enzo Ferrari, a man obsessed with making race cars, hiring race car drivers, and winning races. It’s hard not to see the parallels between Enzo Ferrari’s drive and Michael Mann’s drive – to the point Mann even halfheartedly agrees with this. Mann has been wanting to tell Ferrari’s story for decades now, but it had to be on Mann’s terms and Mann has finally derived the film he envisioned. Ferrari himself is a complicated individual and the story is not anywhere near a traditional biopic – focusing on Ferrari’s obsession with winning the Mille Miglia in 1957; the last year that race was ever held for reasons the movie explores – but would anyone expect a traditional biopic from Michael Mann? Also, Mann is a long way from being done as a director, listing off a litany of projects that we know about like Heat 2, and some we don’t really know about when he mentions he wants to make a sci-fi movie.

I kept thinking this while watching Ferrari, do you think there’s a connection between Enzo Ferrari trying to build a perfect race car, find the perfect driver, and you trying to get this movie made after all these years? I feel like there’s a parallel there.

Well, it’d be nice to draw that parallel, but probably the only… I think it’s just the fact that maybe there is a parallel, but it’s the fact that whether you’re making a movie or wanting to have a race team that’s succeeding – or if you’re an architect and you’re trying to build a building – it’s the same thing. You have an aspiration that’s dependent on some other people’s money.

That’s a good point. Enzo makes compromises to get what he wants. So I keep thinking, probably all your movies, the compromises you have to make to get what you want and like him you don’t make a lot of them, but when you make one, they’re about as perfect as they can be. But maybe I’m off base…

Yeah, I don’t make many compromises. The reason it took so long to make Ferrari is because I had opportunities to make it years ago if I wanted cut back the concept; cut back the imagination of what the film should be. And I decided I would only make the film if I could make it the right way or I wouldn’t make the film. So that’s one of the reasons it took so long. Because it could have been independently financed as a $35, $40 million dollar movie many years ago, but to do it the right way, there are a lot of hard costs like building the leather replica cars, for example. And so it had all be done right or I wouldn’t do it.

Waiting all these years to get it made is still sort of a compromise, with yourself…

That’s kind of semantic. It’s not really a compromise. Usually, there are a number of movies I want to make and I make those, but the nature of it is you want to make something and you can’t make it right now, but you can put it aside and go off and make The Last of the Mohicans, Heat, Collateral, Ali, The Insider. Out of those movies, I wanted to make them just as much as I wanted to make Ferrari. It’s not something you just want and you’re in a constant state of desire. What hooked me into Ferrari was the quality of the story. And so every time I thought, “Why don’t I just abandon this?,” I’d open up that screenplay and get to page two and got hooked into the people’s story all over again. But I also wanted to make Ali as much as I wanted to make Ferrari, as much as I want to make Mohicans and Heat and everything else.

And I know you were involved with Ford v Ferrari, and I read the interview where you talk about the differences your version would have had. I’m curious, if that actually happened, do you still make this one? Or would that have been your Ferrari movie?

I don’t know. That’s a really good question. I really don’t know what would’ve happened if I had made Ford v Ferrari. Ford v Ferrari and Ferrari both have one singular virtue: They’re very good stories. And the reason that movies that are in any way related to racing have never worked before, meaning that they weren’t successful – think about Grand Prix and Le Mans. There’s a lot of great work in it, but they’re really lacking in a fantastic story and the benefit of what Jez Butterworth did for Ford v. Ferrari is that, at the core of it, it’s a really great story.

But it does sound like this is the story of Ferrari you wanted to make, even though they’re both great stories. Is it better that it wound up that you didn’t make Ford v Ferrari?

Yeah, I think so. It’s a funny question because, I don’t know, I would’ve made a probably different Ford v Ferrari. I was very taken with the story of Ken Miles. That’s the story of Ford v Ferrari and the evocation of his life, which I found really interesting. But just comparing apples and oranges, I mean, they both exist simultaneously at the same time. They’re different and you put yourself into one thing, you put yourself into something else. I want to make something on the Battle of Wai in 1968 during the Vietnamese war. I want to make Heat 2. There’s a science fiction film I want to make…

Oh, what’s the science fiction film you want to make?

[Laughs] I can’t talk about it!

Watching this, you work so well with Adam Driver it feels like you’ve worked together, before, but you haven’t. But all your movies kind of feel like that. Other than working with Al Pacino and Jamie Foxx twice, you really don’t work with the same lead actors often.

You cast a movie, you cast a movie for the actor. Who’s the best actor if he’s going to play this part? Will they inhabit a certain character? And that’s the decision you make. And it has to be new every time. You don’t work with people out of… you have friends. I mean, I’m as friendly with Daniel Day-Louis today as I was when we were doing Last of the Mohicans. But each time, the authentic way to do this job is to find the actor who, if he embodies this character, is going to work within that narrative in the most powerful way.

I feel a lot of filmmakers do that. And I think it’s why your movies feel so unique.

What, just working with your friends?

Well, you said you cast who would be best in the role. And I don’t think every director does that.

Sure. Well, the way I do it… it’s very, very difficult, by the way, you’re talking about. I mean, I have a cameraman who’s my close friend. We’ve done four movies together. But he may not be the right cameraman for this next movie. And he has to understand that I have an obligation to the movie to do the best I possibly can. And that may mean not using him. And if that’s a problem, then he is not your friend. So that’s something that happens. That happens frequently.

You can contact Mike Ryan directly on Twitter.

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This Is The Type Of Cheese Chipotle Uses In Its Burritos, Bowls, And Tacos

Burritos
Chipotle/Uproxx

Something I love about Chipotle is how crazy they go on the shredded cheese. It doesn’t matter if you’re ordering a burrito, a bowl, or an order of tacos, if you ask for cheese you’re getting a large handful. If you ask for “a bit more cheese” you’re not getting a pinch more, you’re getting another handful. You don’t have to feel ashamed for asking for more cheese and you’re not going to get upcharged.

It’s a cheese-lovers paradise!

And it’s good cheese, too. Salty, creamy, a bit nutty… how is McDonald’s going to charge me extra for another slice of American cheese when Chipotle is over here grating its cheese from a block and not giving a second thought to us asking for more of it? It’s crazy. Let’s hope they don’t catch on.

If you can’t get enough of Chipotle’s cheese but don’t want to keep shelling out the money for a $10+ burrito, we feel that. So let’s bring some of that mild and buttery cheesy magic to your kitchen. There is a lot of debate about what cheese Chipotle uses, there are threads on Reddit where people try to crack the code. Is it some kind of combination of cheeses? Is it a Mexican cheese? But Chipotle is pretty open about what it uses, it’s written right on the Chipotle Ingredients list, a handy list of all 53 ingredients on the menu and where they’re used.

It’s Monterrey Jack. The only other cheese Chipotle uses is White Cheddar, which is blended with Monterey Jack for its Queso Blanco, but the shredded stuff that they pile into burritos, on top of bowls, and into your tacos? That’s pure Monterey Jack cheese.

If you’re going to pick up some Monterey Jack at the market, be sure you’re getting a block and shredding it yourself, not that pre-shredded stuff that is kept from metling together and sticking with a dusting of cellulose. Some of our favorite brands include Joseph’s Farms, Boar’s Head, and Tillamook. For a spicy twist on the flavor, reach for a pepper jack!

Looking for the best Chipotle burrito build? Hit up our deep dive on burrito builds here.

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Let’s Look Back At An Amazing Year In LGBTQ Film

Cinema Review
MGM/Uproxx

The past year showcased various nuanced LGBTQ+ stories on screen. Harrowing accounts of queer heartbreak, poignant tales of trans grief, and chaotic, homoerotic oeuvres portraying fatal attractions put a myriad of nuanced feelings on display. The LGBTQ+ community is in an exciting era of cinema, defying the monolithic boxes of yesteryear. The zeitgeist of modern times would not be the same without these incredible queer stories. As such, we wanted to take a moment to call out some of the most captivating and inspiring films, documentaries, and performances timed perfectly to the time of year when people are often looking for a few helpful suggestions on which films to catch up on. So here they are, in alphabetical order.

Movies

Bottoms

bottoms
orion

Bottoms is the raunchy queer teen sex comedy we’ve needed for years, courtesy of Shiva Baby director Emma Seligman, who co-wrote the movie with star Rachel Sennott. Sennott plays PJ, an unpopular high school senior who, along with her best friend Josie (Ayo Edebiri), decides to start an all-girl fight club in order to try and get closer to their crushes. Josie and PJ are as desperate to get laid as the boys of, say, Superbad, but it’s refreshing to see queer experiences portrayed in such a way. The characters are messy, the jokes (and the girls in the fight club) don’t pull their punches, and Sennott and Edebiri are pitch-perfect. Bottoms is as chaotic as high school actually is and its youthful queer humor feels authentic, not like teenagers written by 40-year-olds. Everyone who enjoys teen comedies can find something to love in Bottoms, no matter their sexuality. – Danielle Ryan

Every Body

Every Body
Focus Features

While many people are finally coming around to the idea that gender isn’t a binary, there still seems to be a misconception that sex somehow is, ignoring the existence of intersex people. Three such individuals are at the center of director Julie Cohen’s Every Body, which combines interviews with its subjects with archival footage to create more complete portraits of these unique people and their experiences. Sean Saifa Wall, Alicia Roth Weigel, and River Gallo share deeply from their personal lives, giving audiences insight into a population that is far too often forgotten. Every Body is as emotionally compelling as it is educational, and it should be compulsory viewing for not just LGBTQ people, but all people. – Danielle Ryan

May December

may december movie
netflix

Continuing to expand in his coveted catalog of queer oeuvres, May December director Todd Haynes tells a captivating story about an actress named Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman) making the trek to Savannah, Georgia, where she is researching Gracie Atherton-Yoo (Julianne Moore), a woman known for her titular “May December” relationship with her husband (Charles Melton), whom she had met when he was 13 years old. Though many moments in the film aren’t overtly queer, Haynes displays moments of fixation and fascination that border on fluidity, creating an instant classic in the LGBTQ+ film zeitgeist. – Alex Gonzalez

Mutt

Mutt Movie
Strand Releasing

There aren’t very many films about the transmasculine experience and fewer still that have the depth and heart of writer/director Vuk Lungulov-Klotz’s feature debut, Mutt. Mutt follows a young trans man named Feña (Lío Mehiel) as he reunites with his Chilean father, runaway teen sister, and straight ex-boyfriend all within the course of 24 hours. While there is a lot of pain at the center of Feña’s experience as a trans man, we also get to see the joy and love, too. Moments that could otherwise be played for melodrama are pleasantly understated — when Feña is misgendered at a bank, he comments on it but the scene moves on, just as life does, for example. Mutt asks the audience to try to see the world through Feña’s eyes, and it does a phenomenal job of showing us what that’s like. – Danielle Ryan

Nyad

Nyad
Netflix

Based on the incredible true story of Diana Nyad, Nyad features the swimmer played valiantly by Annette Bening detailing her efforts to swim from Cuba to Florida. Supporting Diana on her mission is best friend, Bonnie Stoll (Jodie Foster). Depicting the vitality of queer platonicism and chosen family, Nyad portrays the importance of community and how far our LGBTQ+ siblings can go with the right support system at hand. Nyad is a different type of hero story, but one that beautifully highlights one of several LGBTQ figures whose accomplishments often go unsung. – Alex Gonzalez

Saltburn

saltburn
MGM STUDIOS

Offering a compelling commentary on social stratification, Saltburn is equal parts compelling as it is provocative. Barry Keoghan’s Oliver Quick revels in chaos as he fixates on Jacob Elordi’s Felix Catton, carrying out a skillful master plan to earn his place within the Catton family. Though the movie, at times, tends to get lost in its own tumult, watching the events unfold proves addictive, and even anxiety-inducing. Saltburn certainly offers no shortage of thrills and — as evidenced by that shocking bathtub scene — spills. – Alex Gonzalez

Performances

Ayo Edebiri in Theater Camp

Ayo in Theater Camp
Searchlight

2023 was the year of Ayo Edebiri. The multi-hyphenate blew up this year with fantastic performances in Bottoms, The Bear, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and Theater Camp. In Theater Camp, she plays Janet, a new camp counselor at the scrappy AdirondACTS theater camp. While the rest of the counselors fret about the camp potentially shutting down due to the camp’s owner being comatose, Janet just sort of wings it. She lies about everything from her qualifications to her lesson plans for campers, but there’s something charming about it because her lies feel so harmless, especially compared to the ridiculous selfishness of the two lead counselors, played by Molly Gordon and Ben Platt. The child actors run away with Theater Camp, but Edebiri is a breath of fresh air among the adults who helps keep the film funny and light. – Danielle Ryan

Colman Domingo in Rustin

RUSTIN
NETFLIX

Rustin is the true story of Martin Luther King’s advisor Baynard Rustin, whose contributions to the civil rights movement have sadly been downplayed over the years due to his being an openly gay man. Domingo stars as Rustin and completely disappears into the role, taking on the civil rights leader’s mannerisms and vocal inflections in a performance that feels both big and intimate at the same time. The film is careful not to lionize Rustin and Domingo’s nuanced performance adds to its even-handed approach to some of the potentially controversial aspects of his life. In the film, Rustin has a conversation with a friend about how Black (and gay) men must be perfect in order for society to accept them, and it’s refreshing to see that Rustin doesn’t force its heroes to be perfect, just human. Domingo’s performance is searing, full of passion and anger often forced to linger just behind the poor pacifist’s eyes. It’s not just one of the best performances in an LGBTQ film this year, but one of the best performances from this year, period. – Danielle Ryan

Taylor Zakhar Perez in Red, White, & Royal Blue

Red White And Royal Blue
Amazon Prime

Fans couldn’t help but fall in love with Alex Claremont Diaz in Red, White, & Royal Blue, played charmingly by Taylor Zakhar Perez. Embodying the nuance of the underrepresented bisexual Latino man, Perez made even the most cynical of viewers smile by way of Alex’s wit and humor, and cry during his coming out moment with his mother, president Ellen Claremont, played by Uma Thurman. Plus, we were all rooting for Alex during his British quest to reunite with Prince Henry (Nicholas Galitzine) in a fight for love. – Alex Gonzalez

Trace Lysette in Monica

Monica
IFC Films

The secondhand emotion one feels from watching Monica is one of the most tangible products of queer cinema in cinema. In this heartbreaking redemption story, Trace Lysette plays the titular transwoman reuniting with her mother after years of estrangement. Capturing the feeling of queer loneliness and maintaining an air of mystery, Lysette carries a fresh story, bearing the burden of the heartache and pain she’s grappled with for years. – Alex Gonzalez

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Brenda Lee Had Her Turn, But Now Mariah Carey’s Christmas Favorite Is Back To No. 1 On The Hot 100 Chart

mariah carey
Getty Image

Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated December 23, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.

10. Dean Martin — “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!”

The holiday music takeover is nearly complete as this Dean Martin classic rounds out this week’s top 10.

9. Tate McRae — “Greedy”

McRae’s hit is one of just two non-holiday songs remaining on the new Hot 100. This follows her appearance on The Tonight Show last week.

8. The Ronettes — “Sleigh Ride”

This is the first time in the top 10 this holiday season for The Ronettes as “Sleigh Ride” bounds from No. 14 last week to No. 8 now.

7. Andy Williams — “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year”

Williams had a modest ascent this week, up from No. 8 to No. 7, with his 1963 Christmas hit.

6. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”

Once again, Harlow interrupts the holiday party as “Lovin On Me” remains in the top 10 despite the holly jolly season. Speaking of…

5. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

“A Holly Jolly Christmas” rose to No. 5 this week, so it’s now just one spot away from its all-time high at No. 4.

4. Wham! — “Last Christmas”

“Last Christmas,” meanwhile, holds steady at No. 4, a spot that represents its Hot 100 peak.

3. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”

Bobby Helms’ tune is also at its all-time high at No. 3, as there are two massive Christmas classics that keep getting in its way.

2. Brenda Lee — “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree”

This has been a historic holiday season for Brenda Lee, who managed to hold off Mariah Carey’s timeless hit from reaching No. 1 for two chart-topping weeks. The tides have turned now, though.

1. Mariah Carey — “All I Want For Christmas Is You”

After Lee’s temporary roadblock, Carey is back at No. 1 for a fifth consecutive holiday season, although this means the two have combined for a joint record: This is the first time two holiday songs have been No. 1 in a single holiday season. This is the 13th total week at No. 1 for “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”

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

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‘Damsel’ Starring Millie Bobby Brown: Everything We Know About The Netflix Movie (Update For December 2023)

Damsel Millie Bobby Brown
Netflix

Before Millie Bobby Brown returns for Stranger Things 5, she’s got a different kind of monster to slay for Netflix. Early next year, the actress stars in Damsel, a new fantasy film that flings a young princess directly into the path of a dragon. Only unlike other genre fare, no one’s coming to save this princess except herself.

Here’s everything we know about the epic adventure:

Plot

In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo opened up about the fantasy film written by Dan Mazeau and how it flips the typical damsel-in-distress fare with Brown’s performance as Elodie.

“If you think about the history of these kind of stories, in terms of the cinema, the princess is always being helped by somebody: the prince, the father, the king. What Dan did with this was adapting the story into a much more contemporary idea of a woman surviving by herself,” Fresnadillo said before touting Damsel as an “evolution” in Brown’s career.

“In this movie, she does a big step in terms of embracing a really strong independent woman,” Fresnadillo told EW. “Not at the beginning, because this is about a girl who’s very dutiful with her father, and she’s flying with the destiny that this family and this kingdom is thinking for her. But she has to grow up. She has to become strong and independent. Millie incarnates that in such an amazing way.”

Here’s the official synopsis:

A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.

Cast

Alongside Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie, Damsel stars Angela Basset as her stepmother Lady Bayford, Robin Wright as her future mother-in-law Queen Isabelle, and Nick Robinson as Elodie’s future husband Prince Henry. Ray Winstone rounds the cast as Elodie’s father Lord Bayford.

Damsel will also feature a “really different” type of dragon for Elodie to conquer, but the real villain will be Wright, who’s no stranger to fantasy fare thanks to her fan-favorite role in The Princess Bride.

Release Date

After previously teasing a 2024 release window, Netflix has finally confirmed a release date for Damsel. The dragon-fighting film starring Millie Bobby Brown premieres March 28, 2024 exclusively on the streaming platform.

Trailer

You can watch the official teaser below:

Damsel slays its way onto Netflix on March 28, 2024.

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The Smoothest Bourbons Under $100 For The Holidays, Ranked

Smoothest Bourbons for the Holidays
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Finding the smoothest bourbon isn’t as easy of a task as it used to be. There are just so many bourbons on the shelf. Plus we have seen a lot of sky-high ABVs this year, which can be great but certainly aren’t the easiest going down. Though the phrase is frowned upon in reviewing circles, smooth bourbon isn’t a bad thing. It’s simply “drinkable” without a ton of burn or rough edges.

If that sounds good, keep reading. Today, I’m going to call out 20 great bourbons that fit that bill.

The bourbons featured below are smooth AF and come loaded with holiday-sipping vibes. What does that mean exactly? These are all bourbons that lean into the winter spices, orange essence, brandied cherries, mincemeat, winter cakes, and chocolate notes. They feel like winter in a glass. Since we’re barreling toward 2024 with the holidays in full swing, leaning into smooth, holiday-centric flavors is a win-win.

I did rank these bourbons. Some are simply smoother — no rough edges or unbearable heat — and some just feel more Christmas-y. Still, they’re all A+ whiskeys when it comes to quality. The ranking is about how smoothly that holiday vibe comes through. Plus, you should be able to find most of these pretty easily.

Sound good? Let’s dive in!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

20. Jefferson’s Reserve Very Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Very Small Batch

Pernod Ricard

ABV: 45.1%

Average Price: $42

The Whiskey:

Jefferson’s hits it out of the park with their sourced whiskey. The “very old” element of this small-batched blend means that eight to 12 barrels of four unique bourbons were selected to be married, with the oldest clocking in at 20 years old. That whiskey is then proofed with soft Kentucky limestone water to bring it down to a very approachable 90.2 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Notes of vanilla meet spicy tobacco, leather, oak, and very buttery toffee with a hint of popped corn and apple pie mingle on the nose.

Palate: The palate holds to those notes while adding a mellow cherry with an almost cedar-infused cream soda.

Finish: The finish is short but full of all those woody, spicy, and apple pie notes again, with plenty of buttery mouthfeel and a cedar box full of rich tobacco leaves.

Bottom Line:

Let’s start with ultra-smooth. This whiskey is so easy to drink neat that it’ll hook rookies into bourbon for good. The almond, vanilla, and dark fruit with a dessert vibe help this one also nail the holiday vibes. And while it’s light and easily drinkable neat, you can also make damn fine cocktails with this one.

19. Jim Beam Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Jim Beam Single Barrel
Beam Suntory

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $20

The Whiskey:

Each of these Jim Beam bottlings is pulled from single barrels that hit just the right spot of taste, texture, and drinkability, according to the master distillers at Beam. That means this juice is pulled from less than one percent of all barrels in Beam’s warehouses, making this a very special bottle at a bafflingly affordable price.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with classic notes of vanilla sheet cake, salted caramel, wintry mulled wine spices, and a sense of cherry pie in a lard crust next to a hint of dried corn husk, old broom bristle, and dark chocolate pipe tobacco.

Palate: The palate layers in floral honey and orange zest next to sticky toffee pudding, old leather, and cherry tobacco layered with the dark chocolate with this lingering sense of coconut cream pie lurking somewhere in the background.

Finish: The finish leans into more woody winter spices (especially cinnamon bark and nutmeg) with rich toffee and cherry-chocolate tobacco braided with dry sweetgrass and cedar bark.

Bottom Line:

This is both very accessible — you should be able to find it easily — and full of holiday goodness (and it’s the best-priced whiskey on the list). The overall tone of the bourbon is holiday dessert-forward with incredible drinkability thanks to a deep smoothness. Pour it neat, on the rocks, or into your favorite holiday cocktail.

18. Bulleit Bourbon 10 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Diageo

ABV: 45.6%

Average Price: $45

The Whiskey:

This is classic (sourced) Bulleit Bourbon that’s aged up to 10 years before it’s blended and bottled. The barrels are hand-selected to really amplify those classic “Bulleit” flavors that make this brand so damn accessible (and beloved) in the first place.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A lot is going on with butter and spicy stewed apples, maple syrup, Christmas cakes full of nuts and dried fruit, and a hint of savory herbs all pinging through your nose.

Palate: The palate brings about smooth and creamy vanilla with plenty of butter toffee, sourdough crust, more X-mas spice, cedar bark, and a hint of dried roses.

Finish: The finish is long, warming, and really embraces the toffee and spice with a hint of those roasting herbs sneaking in late.

Bottom Line:

This is a big meal whiskey with a great balance — and smoothness thanks to low(ish) ABVs — of roasting herbs and winter spice working together. Pour this neat or into cocktails as a dinner and dessert pairing bourbon this holiday season and you’ll be all set.

17. Green River Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon Whiskey

Green River Wheated Bourbon
Bardstown Bourbon Company

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $33

The Whiskey:

This new release from Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Green River distillery is a wheated classic. The whiskey in the bottle is made from a mash bill (recipe) of 70% Kentucky-grown corn, 21% wheat, and 9% malted 6-Row barley. That whiskey then spends four to six years mellowing before batching, proofing, and bottling as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This pops on the nose with rich caramel next to soft roasted peach and apricot, cinnamon bark and nutmeg with a creamy vibe, and a hint of Cream of Wheat cut with maple syrup.

Palate: Toffee drives the palate toward Nutella and honey over buttermilk biscuits with an apple/pear tobacco aura that leads to a soft orange.

Finish: The end is rich and full of stewed fruits — peach, pear, orange, raisins — and a mild sense of oaky spice and a mild graininess.

Bottom Line:

This one deftly leans into holiday fruits with a nice winter spiciness, making it great for on the rocks pours or wintry cocktails (especially old fashioneds). The smoothness shines through with an almost creamy vibe to the fruitiness that just works.

16. Michter’s US*1 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Michters Distillery

ABV: 45.7%

Average Price: $43

The Whiskey:

Michter’s means the phrase “small batch” here. The tank they use to marry their hand-selected eight-year-old bourbons can only hold 20 barrels, so that’s how many go into each small-batch bottling. The blended juice is then proofed with Kentucky’s famously soft limestone water and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this is very fruity with a mix of bruised peach, red berries (almost like in a cream soda), and apple wood next to a plate of waffles with brown butter and a good pour of maple syrup that leads to a hint of cotton candy.

Palate: The sweetness ebbs on the palate as vanilla frosting leads to grilled peaches with a crack of black pepper next to singed marshmallows.

Finish: The end is plummy and full of rich toffee next to a dash of cedar bark and vanilla tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is another great fruit and spice-forward bourbon that’s versatile and smooth AF (it’s truly lush thanks to that approachable ABV). You can easily pour this over some rocks as a dessert pairing whiskey. But it’ll shine the brightest as a cocktail base for all those holiday cocktails you’ll want to make over the next weeks.

15. Evan Williams Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Heaven Hill

ABV: 43.3%

Average Price: $38

The Whiskey:

This is Heaven Hill’s hand-selected single barrel Evan Williams expression. The whiskey is from a single barrel, labeled with its distillation year, proofed just above 86, and bottled as is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a nice nose full of woody cherry and salted caramel with a tart apple edge and a soft leatheriness.

Palate: The palate feels and tastes “classic” with notes of wintry spices (eggnog especially) with a lush creaminess supported by soft vanilla, a hint of orange zest, and plenty of spicy cherry tobacco.

Finish: The end is supple with a hint of tart apple tobacco with a light caramel candy finish.

Bottom Line:

This is essential Kentucky bourbon with a perfect balance of dark fruit and spice centered around the aforementioned “lush creaminess” (which is fancy talk for “smooth”). That makes this an excellent sipper or mixer for whiskey-forward cocktails. This is also another amazingly well-priced product.

14. Maker’s Mark Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky

Maker's Mark Cask Strength
Beam Suntory

ABV: 56.25%

Average Price: $42

The Whisky:

This special release from Maker’s Mark is their classic wheated bourbon turned up a few notches. The batch is made from no more than 19 barrels of whiskey. Once batched, that whiskey goes into the barrel at cask strength with no filtering, just pure whiskey-from-the-barrel vibes.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Burnt caramel candies and lush vanilla lead the way on the nose with hints of dry straw, sour cherry pie, and spiced apple cider with a touch of eggnog lushness.

Palate: The palate has a sense of spicy caramel with a vanilla base that leads to apricot jam, southern biscuits, and a flake of salt with a soft mocha creaminess.

Finish: The end is all about the buzzy tobacco spiciness with a soft vanilla underbelly and a hint of cherry syrup.

Bottom Line:

You’ll want to cut your mulled wine, (smooth!) nogs, and hot apple ciders with this one. Or whip up some great Manhattans. Dealer’s choice!

13. Old Forester Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whisky 1920 Prohibition Style

Old Forester Bourbon
Brown-Forman

ABV: 57.5%

Average Price: $62

The Whisky:

Getting back to the years on the bottles, this expression “celebrates” the Volstead Act of 1920, which pretty much banned alcohol in the U.S. What this is really celebrating is that Old Forester was one of only six distilleries that were able to keep making and selling whisky (for medicinal purposes) during Prohibition. And that era’s production is what this blend mimics.

Tasting Note:

Nose: That classic choco-cherry note that a lot of Old Forester has come through on the top of this nose with maple syrup-soaked cedar next to a faint touch of caramel apple.

Palate: The palate is slightly nutty, bordering on Pecan Sandies, with a continuation of that maple syrup leading towards light pepperiness that’s almost like cumin as the cedar comes back into play.

Finish: The mid-palate sweetens pretty dramatically with a Caro Syrup feel to it as the spice hits on a wintery vibe and the taste ends with a finish of (almost smoked) dark chocolate powder on the very backend.

Bottom Line:

This is a sweet bomb, making it the perfect holiday dessert pairing whiskey. All that sweetness helps this one go down very easily, or smoothly if you will. Or you can pair this with a big pile of Christmas cookies and be very happy about it.

12. Henry McKenna Single Barrel Aged 10 Years Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Heaven Hill

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

This very affordable offering from Heaven Hill is hard to beat at its price. The juice utilizes a touch of rye in the mash bill and is then aged for ten long years in a bonded rickhouse. The best barrels are chosen by hand and the whiskey is bottled with just a touch of water to bring it down to bottled-in-bond proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens slightly tannic with rich orange zest and vanilla cream next to woody winter spice, fresh mint, and wet cedar with a hint of gingerbread and burnt cherry.

Palate: The palate hits on soft vanilla white cake with a salted caramel drizzle and burnt orange zest vibe next to apple/pear tobacco leaves dipped in toffee and almond.

Finish: The end has a sour cherry sensation that leads to wintery woody spices, cedar bark, and old cellar beams with a lush vanilla pod and cherry stem finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a bit of a “wow” pour that’s the epitome of smooth. It also used to be impossible to find about five years ago. Those days are gone and this one is pretty easy to get (especially online) these days. That’s great as this is a superb cocktail base for winter-forward cocktails or easy by-the-fire sipping over a big ol’ rock.

11. Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 3 Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Wyoming Whiskey National Parks No. 3
Edrington Group

ABV: 52.5%

Average Price: $79

The Whiskey:

This year’s Wyoming Whiskey Fall 2023 release is the third edition of the National Park series. This year Grand Teton National Park is the star of the show with a minimum five-year-old batch of bourbon aged in the plains of Wyoming as they descend from the Rockies.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Wyoming Bourbon’s signature orange creamsicle opens the nose with a sense of wet brown sugar, fresh unsalted butter, and little cups of toffee pudding before a hint of dry black tea leaves arrives.

Palate: The orange attaches to floral honey on the palate with a sense of coffee cake, Nutella, and soft vanilla pudding swimming in caramel sauce.

Finish: Pecan waffles with pancake syrup sweeten the finish before black tea sneaks back in with a mild sense of leathery tobacco and the stick from an orange creamsicle.

Bottom Line:

This is another great dessert-forward option for pairing with spice cakes, sugar cookies, or anything orange — which makes this a great candidate for bold old fashioneds. The smoothness really shines through thanks to that orange creamsicle vibe that runs throughout.

10. Fortuna Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Fortuna Bourbon
Rare Character Whiskey

ABV: 51%

Average Price: $84

The Whiskey:

This whiskey — a revival of a centuries-old dead brand — is from the new company founded by partners Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky, based around the Rare Character Whiskey shingle. The whiskey in the bottle is rendered from six barrels of six-year-old whiskey that’s expertly batched and bottled with just a touch of local Kentucky water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Fresh orange blossom and nasturtiums mingle on the nose with honeycomb next to stewed plums with hints of clove and allspice.

Palate: The palate is luxurious with a sense of salted caramel, cherry Dr. Pepper, and sticky toffee pudding with plenty of winter spice, dark orange zest, brandy butter, and black-tea-soaked dates.

Finish: The end has a sense of plum pudding with burnt sugars and orange tobacco kissed with star anise and clove, rolled up with wild sage and cedar bark, and wrapped in old leather pouches.

Bottom Line:

Caramel, orange, chocolate, toffee, brandy butter? That’s holiday flavors through and through and pure, lush smoothness. Pour this one into a glass over a big ice cube and let it wash over you. Hopefully, there’ll be a fire crackling nearby.

9. Jack Daniel’s Single Barrel Select Tennessee Whiskey

Jack Daniel

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This was first introduced in 1997. The whiskey is hand-selected from barrels on the upper floors of Jack’s vast rickhouses. The whisky is bottled at a slightly higher proof to allow the nuance of the single-barrel whiskey to shine.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The banana notes are drawn way back here and replaced by a clear sense of toasted oak, dark cherry, apple tobacco, and a hint of molasses.

Palate: That oak is the underpinning for notes of caramel corn, mild winter spice barks, and plenty of oily vanilla beans that are all countered by a soft cherry soda with a whisper of clove.

Finish: The sweet banana fruit is there on the end and marries well to a peppery spice, cherry gum, and mulled wine that amps up as the end draws near with plenty of that toasted wood lingering the longest.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic and deeply fruity whiskey that counters with great spice, creaminess, and lush vibes. This is one of the best options for an after-dinner pour when the dishes are done and you’re ready to just relax with a good whiskey in your hand that reminds you of everything that just happened.

8. Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon
Campari Group

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $83

The Whiskey:

This is a high water mark of what standard Wild Turkey can achieve. The Russells select the “honey barrels” (those special barrels that are as much magic as craft) from their rickhouses for single barrel bottling. The resulting whiskey is non-chill filtered but is cut down slightly to proof with that soft Kentucky water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Vanilla cream spiked with orange oils and sprinkled with toasted coconut mingle with spicy oak and buttery cake on the nose with an underpinning of winter spices by way of a sour mulled wine.

Palate: The palate opens with easy notes of marzipan, subtle dried roses, vanilla pods, more winter spices, and singed cherry bark.

Finish: The end arrives with a sense of Almond Joy next to cherry tobacco dipped in chili-infused dark chocolate with a flake of salt and a pinch of cedar dust and old leather saddles.

Bottom Line:

This is a great dessert, candy, or cookie binge-pairing whiskey. Hell, dip a sugar cookie in this whiskey and you’ll be transported to a winter wonderland. That also means that this is a great cocktail base for Manhattans, smooth nogs, or even boulevardiers.

7. Knob Creek Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 12 Years

Beam Suntory

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $74

The Whiskey:

This is the classic Beam whiskey. The whiskey is left alone in the Beam warehouses in Clermont, Kentucky, for 12 long years. The barrels are chosen according to a specific taste and mingled to create this aged expression with a drop or two of that soft Kentucky limestone water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This opens with clear notes of dark rum-soaked cherry, bitter yet creamy dark chocolate, winter spices, a twinge of a sourdough sugar doughnut, and a hint of menthol layered with smudging sage and orchard barks.

Palate: The palate leans into a red berry crumble — brown sugar, butter, and spice — with a hint of dried chili flake, salted caramels covered in dark chocolate, and a spicy/sweet note that leads toward a wet cattail stem and soft brandied cherries dipped in silky dark chocolate sauce.

Finish: The end holds onto that sweetness and layers in a final note of pecan shells and maple candy before leaning into a creamy vanilla cream spiked with tobacco and stewed prunes, dates, and figs.

Bottom Line:

Okay, we’re in great sipper territory now. This is quintessential Kentucky bourbon with a deep dark fruitness accented by smooth winter spice that presents as the best fruitcake or sticky toffee pudding you’ve ever had in whiskey form. Break the board games and pour this into a glass, it’ll be divine.

6. Four Roses Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
Kirin Brewery Company

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $57

The Whiskey:

This Single Barrel from Four Roses is a slightly proofed version of their famed OBSV recipe (read about what that means here). That’s a bourbon recipe with delicate fruit yeast and a high-rye mash bill. A single barrel of that was picked from the north side of Warehouse P (a beloved position for Four Roses’ single barrel fans — yes, barrel position and warehouses make a big difference).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Woody maple syrup and cinnamon sticks lead to a hint of pear candy with a vanilla underbelly on the nose.

Palate: The palate lets the pear shine as the spices lean into woody barks and tart berries next to leathery dates and plums with a butteriness tying everything together.

Finish: A spicy tobacco chewiness leads the mid-palate toward a soft fruitiness and a hint of plum pudding at the end with a slight nuttiness and green herbal vibe.

Bottom Line:

This is a concise and deep pour of whiskey. Pair this with a pecan pie or a sticky toffee pudding (super lush and smooth versions), or make a pecan pie old fashioned or a sticky toffee pudding-inspired Manhattan. Or just pour it neat and enjoy it with desserts throughout the season.

5. Noah’s Mill Small Batch Genuine Bourbon Whiskey

Screen-Shot-2021-06-02-at-10.12.59-AM.jpg
Kentucky Bourbon Distillers

ABV: 57.15%

Average Price: $67

The Whiskey:

This is the bigger and bolder sibling of Willett’s Rowan’s Creek Bourbon. It’s the same whiskey — a no-age-statement bourbon that’s made from four to 15-year-old barrels — that’s barely proofed down with local Kentucky water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Maple syrup-covered walnuts greet you with a sense of dark dried cherries and a hint of rose water next to old leather books and holiday spices.

Palate: The taste holds onto those notes while adding in a stewed plum depth with a whisper of caramel apple and orange oils.

Finish: The vanilla and sweet oak kick in late with a rich depth and well-rounded lightness to the sip fade towards lush cherry tobacco, soft leather, and winter spice matrix tied to prunes and dates.

Bottom Line:

This is a lush and very approachable whiskey that shines when poured neat. It’s also so refined that’ll it work with every stage of a big holiday or meal or just as an easy sipper while you wrap presents and want to get into the holiday mood.

4. Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Wild Turkey

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $78

The Whiskey:

Bourbon legend Jimmy Russell hand selects eight to nine-year-old barrels from his Wild Turkey warehouses for their individual taste and quality. Those barrels are then cut down ever-so-slightly to 101 proof and bottled with their barrel number and warehouse location.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is as bold as it is classic with a spice matrix brimming with cinnamon, clove, star anise, cardamom, and nutmeg next to dry cedar kindling, black-tea-soaked dates, rum-raisin, and tart dried cranberry tobacco.

Palate: The vanilla creates a lush underbelly as old boot leather mingles with marzipan, orange blossoms, and creamy dark chocolate flaked with salt.

Finish: The end is softly warm with a sense of that marzipan covered in lightly spiced dark chocolate next to old tobacco braided with old wicker and dry cedar bark.

Bottom Line:

This is the most holiday-forward Wild Turkey that’s widely available. This is delectable and delicate (another fancy way of saying “smooth AF”) with a deep sense of holiday cakes, cookies, and desserts. It’s deep and luscious and will perfectly accent any part of your holidays whether poured neat or on the rocks.

3. Legent Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Partially Finished in Wine & Sherry Casks

Beam Suntory

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $37

The Whiskey:

This bottle from Beam Suntory marries Kentucky bourbon, California wine, and Japanese whisky blending in one bottle. Legent is classic Kentucky bourbon made by bourbon legend Fred Noe at Beam that’s finished in both French oak that held red wine and Spanish sherry casks. The whiskey is then blended by whisky-blending legend Shinji Fukuyo at Suntory.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Plummy puddings with hints of nuts mingle with vinous berries, oaky spice, and a good dose of vanilla and toffee on the nose.

Palate: The palate expands on the spice with more barky cinnamon and dusting of nutmeg while the oak becomes sweeter and the fruit becomes dried and sweet.

Finish: The finish is jammy yet light with plenty of fruit, spice, and oak lingering on the senses.

Bottom Line:

This is all about those lush dark fruits that you find in creamy chocolates and spiced winter cakes this time of year. And while this is a very nice and easygoing neat pour for sipping all holiday long, this is a killer cocktail base (especially for wintry Manhattans).

2. Eagle Rare Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Aged 10 Years

Screen-Shot-2021-08-18-at-2.08.54-PM.jpg
Sazerac Company

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $47

The Whiskey:

This might be one of the most beloved (and still accessible) bottles from Buffalo Trace. This whiskey is made from their very low rye mash bill. The hot juice is then matured for at least ten years in various parts of the warehouse. The final mix comes down to barrels that hit just the right notes to make them “Eagle Rare.” Finally, this one is proofed down to a fairly low 90 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Old leather boots, burnt orange rinds, oily sage, old oak staves, and buttery toffee draw you in on the nose before a sense of old fallow fruit orchards with falling leaves hints at old brick barrelhouses in the distance with a whisper of dried apple.

Palate: Marzipan covered in dark chocolate opens the palate as floral honey and ripe cherry lead to a winter cake vibe full of raisins, dark spices, and toffee sauce before deep and earthy barrel warehouse vibes arrive with a sense of the cobwebs, mold, and ancient wood takes over.

Finish: The end has a balance of all things winter treats as the marzipan returns and the winter spice amp up alongside a hint of spicy cherry tobacco and old cedar wrapped with smudging sage, old fall leaves, and bourbon-soaked oak stave from decades ago.

Bottom Line:

This is the essential smooth Kentucky pour this time of year. Pour this over one big rock and let it carry you away like your favorite Christmas tune.

1. Pursuit United Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished with Toasted American and French Oak

Pursuit United
Pursuit United

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $75

The Whiskey:

The latest release from the Bourbon Pursuit team is a blend of four to six-year-old bourbons. The three bourbons involved are a Finger Lakes whiskey (70/20/10 corn/rye/malted barley), an MGP bourbon (60/36/4 corn/rye/malted barley), and an undisclosed Tennessee whiskey (80/10/10 corn/rye/malted barley). Those whiskeys were finished in both American and French toasted oak barrels before batching and bottling with a touch of Kentucky water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dark chocolate nut clusters (pecan and walnut heavy) mixed with burnt orange, a hint of mulled wine, and rum-raising with an echo of fresh cedar on the nose.

Palate: The palate has a sense of Nutella over scones with a Cherry Coke on the side while singed cedar and cherry bark mingle with clove-studded oranges and a hint of freshly cracked black pepper.

Finish: The end has a nice spicy warmth and a touch more of that singed wood next to spicy cherry tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This small bottler in Kentucky is doing amazing work and really dialed in their craft in 2023. This ultra-lush whiskey is the perfect holiday accompaniment to everything from a big family meal to a wintry cocktail session with your crew, or slow sipping while you kill a plate of gingerbread cookies all by yourself.