The list of Stephen King short stories and novels (and everything in between) that have been adapted onscreen could fill the space of an abridged dictionary. Several more onscreen projects are in the works, too. There are not quite that many Salem’s Lot adaptations, but damn, there are a few. In 1979, Tobe Hooper directed the CBS miniseries, and in 2004, Rob Lowe, Rutger Hower, and Donald Sutherland appeared in a miniseries for TNT. A third version, helmed by Gary Dauberman (of the recent IT films and Annabelle Comes Home), was expected to be the first theatrical version of the tale.
The apparently finished film from New Line Cinema, however, somehow fell off the theatrical agenda for distributor Warner Bros. Pictures. That silence became so notable that King recently addressed the matter in an unvarnished manner. “Between you and me,” the horror maestro wrote on Twitter. “I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the f*cking things.”
Between you and me, Twitter, I’ve seen the new SALEM’S LOT and it’s quite good. Old-school horror filmmaking: slow build, big payoff. Not sure why WB is holding it back; not like it’s embarrassing, or anything. Who knows. I just write the fucking things.
It appears that King’s declaration might have brought results (because the film will indeed surface), unless the timing is sheer coincidence. What can we expect from the impending Salem’s Lot movie?
Plot
Warner Brothers Discovery announced this week that the New Line film will not head into theaters but, instead, will premiere on Max as a streaming film. (That’s much better news than it never seeing the light of day or even ending up like the Coyote Vs. Acme fiasco.) Finally, the King tale will be able to spook an entirely new generation onscreen, and even better: James Wan’s Atomic Monster is onboard for executive producing duties.
The source material, of course, is King’s 1975 novel (his second book), in which an author, Ben Mears, hopes to find inspiration for another book in his hometown (Jerusalem’s Lot, Maine) and experiences much more than he bargained for. As in, the place is vamping out.
Previously, both miniseries versions of the tale were well received on TV, and details on how much this film will tweak the subject matter remain relatively vague. King, however, has not only expressed his satisfaction with the project, but last fall, he declared of the then-“shelved” film that it “is muscular and involving. It has the feel of ‘Old Hollywood,’ when a film was given a chance to draw a breath before getting to business. When attention spans were longer, in other words.” He added, “It feels like a horror movie version of slow-burn movies like THE GREAT ESCAPE. It builds very well. There are diversions from the book I don’t agree with, but on the whole, faithful.”
Given Warner Bros.’ relatively recent slow burn in HBO’s The Outsider series, that bodes well for the same with Salem’s Lot. Additionally, Dauberman and the rest of the producing team are well versed in effectively scaring the hell out of people, and King promised that a key scene “could have been directed by John Carpenter in his prime,” so we must trust the process.
Cast
Ben Mears will be portrayed by Ben Mears. Alfre Woodard steps in as Dr. Cody. They are joined by Makenzie Leigh (Susan Norton), Pilou Asbæk (Straker), Bill Camp (Matthew Burke), Spencer Treat Clark (Mike Ryerson), and John Benjamin Hickey (Father Callahan).
Release Date
2024 is official. Perhaps King’s little social media nudge helped mark the project on the calendar? Whatever the case, it’s good news.
Trailer
We should see a trailer soon, given that Max recently announced that the film would premiere on the streaming service this year. Until then, please enjoy the production values of 1979 again.
Lately, I’ve noticed an annoying trend in fast food. Brands have always given us limited-time menu options, it’s an easy way to bring customers back to the drive-thru, but lately these LTO options have been better than just about everything else on the menu.
Shake Shack’s Spicy Burgermeister burger exploded with spicy, rich, and savory flavors. We named it the best burger of 2023. It’s gone now. Chipotle’s Garlic Guajillo Steak was so tender it practically melted in your mouth and dunked on just about everything else on the menu. It, too, is gone (though to Chipotle’s credit, they did bring back the pollo asado, which is also very good). And Jack in the Box soft-launched its best burger ever a couple of months back, then it disappeared from menus before most people knew it was even on the menu.
But we’re happy to say the Smashed Jack is back! For good.
For the uninitiated, the Smashed Jack is a smash-inspired burger (it’s not actually a smash burger, but that doesn’t matter) that is topped with grilled onions, thick pickles, a new special sauce known as Boss Sauce, all served up on a buttery brioche bun. The beef patty is juicy, and savory, has a crispy Maillard crust edge, and pairs perfectly with the caramelized grilled onions and smokey-tangy sauce.
In celebration of the burger’s return, here are three reasons you should order the Smashed Jack. If you’re more interested in a deep dive review, we have that too.
Three Reasons You Should Eat The Smashed Jack
Dane Rivera
It’s Jack in the Box’s best burger by a mile.
It may not compare to a high-quality fast-casual burger like what you’ll find at Shake Shack or Five Guys, but the Smashed Jack is significantly tastier than other drive-thru fast food restaurants including McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, and Burger King Whopper, and the Carl’s Jr. Angus Burger. Its only real competitor is Wendy’s Dave’s Single.
It’ll send a message to Jack in the Box that what we want is good food, not gimmicks.
I like JiB’s weird menu items like the tacos and eggs rolls as much as the next person, but I’d like to see fewer new menu items like Red Bull-infused drinks and French Toast Sticks. These are side orders, not flagships like a great burger.
It might inspire other fast food restaurants to launch new recipes.
It sounds farfetched, but it has happened before. When Popeyes dropped its chicken sandwich in 2019 nearly every fast food chain with a chicken sandwich launched a brand new take on their respective recipes. Some of those sandwiches were great (BK’s Ch’King sandwich comes to mind, RIP) and some weren’t, but it single-handedly elevated the chicken sandwich to a new level of popularity that put it in competition with the mighty cheeseburger.
The Bottom Line:
The Smashed Jack puts Jack in the Box in competition with some of the best burgers in all of fast food.
The season one finale of the critically-acclaimed World War II drama Masters of the Air is available on Apple TV+ now. Will it be the show’s only season?
“I hope somebody does it, but I don’t know that it’ll be us,” executive producer Gary Goetzman told The Wrap, referring to himself and fellow executive producers/WWII chroniclers Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg. “With Band of Brothers, The Pacific, and Masters of the Air, I feel like [it’s] somebody else’s turn.”
Masters of the Air stars Dua Lipa’s boyfriend Callum Turner, as well as Austin Butler and Barry Keoghan. Here’s more:
Based on Donald L. Miller’s book of the same name, and scripted by John Orloff, Masters of the Air follows the men of the 100th Bomb Group (the “Bloody Hundredth”) as they conduct perilous bombing raids over Nazi Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions, lack of oxygen, and sheer terror of combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air. Portraying the psychological and emotional price paid by these young men as they helped destroy the horror of Hitler’s Third Reich, is at the heart of “Masters of the Air.” Some were shot down and captured; some were wounded or killed. And some were lucky enough to make it home. Regardless of individual fate, a toll was exacted on them all.
Masters of the Air is available to watch on Apple TV+.
For some reason, horror movies are almost exclusively celebrated during the month of October, when the world gets chilly and baseball ends (that’s the real horror). But Blumhouse is looking to scare moviegoers year-round, which is why the studio has teamed up with AMC Theaters for a festival to celebrate all things creepy and spooky, like James McAvoy.
Blumhouse and AMC have partnered to present the Halfway To Halloween Festival which will take place in over 40 cities across the country. The festival will kick off with M. Night Shyamalan’s 2016 thriller Split on Friday, March 29th, then The Purge will take the screen once again on Saturday the 30th. Ouija: Origin of Evil will be shown on March 31, and Insidious will show on April 1st, 13 years after its initial release. Finally, on April 2nd, The Invisible Man will get another attempt at a theatrical release after it was cut short in 2020.
Mr. Blumhouse himself Jason Blum explained the meaning behind the festival. “We wanted to celebrate local communities of horror fans throughout the country with a fun, affordable, and slightly evil night at the movies. We’re grateful to our partners at AMC for helping us bring this idea to life,” the producer said in a statement. Tickets are available on AMC’s website for $8, which is cheaper than a large popcorn. Be sure to bring your own Dune bucket.
The announcement comes on the heels of A24’s partnership with IMAX which will bring back fan-favorite movies from the studio to the big screen. The New York Times believes this wave of re-releases was due to the lack of big titles premiering this year in the aftermath of the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes and delays. You might be thinking “Is March really halfway to Halloween?” No, it’s not, but you can overlook that just for the sake of cinema. We come to this place for magic, not accuracy.
An unexplained disappearance. A dysfunctional family. A bizarre twist ending. And Tenniscore. At first glance, Peacock’s Apples Never Fall feels like a paint-by-numbers Liane Moriarty adaptation. The author’s already seen two of her best-selling books – Big Little Lies and Nine Perfect Strangers – receive the small-screen treatment, but her latest mystery melodrama is a bit more mundane. We’ve swapped multi-million dollar mansions on the California coast for a kitchen in need of renovations. Wellness spas doubling as psilocybin-pushing cults transform into aging retirees struggling to parent their flailing adult offspring. It’s the banalities of life that prove deadly here.
Despite the more grounded setting, the show – filled with a staggering level of talent that includes Annette Bening and Sam Neill – is just as thrilling and confusing as the rest of Moriarty’s work. It focuses on the Delaney family — dad Stan (Neill), mom Joy (Benning), and kids Troy (Jake Lacy), Amy (Alison Brie), Logan (Conor Merrigan Turner), and Brooke (Essie Randles) — each confronting the harsh realities born from a life of never measuring up to their impossibly high standards. When a stranger disrupts their fragile ecosystem and Joy suddenly goes missing, the Delaneys turn on each other – suspecting those closest of the worst sins and digging deeper into a closet packed with skeletons.
For Brie, who’s been so good in comedies like Communityand GLOW, the prospect of wading into new genre territory, playing a wayward dropout unfit to share the court with her overachieving siblings, was enough to convince her to head to Australia for a few months to shoot the show. Something else she’s now convinced of – tennis is simply not her sport.
Uproxx chatted with Brie about sibling group texts, weird wellness trends, and why directing might be her next gig.
You’ve been writing and producing with your husband, Dave Franco, more in recent years. Does a show have to be special, or exceptional in some way to sway you back to acting?
You know what? Yeah, I guess it does. But also, I think at this point in my career it’s not just about only acting versus acting and producing, or creating and having more control. I feel like I’ve earned a position of getting to choose a little bit … the things that I work on. So anything that’s going to mean time away from my husband, my family, my cats. Most importantly, it needs to be pretty wonderful and also just different and interesting. That’s what this was. I’ve never worked in the mystery genre before, so that was exciting. And there were so many facets of Amy Delaney as a character that felt really new to me in terms of the roles I’ve played on screen. That felt scary actually, in a lot of ways, which is how I knew I should do it. I really want to run at anything that makes me a little bit uncomfortable.
The show is as much about twisted family dynamics as it is about murder and this mysterious disappearance. Who is Amy and what about playing her scared you?
I think of Amy as being the black sheep of the family. It’s funny because Jake pointed out that all the Delaney siblings think of themselves as the black sheep. They’re supposed to be this perfect family and yet all of the kids feel like outsiders within that family. I think that Amy has rebelled against her tightly wound tennis goal-oriented upbringing by not making a lot of decisions in her life, by really going with the flow, being guided by her emotions, really living in the moment and not focusing so much on an objective. And I think it has actually served her well. She might be one of the happiest Delaneys prior to their mother going missing.
She’s surprisingly okay with the fact that she’s still figuring her life out, even while pushing 40, and is living with a bunch of grad students and doesn’t have a real job. It’s like she is living life to its fullest and she is doing a lot of self-exploration, which is not something anyone in the Delaney family really does. And I think everyone else looks at her like she’s totally irresponsible, everything is flight of fancy, her emotions aren’t real, she’s a drama queen. But she’s actually just more in touch with her internal self than any of the other Delaneys. And she’s a constant communicator. They think she’s riling things up, but she’s just trying to express herself and draw some self-expression out of her family members.
Reiki. Hot tub origami vigils. Positivity circles. She’s into a lot of New Age practices. What’s the wildest wellness trend you’ve tried?
I’m trying to imagine because I certainly try it all — all types of massage and different types of spas and facial treatments. I’m sitting with a red LED mask light on, and my husband comes into the room and is like, ‘And is this forever now? This is the new thing?’ I mean, I do really like cryotherapy or cold plunging. I love that stuff. At the same time you’re sitting in ice-cold water just like, ‘Why am I doing this to myself?’
What’s the Delaney sibling group chat like?
The last text in the siblings group chat was just from a couple of hours ago and it was Jake Lacy saying, ‘Hey, idiot, we’re all hanging out on the second floor. Get down here.’ I knew immediately he was talking to me.
There’s definitely a line drawn between the older and younger siblings. Why are the eldest Delaneys so quick to suspect the worst of their dad?
We talked a lot about this in our rehearsals as we were dissecting the family and figuring out the dynamics between everybody. I just think that the two older Delaney siblings, Troy and Amy, had a different experience of their father than the younger siblings had growing up. I think they experienced a lot of raw anger and aggression. I think all of the siblings experienced conditional love based on their performance in sports. But Troy and Amy have seen more of the cracks because they’re a little older. There’s a lot of wounds from back then. And within the family, there’s a lot of distrust and also a lot of strong bonds. I do think that the Delaneys love each other. That’s what always makes things complicated in a family because you do love each other so you’re able to get under each others’ skin like no one else. You’re able to say really horrible things to one another and then two seconds later go to lunch.
You’ve checked the writing, producing, and acting boxes. When are you going to get into the director’s chair?
I’ve been thinking a lot about that lately, honestly. It’s just such a large time commitment and energy commitment and I couldn’t do it if it weren’t something that I was so passionate about, so I think that’s the thing. I’m waiting for that spark and I’m not sure if it would be something that I would write myself or if that is something I feel like I even have the energy to do at the moment. But I have been feeling the itch to direct again recently so it’s certainly something that’s on my mind. My husband and I are acting together in a project right now that we’re co-producing coming out of Apple… it feels like a fun, ease-back-in, to being on the other side of the camera and having a little more control behind the scenes. And it feels good.
If you’re directing, what’s Dave doing?
Maybe he’s the star. He’s directed me a couple of times. I could return the favor.
After initially pleading not guilty to two charges of illegally wandering off a nature path at Yellowstone National Park in November, Pierce Brosnan has apologized for the incident and apologized for not obeying signs.
According to The Wrap, a U.S. magistrate dismissed one of the charges against the iconic James Bond actor, clearing him of a “petty offense for violating closures and use limits.” However, Brosnan has pleaded guilty for going off trail and trespassing in a thermal area that could have severely injured the actor or others.
In a statement on Instagram, Brosnan apologized for the incident and stressed the importance of following park safety.
“As an environmentalist I have the utmost respect for and love of our natural world,” Brosnan wrote. “However, I made an impulsive mistake – one that I do not take lightly – when entering a thermal area covered in snow in Yellowstone National Park to take a photograph. I did not see a ‘No Trespassing’ sign posted that warned of danger nor did I hike in the immediate area. I deeply regret my transgression and offer my heartfelt apologies to all for trespassing in this sensitive area.”
“Yellowstone and all our National Parks are to be cared for and preserved for all to enjoy,” Brosnan said in conclusion. “#StayOnThePath”
Brosnan will be fined $500 for the incident, and he’s agreed to make a $1,000 donation to the Yellowstone Forever non-profit organization, according to court documents.
Coachella 2024 is weeks away. To prepare for the likely surge in new pop-centered fans after their scheduled appearance, viral sensation Kenya Grace is rolling out her plans. Today (March 15), the “Strangers” singer unveiled the official release date of her forthcoming project, The After Taste.
While the body of work won’t be out for another week (March 22), to hold supporters over Kenya shared, “It’s Not Fair,” a new breathy ballad perfect for any dancefloor. “All the nights in summertime / I was yours, and you were mine / We were young, I was dumb / Now you’re happy and you moved on / In my head, I can’t forget / All the stupid sh*t you said / And it’s not fair, you don’t care / But I see you everywhere / Oh, it’s not fair,” sings Kenya.
Listen to “It’s Not Fair” above. Below, check out the full artwork and tracklist.
Kenya Grace’s The After Taste Cover Artwork
Warner
Kenya Grace’s The After Taste Tracklist
1. “The After Taste (Intro)”
2. “Strangers”
3. “It’s Not Fair”
4. “Stay”
5. “Someone Else”
6. “My Baby Loves To Dance”
7. “Hey, Hi, How Are You?”
8. “Only In My Mind”
9. “The After Taste (Outro)”
Kenya Grace’s 2024 Tour Dates
04/03 — Toronto,ON @ Axis Club
04/05 — Montreal, QC @ Bar Le Ritz PBD
04/06 — Boston, MA @ Sonia
04/07 — New York, NY @ Elsewhere Hall
04/10 — Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
04/13 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
04/16 — San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall
04/20 — Indio, CA @ Coachella
The After Taste is out 3/22 via Major Recordings/Warner Records. Find more information here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Kenny Pickett is on the move, and he won’t have to leave Pennsylvania. According to multiple media reports, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles agreed to a deal that will see the former first-round pick go to the City of Brotherly Love. Additionally, picks will move in the deal.
Trade: Steelers are sending QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in a pick swap, sources tell ESPN.
According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, all of this comes as a result of the Steelers acquiring Russell Wilson following his release from the Denver Broncos. Wilson was told that when he went to Pittsburgh, he would get the starting gig over Pickett, which made it so Pickett wanted a change in scenery.
When the #Steelers signed QB Russell Wilson, my understanding is they indicated he would be the starter — rather than have a competition. That led to the trade.
After spending five years as a quarterback at the University of Pittsburgh, which included getting named a Heisman finalist and the top QB in America during his senior year, the Steelers opted to keep Pickett at home with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. Across two years, Pickett started 24 of the 25 games in which he appeared while completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 4,474 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
Philadelphia has a hole at backup quarterback after its previous backup, Marcus Mariota, joined the Washington Commanders this offseason. It stands to reason that he will not unseat Jalen Hurts in the starting role any time soon, but while his time in Pittsburgh featured plenty of ups and downs, Pickett should bring a level of stability in the event Hurts cannot play.
Welcome to SNX DLX, your weekly roundup of the best sneakers to hit the internet. Last week we had a full list of 10 and while we didn’t quite hit that mark this time around, I think overall this week is much stronger. Jordan heads will be pleased with this week’s new colorway for the Jordan 3, a new Trophy Room rendition of the Jordan 1, and a Nike x Awake NY collaboration on the Jordan Air Ship.
If you’re a fan of the early years of the Jordan lineage — this is your week. Make hay while the sun shines!
Elsewhere we have A-COLD-WALL linking up with Converse for an updated rendition of the Weapon, the latest Y-3 Adidas drop, and New Balance’s T500. There is a lot to cover this week so let’s stop talking about it and deep dive into this week’s best sneakers.
New York-based streetwear brand Awake NY has linked up with Nike for a special take on the legendary Jordan Air Ship, the signature sneaker that predated the Air Jordan and served as the prototype for the AJ 1.
This rendition of the Air Ship sports a sail leather upper with a snakeskin collar in University Red and a metallic swoosh. Rounding out the design is a co-branded tongue label featuring Awake’s “A” logo.
The Nike Jordan Air Ship x Awake NY University Red is out now for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
British brand A-COLD-WALL is taking on the legendary Converse Weapon and giving the sneaker a pretty radical remix. Gone is the high-top shape in favor of a low-top silhouette with a crinkled nylon and suede upper adorned with translucent details.
The sneaker features a monochromatic grey colorway with crimson red accents on the color and insoles.
The Converse x A-COLD-WALL Weapon is out now for a retail price of $130. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
It’s not easy to combine green with black. Xbox, Monster Energy, Roland Aira — they’ve all tried it and for the most part it looks straight-up bad. And here comes Nike making the color combo look effortless with this Jordan 3 Green Glow.
The Green Glow features a premium leather upper in a mix of black and cement, with a grey tongue, and a pastel green Jumpman logo, insoles, and eyelets. It looks great and fits alongside the springtime color palette.
The Air Jordan 3 Green Glow is set to drop on March 16th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $200. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Spring is coming but that doesn’t mean you have to embrace the bright and vivid colors typical of the season, if your style leans stealthy, you’re going to love the Nike Lunar Roam in Dark Smoke Grey. The Lunar Roam first hit shelves in 2008 and now 15 years after its debut release the sneaker is back with a new modern redesign.
The Lunar Roman features a textile upper with Magwire cables, offering a lightweight build to go along with the sneaker’s signature bounce. We’re getting modern urban ninja vibes from this sneaker, so if that’s your vibe, pick ‘em up.
The Nike Lunar Roam Dark Smoke Grey is set to drop on March 15th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $150. Pick up a pair via the Nike SNKRS app.
Yohji Yamamoto’s Adidas line, Y-3, is getting a new sneaker this week that continues the sub-labels luxury-meets-functionality aesthetic. The S-Gendo Run features a mixed mesh, suede, and leather upper with leather and suede lining, Lightstrike cushioning, and a hollow Pebax midsole plate, giving the wearer an elevated step without all the bulk that comes with platform-style sneakers.
It’s an interesting and futuristic design and feels like something on Yamamoto and Adidas could’ve come up with. That’s a sign of a good partnership, so we’ll be interested to see how this design evolves in the near future.
The Adidas Y-3 S-Gendo Run is set to drop on March 19th at 7:00 AM PDT for a retail price of $450. Pick up a pair at Adidas.
New Balance is reaching into the vaults and bringing back the T500 tennis shoe. The design, which was first introduced in 1982, took a leisure approach to tennis shoes by adding a luxury sheen to the build.
The sneaker features a pigskin suede and nubuck upper with a polyurethane midsole, a perforated toe box, and a beautiful white and arctic grey colorway. Underfoot New Balance has equipped the shoe with a Herringbone outsole with a pivot circle underneath the ball of the foot for quick change-ups.
It might not have its place on the tennis court but we can see this being a new-age pickleball classic.
The New Balance T500 Reflection is out now for a retail price of $109.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.
The New Balance 9060, for the uninitiated, is like a greatest hits compilation of the entire New Balance 99X sneaker lineup all filtered into one great sneaker. The shoe sports a dual-density midsole that features NB’s ABZROB and SBS cushioning with a split sole design that sort of resembles a hoof.
Every time NB drops a new colorway of the 9060 its worth paying attention to and while the brand is generally known for its subdued and minimal designs, the Moonbeam takes a different approach. The sneaker features a bright teal and green midsole with creamy grey overlays over a rose mesh upper.
The New Balance 9060 Moonbeam is set to drop on March 15th at 7:00 AM PST for a retail price of $149.99. Pick up a pair at New Balance.
New BalanceNew Balance
Air Jordan 1 Low x TROPHY ROOM Rookie Card Away
Trophy Room
Price:$140
Jordan heads are going to go crazy for this one! Jordan has tapped TROPHY ROOM for a special rendition of the Jordan 1 that takes visual design cues from MJ’s rookie card. The sneaker features the classic Chicago colorway with red leather panels over a white leather base and a black heel piece with a shimmering fabric build that takes the classic design and slightly elevates it. It’s simple, but effective.
It’s a sneaker designed to appeal to hardcore Jordan heads and you’d be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t think this looks straight fire.
The Air Jordan 1 Low x TROPHY ROOM Rookie Card Away is up for raffle now. Enter before it closes here, or pick up the shoe at aftermarket websites like GOAT and Flight Club.
Disclaimer: While all of the products recommended here were chosen independently by our editorial staff, Uproxx may receive payment to direct readers to certain retail vendors who are offering these products for purchase.
Well, that depends on what you want. Scotch isn’t a monolith and when you’re talking about half of a car payment for a single bottle, you’ll want to come with a little knowledge locked and loaded before you buy. Below, I’m going to call out 10 Scotch whiskies that all fall into the $125-$150 price bracket and are certainly worth that price tag. There are peat monsters and unpeated subtle sippers with single malts and blends in the mix. That means there will be something for you too.
Read the tasting notes, find the sweet spots, and hit those price links to join the party. Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months
The 14.1 Edition of Ocotmore is made with 100% Scottish-grown Concerto barley that was heavily peated during the malting process. The barley was fermented and distilled in 2017 and left in the barrel to age — in ex-bourbon casks — next to the sea on Islay until 2023 when it was batched and bottled 100% as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a bold sense of fresh rubber bicycle tires that are hard to get past. Eventually, the sip reveals coconut cake, rich vanilla, soft buttery toffee, roasted almonds, and salted caramel all smoked next to a seaweed-fed fire as whispers of slow-smoked pork butt.
Palate: Smoked lemons preserved in salt open the palate toward vanilla buttercream cut with toffee and stewed pear, cinnamon bark, and clove before soft smoldering charcoal and burnt honeycombs veer the palate toward dark chocolate-covered espresso beans, floral honey, and eggnog spice.
Finish: That creamy eggnog spiciness mounts on the finish with saltwater-soaked applewood charcoal, nasturtiums, and a deep sense of old earthy peat that’s part black soil, part dry smoldering seaweed, and part smoked fatty pork meat with a light sense of red berries lurking underneath.
Bottom Line:
This is a birth-by-fire pour of whisky. The peatiness of this one is astronomically high, making this a very love-it-or-hate-it whisky right out of the gate.
I have to really be in the right mood to enjoy this one. Other whisky drinkers will line up for hours to score a bottle. Re-read those tasting notes and see where you land before standing in line. Or try this one at a good whisky bar and go from there.
9. The Macallan Classic Cut Single Malt Scotch Whisky (2023 Edition)
The 2023 expression from The Macallan is made from ex-bourbon from the U.S. and ex-sherry barrels from Spain that were seasoned in Spain for The Macallan, especially for this release. That whisky is then vatted and barely proofed down before bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a dose of apple candy next to sharp and fresh ginger with hints of floral honey before the bourbon vanilla arrives with notes of barrel spice, old oak, and sweet touches of tobacco rolled with old leather from a library armchair.
Palate: The palate turns that ginger into gingerbread with plenty of cinnamon and brown sugar next to a dash of orange oils that lead to more of that rich tobacco, now spiced with winter barks, before hitting a creamy note of vanilla buttercream.
Finish: The finish layers the vanilla and gingerbread over stewed plums and a whisper of spicy/malty tobacco leaves.
Bottom Line:
This is a great entry point to really good unpeated malt. It’s approachable but comes with a deep and succinct flavor profile. I’d argue that it makes a great cocktail at its core, but you can totally sip this one all day and be pretty happy about it. That’s especially true if you’re looking for a sipper that doesn’t feel like homework.
8. Benriach Speyside Single Malt Whisky The Sixteen Triple Cask Matured
This new Benriach is all about the barrel blend. The 16-year-old single malt was aged in ex-bourbon, ex-sherry, and new oak casks. Those barrels were vatted, proofed with local water, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Classic Speyside apple orchards with plenty of herbal honey mingles with fresh ginger and dried apricot on the nose.
Palate: That apple turns into spiced apple pie filling on the palate as the honey leans toward nuttiness with a touch of candied orange.
Finish: Honeyed malts with a twist of burnt orange dance with grassy spice and soft and creamy nutty chocolate.
Bottom Line:
This is a great option for anyone looking for a fruit-forward malt that feels deep but sips easy. Pour this over a rock or into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail and you’ll be for a treat.
7. The Singleton Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 14 Years “The Silken Gown” Special Release 2023
The Singleton is a great gateway unpeated malt. It’s purposefully built to be subtle and welcoming, especially true of their 2023 Special Edition. This release takes the malt and finishes it in Chardonnay de Bourgogne French Oak casks until they’re just right. Once small batched, the whisky is bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is buttery and lush with a sense of fresh sweet apples and overripe pears next to salted toffee rolled in almonds and just kissed with cinnamon and nutmeg before this whisper of yellow melon skins arrives.
Palate: The butteriness takes on a fresh and almost sour note (in a great way) before soft oak arrives with more subtle winter spices, soft sultanas soaked in pear brandy, and a touch of caramel cut with candied citrus.
Finish: The end softens toward more toffee and butter as the wood leans sweet and softly spiced with hints of plums, apricots, and stewed pears with a whisp of saffron.
Bottom Line:
This unpeated malt runs deep. It’s so buttery and fruity that it almost feels like distilled Chardonnay by way of Highland malt. Then it goes beyond that with a nice spice and soft savoriness that makes The Singleton so beloved. Again, pour this over a rock or into a cocktail and have a great time with it.
6. Old Pulteney Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 18 Years
Old Pulteney is a renowned Highland single malt. The unpeated whisky is aged in second-fill ex-bourbon casks for 18 years before being re-barreled into first-fill ex-Oloroso sherry casks for a final maturation. Finally, the whisky is vatted, proofed down, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Bright notes of floral honey greet your nose as yellow pears, orange blossoms, and tart apples mingle with a thin line of vanilla cream, winter spice, and chocolate-covered raisins.
Palate: The palate leans into the chocolate while the taste gets slightly bitter like an espresso bean before a minced meat pie drops in with sweetness and meaty dried fruit with a good dusting of brown spices.
Finish: The end has a nice hit of orange zest that leads to a holiday cake with tons of dried and candied fruits and a good measure of wintry spices.
Bottom Line:
This is another malt that goes beyond the ordinary. There’s this depth that’s so nostalgic for winter holidays that it transports you to those times with solid dessert vibes throughout, making it a nice year-round sipper.
4. Aberlour Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky 16 Years Old
This small Speyside distillery has been producing quality whisky for over 200 years. This expression is aged 16 years in both ex-bourbon and ex-Olorosso sherry casks. It’s then married and proofed with soft Speyside water from the Highlands and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a matrix of dried dark fruits next to powdery dark spices with hints of walnuts and dried florals that draw you in on the nose.
Palate: The taste delivers on those notes while adding a deep plummy jam cut with clove and slightly sweet wood.
Finish: The end really holds onto that jammy fruit and spice as it slowly fades across your senses, leaving a velvet buttercream texture in your mouth.
Bottom Line:
This is another brilliant sipper. There’s so much to enjoy here from the spiced fruit to nuttiness and floral vibes that you can’t help but fall a little in love with this one.
2024’s Hedonism is here and it’s as bold as ever. The whisky is a blend of grain whiskies from all over Scotland. The lion’s share of the juice comes from the famed Cameronbridge Distillery (renowned for its grain whiskies) with support from Girvan and Port Dundas distilleries.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose feels like arriving at a bakery just as the pain au chocolat comes out of the oven with all that brown butteriness and salted chocolate goodness filling the air next to creamy caramel, rich fresh vanilla pods, and clove buds.
Palate: The caramel and vanilla get super creamy on the palate as touches of clove and cinnamon drive the taste toward soft floral honey and tiramisu.
Finish: A whisper of orange oil arrives late with more clove and cinnamon before the butteriness from the nose comes back with plenty of honey, a dash of coffee powder, and soft cacao.
Bottom Line:
This blended whisky feels so much bigger than a simple blended Scotch. There’s so much going on and it all adds up to something great on the glass. Overall, this is a spice-forward sipper that rocks over some ice and shines in a cocktail. If you want some serious spice in your glass, look no further.
3. Mortlach Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 16 Years
This tiny and iconic Dufftown distillery is the whisky aficionado’s distillery. The whisky in this bottle is distilled almost three times (2.81 times to be exact) through various types of pot stills. The juice is then aged for 16 years in sherry casks before it’s, vatted, proofed, and bottled.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: You’re met with a bowl full of stewed plums with anise, clove, and cinnamon in the mix, next to a slight sense of dry moss on the nose.
Palate: The taste has a faint vanilla edge next to velvety honey, sharp spice, old leather-bound books, and a touch of bruised apricot.
Finish: The end is very long, holds onto the spice and fruit, and leaves you with a sense of creamy vanilla honey.
Bottom Line:
This is succinct and approachable at first but then goes deeper into this earthy vibe that feels like a roll down a Scottish hill on a summer’s day.
2. Oban Single Malt Scotch Whisky Aged 11 Years “The Soul of Calypso” Special Release 2023
Oban is another tiny distillery that’s doing some of the best work in peated malts right now. Their 2023 Special Release is made with classic Oban that’s finished in Caribbean Pot Still rum casks until just right. Once those barrels are batched, the whisky is bottled 100% as-is at cask strength.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is like sitting on an old dock next to an inky dark sea as someone makes fresh saltwater taffy in the distance and someone else brews up mulled pear cider (perry) with plenty of winter spice and a touch of butter depth cut with candied orange and lemon before this whisper of a fruit basket wrapped in golden cellophane arrives.
Palate: The palate opens with a luxurious sense of brandy-soaked mangos and grilled pineapple before hitting on the creaminess of the saltwater taffy (like the bright neon yellow stuff) next to old oak staves layered with mildly spiced tobacco.
Finish: The end lets that oak tobacco spice peak before smoothing out with more salted tropical fruit chewiness that’s just kissed with smoldering orchard barks that have been soaked in seawater with a twinge of old leather in there somewhere.
Bottom Line:
This is a fantastic pour of whisky. It’s savory, sweet, and luxurious. You can sip this neat all day and then still want more the next day.
1. Aberfeldy Highland Single Malt Scotch Whisky 18 Years Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Wine Casks Napa Valley Limited Edition
This whisky was made with Aberfeldy’s iconic and very honey-forward 17-year-old Highland unpeated malt. That whisky was then re-casked into old Cabernet Sauv casks from Napa Valley for an additional 15 months of aging. Finally, those barrels were vatted and the whisky was proofed for bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Floral honey drives the nose toward cranberry sauce with a hint of spice oak layered with caramel apples and toffee candies rolled in dark chocolate.
Palate: Those caramel apples lead on the palate with a lush vanilla foundation next to bitter orange marmalade, apple pie filling, and a cup of regular drip coffee.
Finish: The honey arrives on the finish with a honeycomb earthiness before fresh and very sweet raspberry drives the taste back toward old oak with a hint of mince pies and mulled wine sneaking in at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is a great food pairing whisky, especially if you’re already into dark and fun red wines. The vibe is very unpeated malty/fruity/lush but goes deeper with dank oak and soft winter nostalgia. And while this is a great slow sipper on its own, make a Manhattan with this one — it’ll rule.
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Steelers get pick No. 98 and two 2025 7th-round picks.
