Month: January 2024

Scotch whisky can feel expensive. That’s because a lot of it is. There’s no getting around the fact that it comes from further away and that makes Scotch whisky simply cost more — even at entry-point levels. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t good Scotch whiskies out there that won’t break the bank. There are. Let’s shine a light on those.

Below, we’re calling out 10 Scotch whiskies that all cost less than $30 and actually taste pretty damn good. Now look, these whiskies aren’t going to change your life. These are whiskies where you take a sip and think “Hum, that’s actually pretty good whisky…” Let’s make it clear though. You’re not going to take a sip of these whiskies and think “Oh my god, where’s this whisky been all my life?!?!?!” This is mixing whisky (for the most part). And that’s okay.

As far as pricing goes, these prices are based on Total Wine in Louisville, Kentucky. Prices are going to vary ever so slightly depending on your region (local taxes can vary pretty dramatically). So some of these whiskies may slip above the $30 mark in some markets. That’s just the way it is. Still, the throughline is that all of these whiskies are very drinkable. Let’s dive in!

• The 50 Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2023 (So Far), Ranked
• The Best Scotch Whiskies Of 2023, Ranked
• Every Bottle Of Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky, Power Ranked For 2023
• Great Single Malt Scotch Whiskies Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The Smoothest Single Malt Whiskeys On The Market, Blind Tasted And Ranked

10. Clansman Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $13

The Whisky:

This blended scotch from Loch Lomond is as bottom shelf as you can get in the U.S. That said, this blend takes barrels of grain and malt whiskies from the famed Loch Lomond distillery and aims them towards a fruity and sweet nature before proofing and blending.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A slight note of bourbon vanilla shines through on the nose with hints of citrus, almonds, and watered-down honey — kind of like stirring honey into a tepid glass of tap water.

Palate: The palate has a mix of dried fruits — raisins, prunes, and maybe dates — with more watered-down honey syrup, a touch of Almond Joy, and a hint of mulled wine.

Finish: The end leans into the dried fruit and mulled wine spices with a final note of what feels like smoked honey.

Bottom Line:

This whisky won Double Gold at the famed San Francisco World Spirits Competition in 2022. Does that make it the best whisky from Scotland, of course not. It simply means that it is an exceptional example of the category. It does however make it a decent blended scotch worth using as a base mixer for bolder flavors like Coke, ginger ale, or fruity lemonades.

Grant’s Triple Wood Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $18

The Whisky:

Willam Grant & Sons have a deep bench of whisky distilleries to draw their malt and grain whiskies from for this expression, which includes The Balvenie, Glenfiddich, and Girvan (Scotland’s largest producer of grain whisky). The ripple with this blend is the triple barreling with new oak, American oak, and re-fill American oak, the latter two both being ex-bourbon casks.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The sip opens with clear butterscotch next to an almost tin can vibe with a hint of spicy and honeyed malts.

Palate: The palate is slightly fruity with apple core and stem notes next to more of that spiced malt and butterscotch with a soft mineral water note.

Finish: The end is malty but only just barely as the apple core, honey, and butterscotch fade away pretty quickly.

Bottom Line:

This is another great mixer. Mix this with a citrus-forward soda or a ginger beer and a squeeze of lime and you’ll be all set.

Johnnie Walker Red Label Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $20

The Whisky:

Johnnie Walker’s entry point expression is also the best-selling scotch expression on the planet. The whisky is a blend of single grain and single malt whiskies from Diageo’s deep stable of distilleries around Scotland that’s specifically designed to be mixed and not taken straight.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose reminds you more of a sweet and citrusy Speyside or Highland whisky.

Palate: The palate holds onto those notes while adding a peppery spice and a hint of orchard fruits.

Finish: The end shifts towards Islay with a wisp of smoke as the sip fades quickly away while warming you with alcohol heat.

Bottom Line:

This is the quintessential highball whisky. It’s made to be mixed with Coke, ginger ale, lemon-lime soda, and fizzy mineral water. Use it accordingly and you’ll be in for an easy-drinking and lightly smoked whisky treat.

The Famous Grouse Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $21

The Whisky:

The Famous Grouse is an old-school blend that got its start in a Scottish grocery store where grocers often blended their own whiskies to sell. The whisky is now a mix of single malts and single grains with a focus on parent company partners Highland Park and The Macallan.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a Christmas cake nose that’s spicy, fruity, and malty and supported by a note of citrus.

Palate: The palate keeps those nose notes rolling with an additional whisper of oak and a hint of malted cookies dipped in lightly smoked honey.

Finish: The end is short and creamy with a distant wisp of campfire smoke far off in the distance.

Bottom Line:

This is another great option for mixing highballs. It really shines with a dash of Coke, which works with that hint of smoke quite well.

Copper Dog Speyside Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $25

The Whisky:

This is a release from Diageo that utilizes a lot of Speyside whiskies. Eight single malts are chosen for this blend to highlight the small region within the Scottish Highlands specifically.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is classic Speyside from nose to finish with apple and honey dominating the whole way through.

Palate: The palate adds a warm oaty malt and spice next to a very slight nuttiness and maybe a touch of orange marmalade. Imagine an oatmeal-walnut scone with a dollop of that jam on top and you’ll be there.

Finish: The end is short, spicy warm, and slightly honeyed.

Bottom Line:

This has a nice sweetness that helps it work in classic highballs with good mineral water and a citrus or floral garnish.

X by Glenmorangie Single Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $29

The Whisky:

This single malt from the famed Highland distillery, Glenmorangie, is built to be the ultimate single malt mixing whisky. They don’t release much else about the blend besides being a mix of their iconic single malts “made for mixers.”

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is full of grapefruit pith next to ripe pears and vanilla pods, all in equal measure, next to a hint of orange oils and maybe a little wildflower.

Palate: The palate builds on that orange towards a bright orange sherbert, a vanilla pudding creaminess, burnt sugars, light and sweet marzipan, and a touch of dark chocolate infused with red chili flakes.

Finish: The finish really leans into the spicy chocolate and gets slightly bitter as the spice mellows towards mulled wine spices and a touch more sweetness.

Bottom Line:

This is built to be mixed. If you have good mineral water on hand, use it with this for a killer highball (garnish with a dried floral or woody botanical). You can also mix up a good citrus-forward cocktail with this one.

Dewar’s Aged 12 Years Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $28

The Whisky:

Dewar’s blends malt and grain whiskies from over 40 distilleries with the famed Aberfeldy at its core. The whisky is blended and then aged for an additional six months in oak to marry all the flavors before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a matrix of vanilla, oak, and caramel up top that leads towards malts and Christmas spices with an emphasis on nutmeg.

Palate: That vanilla gets very creamy and a sweet, almost peanut brittle edge arrives with a little dried fruit.

Finish: The mid-palate holds onto that sweetness as the maltiness and warmth come back for a fairly quick fade toward the finish.

Bottom Line:

This whisky is a great table whisky to have on hand for everyday sipping over some rocks. It also works wonders in citrus-forward cocktails or classic highballs with a twist of lime.

Naked Malt Blended Malt Scotch Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $29

The Whisky:

The whisky in the bottle is a blend of sherry-cask-finished whiskies from The Macallan and Highland Park. The whisky is then cut down to a very accessible 80-proof and then bottled in a nicely understated bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sweet malt buried under a buttery scone dripping with raspberry jam with a touch of light spice lurking in the background.

Palate: The sherry really kicks in on the palate with big notes of dates soaked in black tea next to creamy caramel, vanilla cake, and a touch of dry raisins.

Finish: The end doesn’t overstay its welcome and leaves you with a lovely note of chocolate-covered cherries with a sweet/dry vibe.

Bottom Line:

This works best in a classic highball with a 50/50 scotch/mineral water ratio. Add a bold garnish and you’ll be set!

Monkey Shoulder Blended Scotch Whisky

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27

The Whisky:

This Speyside blend is crafted as a workhorse whisky. The juice is drawn from the William Grant & Sons stable of distilleries. The juice is then rested for up to six months after blending to let it mellow even more before proofing and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a nice welcoming note of creamy vanilla that almost becomes cream soda, next to hints of zesty orange marmalade, malts, and dark spices.

Palate: The taste delivers on those notes by amping the spices up to Christmas cake territory with a slight tart berry edge next to that cream soda sweetness.

Finish: The end is short and sweet with a nice lightness that really makes this very drinkable.

Bottom Line:

This is another whisky that’s specifically made for mixing. Cirtus-forward cocktails are the backbone of this whisky’s vibe. We’d also argue that you can pour this over some rocks and add a dash of bitters for a nice and very easy sipper too.

Cutty Sark Blended Scotch Whisky Aged 12 Years

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $24

The Whisky:

This blended whisky is a throwback to a blend created in 1923. The whisky in the bottle is made from mostly Speyside single malt and single grain whiskies that highlight brightness and light flavor notes reminiscent of the seaside.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is strikingly deep with a sense of orchard fruits and wild summer flowers next to a sense of honeycomb and a whisper of sea-soaked driftwood.

Palate: Soft vanilla sneaks in early on the palate thanks to old oak before bright orange oils and fresh lemon rinds lead to a rush of fresh tart apples and a hint of wisteria blooms.

Finish: The finish is soft and vibrant with a deep sense of orange oils, lemon-lime pie, and soft buttery vanilla with a light sense of fresh florals on a summer day.

Bottom Line:

This is one of those whiskies that’s light but delivers vibrance. It’s best over some rocks or in a classic 50/50 highball with a muddling of lime in the bottom. Protip, add a pinch of sea salt to the highball to really let it pop on the palate.

Elton John just wrapped up his Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour last year, and now it looks like he’s already found a new creative endeavor to fill that void.

Are Elton John and Brandi Carlile making an album together?

It appears so.

Neither artist has said anything about it publicly, but The Who’s Pete Townshend recently told Clash, “Elton is so fraught with loss at not knowing what to do next. He’s just gone over to LA to make an album with Brandi Carlile. They made an album together in two weeks. He says it’s one of the best things they’ve ever done.”

As the publication notes, Townshend and John have been friends “for over 50 years now” and they “speak almost every day,” so it would appear Townshend is a reliable source on John’s goings-on.

Townshend said of his and John’s relationship, “He appears on FaceTime every other morning… often when I’m in bed! ‘Hello, it’s Elton!’ He’s great company. And he’s very smart. But he’s also a wonderful musicologist, you really keep some with what’s new. See, when he attaches onto somebody, he’s sincere about it, I still find myself pretending to like people that I’m not sure that I like because they appear to be unbelievably cool.”

Apple TV just sent Severance fans into a frenzy after seemingly teasing the heavily anticipated Season 2. The streaming service dropped a tweet featuring nothing but an image of Adam Scott, but that was enough for social media to go bananas at the prospect of the new season hopefully arriving soon.

As of this writing, there’s no release date for Season 2. However, fans are hoping Apple TV’s increased social media activity is sign that good news is on the horizon.

You can see the tweet below:

Here’s what the ALT image tag reads, which doesn’t really offer much in the way of Season 2 clues or even acknowledge which season the photo is from:

From Severance. Mark Scout (Adam Scott) in a close-up shot, looking straight ahead against a blank white wall. The top of his black suit jacket and white button-down shirt are visible. He wears a miserable expression.

But, again, just seeing Scott in character as Mark had Severance fans wilding as they fired off quote tweets with excited GIFs.

You can see some of the reactions below:

While the (maybe) first image from Season 2 leans heavily into Mark, creator Dan Erickson has said the new season will explore the split lives of the other cast members.

“In season 2, we’re going to be showing all of these people on the outside,” Erickson told Entertainment Weekly. “Similar to Mark, they each had their own reason for getting this procedure, and they’re all at some stage of a healing process for one thing or another.”

(Via Apple TV on Twitter)

Not many people can claim they were the best thing about the second-highest-grossing movie of the year, but Jack Black can. To be fair, that’s a hyper-specific thing to brag about, but The Super Mario Bros. Movie MVP Black didn’t get nominated for an Oscar for his performance of “Peaches”, so let him have this, OK?

The Kung Fu Panda 4 star is quickly becoming the king of the video game movie with not only Mario but also (technically!) Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and Jumanji: The Next Level; Borderlands (he voices robot Claptrap in the long-delayed adaptation); and now Minecraft.

Deadline reports that Black has joined the cast of the Minecraft movie, based on the best-selling video game ever. The ensemble also includes Jason Momoa, What We Do in the Shadows great Matt Berry, Emma Myers, Danielle Brooks, and Sebastian Eugene Hansen. The logline from Warner Bros reads, “The malevolent Ender Dragon sets out on a path of destruction, prompting a young girl and her group of unlikely adventurers to set out to save the Overworld.”

Rob McElhenney was originally tapped to make a Minecraft movie, but as the It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator explained, the studio didn’t love his vision. “I don’t harbor any resentment,” he said, “I get it. I get the way that it works.” Maybe McElhenney and Mario star Charlie Day can get Black on It’s Always Sunny instead? It’s shocking it hasn’t already happened. Tenacious D can play a set at Paddy’s.

(Via Deadline)

Over the weekend, John Mayer appeared on CNN’s New Year’s Eve show, where he was interviewed by Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper. However, Mayer wasn’t appearing in person, but from somewhere way more unique: a cat bar in Japan.

The choice of Mayer’s venue for a celebration caused Cooper to burst out in hysterical laughter, likely caused by the fact that the two hosts were allowed to drink again for the 2024 New Year’s Eve show.

“It’s a place you can come, enjoy a drink or two, and talk to cats,” Mayer said, as the animals could be seen walking in the background. “It’s a cat bar. I don’t know how much more clear I can be about the objective of this place.”

“Just the shot of the cat’s ass in your face is making him delirious,” Cohen joined in, commenting on Cooper giggling off to the side.

The exact bar was called Bar Cats In The Box. Mayer had been performing in Japan, including a show at Tokyo’s Blue Note on December 30 — which is likely how he winded up hanging out with cats. And, while cat coffee shops have become more of a thing in the States, bringing cats to the bar is still something new.

Check out the clip of Mayer causing laughter from the cat bar below.

We’ve spent a lot of time calling out very expensive bourbons over the last months. The end of a year has that effect with special releases, once-in-a-lifetime gifting opportunities, and year-end lists. Let’s get back to basics and name some amazingly tasty bourbons that all cost less than $20 per bottle.

Below, we’re calling out 10 bottles of bourbon that both taste great and cost less than a 20-spot. And let’s get this out of the way. Yes, there are very good bourbons that still cost less than $20. But those bourbons aren’t going to be mind-blowing or life-changing. They’re just going to be really good and get the job done without being offensive. What more can you ask for? It should also come as no surprise that it’s the big Kentucky industrial distilleries that can afford to produce good-quality bourbon at this price point.

Lastly, there’s price. All of these prices are based on Total Wine in Louisville, Kentucky. Prices have gone up since last year at this tier. Most of these bottles are anywhere from $1 to $4 pricier than the same time last year. That means that these bottles may sneak above $20 in your region (depending on availability and local taxes). Thems the breaks, folks. Let’s dive in!

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys Of 2023, Ranked
• The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The Best Bourbons Under $100 For Thanksgiving Dinner, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The Best Mainstream Bourbons Under $40, Blind Tasted And Ranked

10. Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon Whisky

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $18

The Whisky:

Old Forester’s 86 Proof is a very straightforward whisky. The mash bill is mid-range rye with 18% next to 72% corn and a final 10% malted barley (the same bill for all their bourbon). The juice is aged in a fairly heavily charred oak barrel for an undisclosed amount of time (the youngest barrel is likely older than four years). The whisky is then blended and proofed down to a very manageable 86 proof.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a big nose of vanilla-cherry tobacco with a hint of fresh mint lurking in the background next to a touch of floral honey.

Palate: The taste has a grilled corn-on-the-cob vibe with a hint of pepper and butter next to small doses of citrus and soft oak.

Finish: The end is surprisingly long and leaves you with a spicy warmth and a touch more of that sweet corn and butter.

Bottom Line:

This is a great place to start your love affair with Old Forester’s bourbons. They release some amazing limited editions throughout the year alongside a killer core line. This expression is specifically built as a mixer. You make highballs or simple dive bar cocktails with this one. It shines brightest in those applications. So break out the Coke and ginger ale and have some fun with this one!

9. Benchmark Bonded Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $18

The Whiskey:

This four-year-old bonded bourbon is the budget version of Buffalo Trace’s Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. line — it’s the same mash bill and all of those bourbons are bonded too. That also means that this bourbon is only proofed down to 100 proof, far above the Old No. 8 entry point for this brand’s cheapest bottle.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is surprisingly bright with a nose full of lemon-honey tart sweetness, a touch of vanilla extract, a hint of charred wood, and maybe a little wet leather.

Palate: The taste keeps it simple and really leans into the oak and vanilla while the honey sweetness mellows to a standard caramel with a hint of spicy tobacco.

Finish: The end is pretty short but leaves you with that vanilla, honey, and tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This is the most drinkable and mixable Benchmark. The whiskey shines through in a whiskey and Coke. It also works really well as a beer and a shot of bourbon for your dive bar nights at home with your crew. You can make a cocktail with this, but there are better options further down this list for that.

8. J.W. Dant Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $15

The Whiskey:

This whiskey is made with the iconic Heaven Hill bourbon mash bill — 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. The nuance is that the barrels chosen for this brand follow a different flavor profile than the ones for the other iconic bourbons coming out of Heaven Hill these days. Think of this like a throwback bourbon to the 1950s that hasn’t changed all that much (besides the age of the barrels in the whiskey).

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is pure banana bread brimming with buttery cake, walnuts, cinnamon and nutmeg, and a touch of honey.

Palate: The palate leans into the wood with a No. 2 pencil vibe that leads towards dry vanilla husks and a touch of salted caramel-covered peanuts.

Finish: The back end of the sip stays sweet and nutty as wintry spices cut with orange oils drive a slowish finish.

Bottom Line:

This is a great standard mixing whiskey to have on your home bar. It’s great for a classic bourbon highball with good mineral water and a nice fruity garnish. It also works as a shooter thanks to that honeyed sweetness.

7. Four Roses Bourbon Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

This introductory juice from Four Roses is a blend of all 10 of their mash bills. The barrels are a minimum of five years old when they’re plucked from the warehouses, blended, brought down to proof, and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose also brings along dried flowers, plenty of honey, and orchard fruits, with a hint of dark spice.

Palate: The palate adds vanilla to the honey and apple foundations with a light sense of tinniness that feels kind of cheap.

Finish: The end is short but full of orchard fruit, caramel sweetness, dark spice, and green oak with a nice vanilla underbelly.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the cocktail base whiskeys. Yes, you can still use this for highballs (with soda pop or mineral water). But you can also make a good and very simple old fashioned with this one and it’ll be A-okay.

6. Jim Beam Double Oak Twice Barreled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

Originally only released on the international market, the expression became so popular that customer demand led to it hitting U.S. shelves a couple of years ago. This is standard Jim Beam that’s aged for around four years that’s then re-barreled into new oak barrels for another shorter rest. Finally, those barrels are batched and proofed for bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a hint of dry firewood sitting in black soil on the nose that leads to more classic Beam notes of cherry vanilla cream soda, dry apple, buttery caramel sauce, and a hint of old oak staves.

Palate: There’s a sweet sense of creamed honey on cinnamon toast on the palate that leads to singed marshmallows and spiced-cherry tobacco leaves with a hint of cedar lurking behind it.

Finish: The end has a nice sense of woody vanilla pods and cherry bark next to dark chocolate laced with cinnamon and tobacco.

Bottom Line:

This isn’t a bad sipper over a lot of rocks. But you’ll want to focus on cocktails with this one too. We suggest using this for batched cocktails like an old fashioned or Manhattan.

5. Evan Williams 1783 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

This is Evan William’s small-batch bourbon reissue. The expression is a marriage of 200 barrels of Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That whiskey is batched and then proofed down to 90 proof (instead of the old 86 proof) and bottled.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This has a very distinct nose that ventures from vanilla-soaked leather to a very clear sense of allspice berries and ground clove with a hint of cornbread batter and soft oak.

Palate: There’s a light sense of caramel apples on the palate leading toward Johnnycakes covered in butter and honey with a light nutmeg lurking in the background.

Finish: The finish arrives with a hint of dry reeds that end up on a vanilla cream with brown spices.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that you can get away with sipping over some rocks in a pinch. Think of it like a good table whiskey. This really shines in cocktails though. We suggest leaning toward citrus-forward smashes and sours with this one.

4. Jim Beam Black Extra-Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $18

The Whiskey:

This expression replaced the old Jim Beam Black Label 8 Year, which was a huge favorite amongst the old-school Beam heads. The whiskey in this bottle is aged longer than your average four-year-old Beam, but there is no age statement on exactly how long. I’ve heard things, but only rumors. The best way to think of it is that it’s aged for as long as it needs to be before batching, proofing, and bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: A clear sense of expensive vanilla beans next to apple cotton candy, honey-buttered cornbread, soft oak staves, and Dr. Brown’s Cherry work through the nose.

Palate: The taste has a hint of sourdough apple-cinnamon old-fashioned doughnuts next to vanilla pound cake with a hint of poppy seed and orange zest, a whisper of clove and anise, and a smidge of pecan pie.

Finish: The end has a dried vanilla tobacco vibe by way of spiced apple cider and old cinnamon sticks next to a hint of raisins and bruised peach skins.

Bottom Line:

You can 100% sip this over some rocks and not be mad about it at all. Overall, this is a good utility bourbon to have on hand for everyday sipping, mixing, and cooking. Throw some of this in your next batch of pancakes or sugar cookies and you’ll be all set.

3. Wild Turkey 101 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50.5%

Average Price: $19

The Whiskey:

Wild Turkey 101 starts with Turkey’s classic 75/13/12 (corn/rye/barley) mash bill. The hot juice then spends at least six years in the cask before it’s batched and just kissed with Kentucky limestone water before bottling.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is a cherry bomb on the nose with deep notes of burnt orange, buttery toffee, old oak staves, and cumin-heavy taco seasoning with a hint of old leather gloves and clove buds.

Palate: The palate has a vanilla pudding cup vibe next to butterscotch candies, nougat, and a twinge of menthol tobacco next to clove-studded oranges on the mid-palate.

Finish: The end of this is a classic cascade of bourbon notes: caramel, vanilla, cherry, winter spices, and light woodiness.

Bottom Line:

This is the gold standard of utility bourbon. It’s deeply spiced with a sweet edge that works as a sipper over rocks or in your favorite whiskey-forward cocktails. You can make a bourbon sour with this that’ll slap. At the same time, mix up a spicy Manhattan that’ll equally slap. “Dealer’s choice” is what we’re getting at.

2. J.T.S. Brown Bottled In Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $16

The Whiskey:

This is a quality whiskey from Heaven Hill’s classic bourbon mash bill (78% corn, 12% malted barley, and 10% rye). That means this is the same base juice as Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, several Parker’s Heritages, and Henry McKenna. It’s a bottled-in-bond, meaning it’s from similar stocks to their iconic Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond and a few other whiskeys on this list.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Cream soda with a dash of cherry opens the nose next to dry leather patches, caramel sauce, and a light touch of floral honey.

Palate: The palate brings forward dry and woody spices with a hint of eggnog creaminess leading toward Graham Crackers and a sweet tobacco chew.

Finish: The end turns the woody spice into old oak with more vanilla, honey, and leather lingering the longest.

Bottom Line:

This is one of the best bourbons at the best price on the shelf right now, full stop. It’s incredible how well this whiskey sips over some ice. You can also make a killer old fashioned with this stuff.

1. Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $18

The Whiskey:

Heaven Hill makes great whiskey, especially inexpensive bottled in bonds (as we’ve shown on this list). This “b-i-b” is tailored for the Evan Williams flavor profile. Still, this is Heaven Hill, so we’re talking about the same mash bill, same warehouses, and same blending team as beloved bourbons like Elijah Craig and all other Heaven Hill bourbon releases. This is simply built to match a higher-end Evan Williams vibe.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a lovely nose at play with soft taco mix spice next to creamy vanilla, caramel-dipped cherries, a hint of pear skins, and plenty of nutmeg.

Palate: The palate has a minor note of cornbread muffins next to cherry-vanilla tobacco with a dash of leather and toffee.

Finish: The end leans into some fresh gingerbread with a vanilla frosting next to hints of pear candy cut with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Bottom Line:

This is excellent bourbon at any price point, one of the best values in all of whiskey, and just great all around. Sip it, mix it, or shoot it — no matter what, you’ll be in for a classic bourbon treat.

William Zabka first portrayed karate bad boy Johnny Lawrence in 1984’s The Karate Kid. 39 years later, he’s 58 years old and can still pull those same moves for Cobra Kai. The cast has revved up to begin filming the show’s sixth and final season in the new year, and if there’s any worry about Johnny taking it easy for this round, those fears can be dashed away.

Zabka showed off a training montage on Twitter, and a moment at 0:16 should be of particular interest.

Yep, that move should look awfully familiar:

Even though Cobra Kai will only receive one more round in the dojo(s) on Netflix, there’s always hope for more Johnny Lawrence. The showrunners have expressed the desire to continue more Miyagiverse stories, and Sony is already working on a (sort-of standalone) movie starring Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan. That project will aim to bring the two existing movie worlds together. It’s understood that the younger Cobra Kai cast members won’t join that film, but there has yet to be a denial about a Johnny/William cameo.

Whatever happens on that note, it’s worth drawing attention to how Zabka dropped in a little Eagle Fang nod into his emoji game up ^^^ there. This will remind obsessives of how the recent cast table read included Demetri actor Gianni DeCenzo uttering a line about how it was time to “decide our dojo name.” C’mon, no new names! Eagle Fang has had its dark days, but that dojo and Miyagi-do will always be kicking. Literally.

Cobra Kai‘s sixth season will arrive in 2024.

When Severance arrived on Apple TV+, it became an immediate hit with viewers and critics alike thanks to the show’s compelling story about a new drug that can separate a person’s personality. They’re one person at work and another person when they leave the office, never the two affecting the other. Or at least that’s the plan.

Starring Adam Scott as Mark, Severance proved to be a fascinating dystopian look at office life punctuated with some extremely weird, yet hilariously dark comedy moments. Fans were thrilled when the show was picked up for Season 2, and actually began shooting episodes. However, things took a turn. Season 2 was plagued with rumors of behind-the-scenes problems, including rumors that the creative team was refusing to speak to each other. To make matters worse, the writers’ strike shut down production.

While executive producer Ben Stiller assured fans that the rumors of creative differences were blown out of proportion and that the show is still heading for its target air date, there is no known release window at this time. However, Severance Season 2 is most likely to premiere sometime in 2024. The show was well into production before the strike, and if Stiller is correct, it should be on track to start streaming later this year.

Here’s what Severance creator Dan Erickson told Entertainment Weekly about Season 2:

The first season was an ensemble piece at work, but it was much more focused on Mark on the outside, obviously. We wanted the audience to experience Mark’s life through his perspective, and he has no idea who Helly and Irving and Dylan are on the outside; his whole context for them is work. So we wanted to tell it in that way for season 1, but in season 2, we’re going to be showing all of these people on the outside. Similar to Mark, they each had their own reason for getting this procedure, and they’re all at some stage of a healing process for one thing or another.

“I just can’t wait, because these actors are all obviously so good,” Erickson continued. “And being able to take what Adam did in the first season — with the differentiation between his innie and outie, and how they feel like the same person but with this vastly different lived experience — seeing the other three characters’ version of that dichotomy is, I think, the most exciting part. In season 2, we’re really going to expand and get into all of that.”

(Via Entertainment Weekly)

Last Spring, Universal Pictures announced that Jordan Peele‘s newest flick would arrive in time for Christmas 2024, and while that might not be happening, Peele has confirmed that a new movie is on the way…at some point. But it will be worth the wait, and the director says it has the possibility of being his “favorite movie” he’s ever made. Behind 2016’s Keanu, probably.

Peele spoke with Conan O’Brien about his upcoming movie, which is obviously taking a bit longer than anticipated. He explained, “It’s been an interesting year because the writer’s strike had had me in a state of listening, and that’s where I need to be,” the writer/director said on the Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast when asked about any upcoming projects.

Even though many movies were delayed during the strikes, Peele knows which direction he’s going for the currently untitled fifth film. He added, “I do feel like my next project is clear to me, and I’m psyched that I have another film that, you know, could be my favorite movie if I make it right.” He will probably make it right.

Peele’s last project was 2022’s Nope which starred Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer. What could make his upcoming film a favorite? Knowing what we know about Peele, we can assume it will be wildly unsettling and possibly disturbing. But still lots of fun!

(Via Variety)

Every week, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated January 6, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.

10. The Ronettes — “Sleigh Ride”

The new chart covers the tracking week from December 22 to 28, and the chart that represents Christmas and Christmas Eve tends to be the most holiday-focused of the year. That’s certainly the case this week, as the only non-holiday song in the top 10 is…

9. Jack Harlow — “Lovin On Me”

Throughout the holiday onslaught, Harlow’s “Lovin On Me” has been the consistent non-Christmas beacon hanging on in the top 10, and it managed to stick around at No. 9 this week.

8. José Feliciano — “Feliz Navidad”

Feliciano’s 1970 favorite peaked at No. 6 during the 2020 holiday season, but its 2023/2024 high has fallen a bit short of that.

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

This is a new all-time peak for Martin’s rendition of “Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!,” as last week’s placement at No. 8 matched its previous high.

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

Williams now has the all-time record for the span between his first and latest week in the top 10 at 64 years and three months, as “Lonely Street” was first in the region in October 1959.

5. Burl Ives — “A Holly Jolly Christmas”

Spots No. 5 through 3 are the same this week as they were last time, starting with Ives’ holiday mainstay.

4. Wham! — “Last Christmas”

Wham! holds strong at No. 4, and this comes after “Last Christmas” become the Christmas No. 1 single in the UK for the first time ever.

3. Bobby Helms — “Jingle Bell Rock”

Helms hasn’t yet been able to crack the top 2 with his holiday hit, as two titans keep getting in his way.

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

It’s usually the case that Carey has the first and final No. 1 single of the year as “All I Want For Christmas Is You” holds onto the top spot as the calendar rolls over, but not this time.

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

Carey was No. 1 last week, but after previously spending a couple weeks at No. 1 recently and falling down to No. 2, 1958’s “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is back on top, making it the first No. 1 single of 2024.

Why did Lee and Carey swap spots? It looks like Lee’s song had more momentum than Carey’s. The two tracks had similar numbers in terms of airplay and sales, but “Rockin’ racked up 57.3 million streams (a 16-percent increase) vs. “All I Want” getting 54.8 million (up 13 percent). Carey’s airplay and sales numbers were actually both higher than Lee’s, but Carey had a bigger drop-off in airplay from last week to this one.

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