Over the last month, each has released several diss records aimed at one another starting with Lamar’s jabs on Metro Boomin and Future’s song, “Like That.” Although Drake’s multiple responses including “Family Matters” were valiant efforts, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” has been crowned the unwavering winner by the masses, which includes Uproxx‘s hip-hop editor Aaron Williams.
Today (May 11), Drake somewhat agreed by seemingly conceded to Lamar via his Instagram Stories. After taking a moment to celebrate his mom Sandra for Mother’s Day, the “First Person Shooter” rapper closed out his string of posts with a subtle message to Lamar.
The photographer featured a Japanese Samurai surrounded by an army of hundreds captioned: “Good times. Summer vibes up next.”
Instagram
Instagram / @champagnepapi
If you were waiting for a white flag to be waved, this is the closest thing to it because Lamar sure isn’t going to bow out anytime soon.
Drake put up a good fight. But he simply can’t win everything. At least he still has the vicious win from his spat with Meek Mill under his belt.
Odds are you’ve heard Wally de Backer, aka Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know.”
It’s the Australian musician’s biggest commercial hit, selling more than 20 million copies since its release in 2011, making it one of the best-selling digital singles of all time. Not to mention it inspired several amazing covers, which you might have also stumbled upon.
The music video, in its poignant simplicity, is every bit as iconic.
Gotye stands naked facing the camera, as featured singer Kimbra faces him. As they sing, they are slowly “painted” into and out of the background of geometric shapes using stop motion animation. There’s a very Wes Anderson feel to it that adds so much to the story told in the song, making it all the more memorable.
All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment.
All this to say…it would be a challenge to recreate the magic that’s so inherent in the original. And yet, one dance company has clearly understood the assignment.
Netherland based dance troupe CDK recently went viral for their highly stylized movement performance to the well known art pop ballad.
As thousands of viewers were quick to note, it’s not just the incredible dance moves that make this performance so captivating. It’s a killer combination of choreography, camerawork and costumes that make the piece impossible to turn away from.
“This is pure art,” one person wrote. While another added, “I think I’m going to watch it everyday for the rest of my life.”
Take a look for yourself:
CDK – Somebody That I Used To Know by Gotye
This group is clearly at the top of their game, by how easy they make it all look (like, I’ve already convinced myself that I can pull off those moves). But what’s more evident is that they enjoy what they’re doing to the nth degree.
To find even more of CDK’s performances, follow them on Instagram.
Fun fact #1: Gotye allows small independent projects, like student films—and probably this dance piece—to use his music free of charge. “If someone wants to use it commercially I look at what the budget is and the creativity of the project,” he said, according to News.com.
Fun fact #2: CDK isn’t the only group to have recently breathed new life into the song. A few weeks ago, an electronic remix of the song titled “Somebody (2024),” created by electronic music producers Chris Lake, Fisher, and Sante Sansone, debuted. Much like it’s predecessor, “Somebody (2024) is topping the charts.
All four series in the NBA playoffs are in the same spot. With the conference semifinals well underway, each series has one team holding a 2-1 lead over the other, which should lead to some really compelling basketball over the next week or so.
Game 4 is the unofficial turning point in a series like this, because depending on the result, a series will either find itself on the brink of being over, or with a completely clean slate as it turns into a best 2-out-of-3 sprint to the finish. Ahead of our first two Game 4s on Sunday, we took a look at the state of things in each series and tried to figure out which ones are most likely to end up going the distance.
4. Boston vs. Cleveland (Boston currently leads, 2-1)
Unfortunately for the Cavs, it’d take something completely out of left field for a 7-game series. Yes, Cleveland has a path if it can just defend its homecourt in Games 4 and 6, but the Cavs desperately need Donovan Mitchell to be the best player on the court, and at least one of Darius Garland or Evan Mobley to have a monster game, and everyone else to be a threat from three. That was the recipe that led to them winning Game 2 in Boston — a really great win for them, to be clear — but it’s really, really hard to replicate that against a Celtics team that bounced back in a big way during Game 3. If Boston brings its A-game (or, frankly, even its B-game), they should be able to prevent Cleveland from getting this to a Game 7.
3. Indiana vs. New York (New York currently leads, 2-1)
This is easily the most fun series so far, for my money, and not having it higher is 100 percent due to the fact that each team is dealing with some pretty insane injuries right now. The Knicks were beyond compromised coming into the series, with Bojan Bogdanovic and Julius Randle both out and Mitchell Robinson nowhere near full capacity. Now, Robinson’s playoffs are effectively done, OG Anunoby has a bad hamstring that might cost him significant time, and Jalen Brunson is now dealing with a bad foot on top of whatever other bumps and bruises he has. For Indiana, Tyrese Haliburton is listed as questionable for Game 4 because of, well, everything.
They also haven’t had Bennedict Mathurin this entire run, and Aaron Nesmith is dealing with a shoulder injury. Anyway, we’re in a spot where this series is going seven games if the teams can defend their respective home courts. This could be higher based off of that, but we’ll knock it down a bit just because of how injuries have the potential to derail this series for one team — on the other hand, one could argue both being beat up means it’s more likely to go the distance.
2. Dallas vs. Oklahoma City (Dallas currently leads, 2-1)
Luka Doncic’s health hangs over this series, because if he is physically compromised to a significant degree, Dallas is going to have its hands full. But when it comes to getting to a Game 7, Dallas only needs to win one more game after hanging on to a Game 3 win to go up 2-1, which they can absolutely do. On the other side, Oklahoma City has to win two of the next three with only one of those games coming at home, which makes the task difficult but certainly not impossible. Perhaps the young Thunder struggle as they find themselves with an uphill battle ahead of them, or maybe this P.J. Washington recent heater ends and Kyrie Irving’s slow starts to games end up being incredibly costly for Dallas given Doncic not being at 100 percent. Both of these teams are quite good, and Doncic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are two of the best players left in the playoffs. Every game could very easily be a coin flip, which bodes well for a long series.
1. Denver vs. Minnesota (Minnesota currently leads, 2-1)
The Nuggets showed off some real chutzpah during Game 3. After losing both games on their home court — one when the Wolves did not have the services of Rudy Gobert — Denver went into Minnesota and ran them off the floor. They looked so much more deliberate than they did in the first two games in the series, when Minnesota’s athleticism, size, and tenacity really seemed to bug them. We’re now in a situation where the Wolves absolutely have to win Game 4, because giving up homecourt advantage after taking two games off of the Nuggets in Denver is a dangerous, dangerous situation. Still, these teams are fairly evenly matched, and neither one is going to go down without a fight. And when it comes to a potential Game 7, it’d require two more wins for Denver and one more for Minnesota, which is totally plausible.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason began sooner than they hoped after being taken down in five games by the Denver Nuggets in the first round.
The Lakers didn’t take long after that loss to make a major change, announcing they were moving on from head coach Darvin Ham after two seasons. The question was who the Lakers would be able to bring in to replace Ham, particularly considering the Lakers have never been particularly keen on paying top dollar for coaches. With the Suns confirming the market for a coach with championship experience is $10 million per year with the hire of Mike Budenholzer, the Lakers seem likely to look at candidates with less experience, the assistant coaching pool, or even no experience at all.
One name that’s been connected to the Lakers opening from the jump is JJ Redick, as the former player turned ESPN analyst and podcast host has made no secret his desire to get into coaching. Redick hosting a podcast with LeBron James has only fueled the rumblings that he’s a serious candidate for the L.A. job, and on Saturday night we got further confirmation the Lakers are looking at him very seriously in a report from Adrian Wojnarowski.
“That takes [Jason Kidd] certainly off of the Lakers wishlist.” @wojespn on Jason Kidd’s extension with the Mavs and an update on the Lakers’ coaching search pic.twitter.com/aOMy8PV8UC
“One name that the Lakers have been drilling down on in their initial research here, JJ Redick. He is certainly somebody that the Lakers are intrigued with, they’ve been making a lot of calls to try and learn more about him. But expect this to be a wide-ranging and lengthy search for L.A.”
As Woj notes, the Lakers are expected to take their time on this search and interview plenty of candidates, but they will do plenty of due diligence on Redick as part of the process. Given his lack of any NBA coaching experience, those conversations with Redick and those that know him will be of particular importance to figuring out if he’s ready to take on a very unique challenge of coaching this Lakers team.
For most, birthdays are a joyous occasion to embrace another year of growth and maturity. But Sabrina Carpenter decided to use her aging up ceremony to crack a hilarious child-like joke.
Yesterday (May 11), the “Espresso” singer brought in her 25th birthday surrounded by friends, family, and Leonardo DiCaprio (well sort of). In a clip shared by Ice Spice, fans quickly noticed that Carpenter’s birthday cake featured a meme of the DiCaprio with the line: “No don’t turn 25, you’re so sexy aha.”
To some the gesture may seem odd considering that Carpenter is currently in a relationship with Saltburn actor Barry Keoghan. However, given users online’s running joke about DiCaprio’s supposedly strict dating preferences around age, it brought forth a deep chuckle to her followers.
With Carpenter now out side of DiCaprio’s rumored radius of interest, her gathering might have served as both a public mourning and milestone appreciation.
As for the reasoning behind DiCaprio’s alleged age restriction, a source close to the star told New York Post its to “avoid settling down.”
“By the time girls reach 25, they’re looking for more – they’re looking to get married and settle down,” they said. “[DiCaprio] does not want a family and does not want to be around women who may press him for that.”
Welp, Sabrina Carpenter and Leonardo DiCaprio may never be an item. But that’s likely for the best.
The 2024 NBA Draft doesn’t have nearly the level of excitement around it as last year’s, as the top of the class doesn’t feature any particularly elite prospects on paper — much less a generational one like Victor Wembanyama.
Even without a clear top guy, the race for the top pick was heated in the NBA this season, as a number of teams raced to the bottom in hopes of giving themselves their choice at the top of this year’s Draft. On Sunday afternoon, we will learn exactly what order teams will be picking in, as the Draft Lottery takes place at 3:00 p.m. ET on ABC leading into Game 4 of Knicks-Pacers.
Below you can find the odds for each team to land the first overall pick in June’s Draft.
T1. Detroit Pistons (14.0)
T1. Washington Wizards (14.0)
3. Charlotte Hornets (13.3)
4. Portland Trail Blazers (13.2)
5. San Antonio Spurs (10.5)
6. Toronto Raptors (9.0)*
7. Memphis Grizzlies (7.5)
8. Utah Jazz (6.0)*
9. Brooklyn Nets (4.5)
10. Atlanta Hawks (3.0)
11. Chicago Bulls (2.0)
12. Houston Rockets (1.5)*
13. Sacramento Kings (0.8)
14. Golden State Warriors (0.7)*
Four of the lottery picks could change hands on Sunday afternoon once the lottery numbers are drawn due to traded picks with protections. If the Raptors get jumped by one team and fall to seven or below, their pick conveys to the Spurs. The Warriors will need to leap from 14 into the top-4 or else their pick is headed to Portland. The Rockets likewise need to jump from 12 to the top-4 or their pick will be going to Oklahoma City, who also could pick up Utah’s pick if they fall from eight all the way out of the top 10 (which is highly unlikely).
It’s been 30 years since Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre dropped “Gin and Juice.” And for each of those 30 years, it’s been a classic cut. If there was a Mount Rushmore of hip-hop songs, Gin & Juice would be on it. How do you depict a song in a mountain carving? Just don’t think about that!
Anyway, Gin & Juice is a top 5 hip-hop cut, that’s undeniable. Everyone knows this song, and it’s so powerful that just hearing the words “gin & juice” causes the song to play in your head. Even when someone says the words, they can’t help but sing it. So what better way to celebrate the 30 years of this song being a radio and hip-hop playlist staple than by its very creators dropping a canned version of the classic cocktail?
In celebration of the song and the 30th anniversary of Snoop’s Doggystyle, Dre and Snoop have linked up once again on the first ready-to-drink product from their new premium spirits company, and fittingly, it’s a canned gin and juice.
Dubbed “Gin & Juice By Dre And Snoop,” — always an earworm with these two — the new RTD canned cocktail consists of four flavors, Citrus, Melon, Passionfruit, and Apricot in 355ml cans with 5.9% ABV. Unlike lesser RTD cocktails on the market, this one isn’t made with malt liquor, instead, it’s a blend gin, real juice, and other natural ingredients based on flavor.
We’re glad that Dre and Snoop didn’t go the cheap route in putting this together, it matches the high expectations we have when it comes to a collaboration between the two. But just because something is a good idea, doesn’t mean it’s executed well. So to find out if Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop lives up to the song that inspired it, we put all four flavors to the test. Here is our review:
Gin & Juice By Dre & Snoop Taste Test
Dane Rivera
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Before we talk about the flavors, let’s just congratulate the designer, creative director, artist, and musician Ini Archibong for his inspired package design. We don’t love this just because of the low-rider, which is an obvious nod to West Coast g-funk culture, and LA car culture in general, but what strikes me is how clean the presentation is.
Archibong could’ve decorated the cans with loud graphics and various colors, hell he could’ve just recreated the Doggystyle cover and people would’ve loved it. But instead what he gives us is something minimal, refined, and precise (the “Parental Advisory” warning is a nice tongue-in-cheek touch). A perfect echo of Dr. Dre’s production style.
All right, enough nerding out, let’s talk about what this stuff tastes like. Because the four flavors are built off the same gin base, I’m going to refrain from giving each flavor an individual entry. I’ll give a ranking of my favorite flavors at the end.
Dane Rivera
Gin can be a divisive spirit, some people just aren’t into the botanical almost medicinal quality of certain bottles (I love it), it seems that Dre and Snoop anticipated this because each of these four flavors is very fruit-forward. That makes each of the four distinctly different, though all of them end with a sort of herbaceous and citrusy aftertaste.
Each flavor has an added natural ingredient that compliments the base flavor. For Apricot, it’s bergamot and honey. For Passionfruit, it’s pineapple and ginger, For Watermelon, it’s hibiscus. For Citrus, it’s rose. These added flavors aren’t that obvious, but they help set the experience of each can apart from one another. That’s a cool feature and something more multi-flavored RTDs should do.
Overall, I’m surprised by how well Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop works. Each flavor is sweet and fruit-forward, but remarkably natural, which is in keeping with the experience of drinking gin, and ironically, not the cheap and easy cocktail that inspired the song.
So if you come to this thinking it’s just Gin and Juice in a can, it’s not, it’s something unique and more along the lines of what you’d find whipped up by a bartender who is interested in the art mixology.
The Bottom Line:
Far more elevated and refined than you’d expect from an RTD, especially one that shares its name with a popular mixed drink.
As for where each flavor ranks, for me it’s like this:
1. Apricot. It’s dry yet sweet flavor profile is unique in the RTD space. It’s sweet, floral, and well-balanced with a touch of bitterness.
2. Passionfruit. The sweetest of the bunch with a touch of mild spice.
3. Melon. Tropical and sweet, but a bit flatter than my top 2.
4. Citrus. The only dud of the back. It has this bitter rind flavor that I find off-putting.
Pick up Gin & Juice by Dre and Snoop here, or your favorite spirits store.
Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.
10. Abigail (Universal Pictures movie on VOD & Amazon Prime)
Formerly known as the mysterious Untitled Monster Movie from Universal Pictures with a final Angus Cloud performance, this plainly-titled film packs a visceral punch. The story revolves around idiot criminals kidnapping the daughter of an underworld kingpin, and unfortunately for these dumbasses, she ends up being a vampire, and of course, Giancarlo Esposito is there to make everything feel even more ominous. His character locks the group inside, where they must survive 24 hours at the hands of a bloodsucking monster, and yup, this sure looks planned, but at least Melissa Barerra is able to get her onscreen horror fix on after leaving the Scream franchise.
Man, Apple TV+ loves those trippy shows. This series adapts Blake Crouch’s New York Times bestseller and stars Joel Egerton as a physicist/professor who gets kidnapped by an alternate reality. He works to make it home while encountering other alternate lives, and this isn’t nearly as fun for him as it might sound on paper. Jennifer Connelly co-stars, and she probably won’t enjoy it much either when Egerton’s character has to save his own family from the Villain Dad that he has apparently become. So stressful.
Seriously, is Robert Downey Jr. going for EGOT status? He recently won an Oscar and has already demolished the Golden Globes a few times. He will soon make his Broadway debut, and in this series, he embodies four roles: CIA operative, film director, congressman, and professor. The show is a riveting viewing experience about Vietnam War-era spy (Hoa Xuande), who encounters RDJ’s pivotal characters during this successful adaptation of Viet Thanh Nguyen’s same-named Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Emmy, perhaps?
7. Anyone But You (Sony Pictures Releasing film on Netflix)
Sydney Sweeney is gearing up to portray the “Female Rocky,” which gives her another arena to conquer after delivering a sleeper of a romcom with this modern take on Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing. As a producer, Sweeney also helped stoke the flames of rumors about herself and Glen Powell, and her intuition about the film’s prospective audience has helped ensure certain longevity for her career. Glen’s not doing so bad, either! Watching both of their careers hit new highs is a rare joy for the love ’em and leave ’em industry of Hollywood.
6. Love Lies Bleeding (A24 film on VOD & Amazon Prime)
Rose Glass (Saint Maud) directed this project, for which Kristen Stewart and Katy O’Brian bonded over cat pee before production began. Kristen is Lou, a gym manager, and Katy is Jackie, a ripped-as-hell bodybuilder, and their romance gets sidetracked then they are sucked into the town’s criminal underworld due to Lou’s father (Ed Harris, who has seen far better non-hair days). Expect murder, mayhem, and tons of hair, baby.
Jerry Seinfeld might never have another hit show about nothing like Seinfeld again, but even though this film has somewhat divided audiences, people still cannot resist checking in how the former sitcom king has done with his directorial debut. The story is silly as hell, but this film does not aspire to be a masterpiece. Instead, it travels back to the 1960s Pop-Tart birth, where that still-overrated breakfast-snack food first had its heyday. Look for Hugh Grant, Bill Burr, Maria Bakalova, Melissa McCarthy, Amy Schumer, and Seinfeld himself before the credits roll on this absurdity.
The season began with high tension between the central duo, but do not forget the most important part: that Tom Cruise Christmas cake. Next up? Deborah Vance will be roasted in an event that will be nearly as legendary as the comedienne herself. The season hasn’t yet revealed the sexy Christina Hendricks episode, but there’s already been enough heat for Ava. Get ready for even more for both ladies, physically with other people, and mentally… with each other. Also, it’s lovely to see them back in the non-lovely Las Vegas, here’s to hoping for more of this.
Walton Goggins didn’t exactly enjoy his initial prep for being The Ghoul, but he loosened up, as did the prosthetics routine, and this contributed to video-game adaptation magic. Ella Purnell is also the newly crowned Queen of the Video Game Show, and good news is on the horizon for everybody involved. Amazon put this into fast-track mode for a second season, so get ready for more noseless Goggins. He truly is everywhere these days, even in Thailand!
The masses cannot help but be charmed by Anne Hathaway portraying a cool Coachella mom who ends up attracting the affections of a 24-year-old pop star (Nicholas Galitzine), who is definitely not Harry Styles. The May-December story joins the several adaptations of same-named novels (in this case, by author Robinne Lee) that are crossing into the TV medium with great success. And fortunately for audiences, the romantic attraction in this film is sizzling.
Nearly a month after streaming release, the momentum continues for Richard Gadd’s stunning dramatization of his real-life trauma spiral. Audiences remain transfixed by how Gadd, as “Donny,” has laid his own experiences on the table in this adaptation of his one-man show that won’t be leaving your brain. The limited series appears to be as destined for award recognition as it has been for followup controversy, but the creator and star isn’t taking it easy in the shadow of his own success. Instead, he’s already leaping head first into his next project while viewers stay obsessed in a true-crime way with what he’s done here.
Kentucky is bourbon country, but let’s be honest in 2024 – the rest of the country is catching up. To the point that some of the world’s best bourbon is made outside of Kentucky. Bourbon may not be peated (minus a few exceptions) but in a matchup of Kentucky vs. the world, these 10 bourbons want ALL the smoke.
From cities as far-flung as Brooklyn, New York, Charleston, South Carolina, and Seattle, Washington there are distilleries today proving that the best bourbon in the world isn’t limited to the Bluegrass State. Give ’em a taste and you’ll find that the rest of the country isn’t just trotting along trying to keep up with the greatness produced in Kentucky. In fact, in a race to the top, these are 10 bourbons that can easily be considered some of the finest in all the land.
Prepare to have your horizon broadened and, if you’ll allow it, perhaps even have your mind changed. These are the 10 best bourbons made outside of Kentucky in 2024, ranked
10. Jimmy Red Bottled In Bond Bourbon 10th Anniversary
Jimmy Red Bourbon is made using a unique corn varietal, Jimmy Red, which the brand helped save from the brink of extinction. Ecological heroics aside, this isn’t your garden-variety bourbon – it utilizes locally grown grains, is likewise proofed with local water, and is made according to the exacting standards of the Bottled in Bond Act.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Immediately fragrant and grain forward, which you like to see when a whiskey utilizes a unique grain varietal, the nuttiness of Jimmy Red corn is on full display here. Spiced orange peel and cinnamon bark dance delightfully in the background while brioche, star anise, and a light sugary top note take care of the rest.
Palate: Once across the palate, this bourbon is oily with all of the nosing notes finding their way into the mouth with the prominent addition of brown sugar, vanilla pod, and buttered popcorn. There’s also the savory sweetness of honey to be found on top of the doughy flavor of brioche that rewards the patient sipper.
Finish: With a medium-length finish that leaves you sucking your molars and searching for flavor long after your final sip, you’ll find gentle allspice notes along with youthful oak and maple candy.
Bottom Line:
High Wire Distilling out of Charleston, South Carolina has done a lot of heavy lifting to resuscitate Jimmy Red corn and give it a place of prominence in the bourbon world. The results of that work are on full display in their 10th Anniversary Bottled in Bond Bourbon, where an impressively mature mouthfeel and lush flavors pass the “it has potential” test and rise to the level of promise fulfilled.
9. Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Southern Distilling Company is helping to put the North Carolina bourbon scene on the map with their fleet of impressive wheated bourbons but none are as remarkable as their Single Barrel Cask Strength offerings. Made with a mashbill of 70% corn, 16% wheat, and 14% malted barley, this is a whiskey that despite being produced in limited batches is making a major impact among bourbon drinkers in the know.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Sticky orange marmalade comes wafting out of the glass set against an earthy backbone of nutmeg, robust barrel char, and the floral, musky aroma of jasmine.
Palate: On the palate one can expect the pleasure to increase tenfold as chocolate truffle dust graces the tongue before walnut meat and sassafras kick things into high gear. Those semi-sweet, earthy notes are then bolstered by a treacle sweetness accented by cardamom and a sprig of mint.
Finish: On the finish it’s the sweetness that overtakes the robust earthy character of this bourbon with apple skin, clover honey, and vanilla extract to be found along with a touch of white pepper to balance it all out.
Bottom Line:
Boldness with balance is really the right way to describe Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Bourbon. Despite being new to the stage and facing stiff competition in the wheated bourbon category, this is one expression that proves North Carolina deserves a seat at the table when discussing superlative cask strength bourbon.
New York has no shortage of promising distilleries right now, and Finger Lakes Distilling, located upstate, is certainly among them. Featuring a mashbill of 70% corn, 20% hard red winter wheat, and 10% malted barley and aged for a full four years under the Bottled in Bond standards, McKenzie Bourbon is proof positive that the north New York region may soon be known for its whiskey as much as its wine.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Caramel-coated melon kicks things off, an unexpected duo that prepares your senses for the journey you’re about to take. From that auspicious start, you’ll also find milk chocolate, marshmallow fluff, lemon zest, and dried cranberries hanging in the air above the glass.
Palate: Again, milk chocolate holds significant space on the palate and it’s joined by more red berries – this time more akin to semi-sweet raspberries – while lemon tartness and savory pecan flavors soon follow.
Finish: The medium-bodied texture allows plenty of runway for a surprisingly lengthy finish that crescendos with mellow baking spices and gently undulates away leaving custard and almond extract in its wake.
Bottom Line:
Both affordable and exceedingly easy to enjoy this bourbon is even more impressive than Finger Lake Distilling’s award-winning rye. McKenzie Bottled in Bond Bourbon is a surprisingly well-rounded whiskey that utilizes an atypical grain recipe and subjects it to the Bottled in Bond standards to satisfying results.
Rising Tide Spirits is a non-distilling producer founded by industry icon Ed Bley, who is indeed based in Kentucky but sources the liquid for this release from an undisclosed distillery out of West Virginia. For batch 1 of their playfully named “Old Stubborn” expression a blend of 10, 11, and 13-year-old bourbons are mingled to produce a wheated bourbon that treads off the beaten path.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Vegetal notes like oregano and sage rise to greet the nose at first before a dollop of sticky caramel, dark chocolate, and mature oak blossom and offer a sturdy foundation for those top notes to grow.
Palate: Caramel candy is far more pronounced on the palate here and it’s accented by a layer of cinnamon and clove that deftly relegates the vegetal notes from the nose to the background, allowing them to shine as secondary players to the nuanced sweetness and the flavor of semi-bitter barrel char.
Finish: On the finish you’ll find walnut shell, allspice, and a touch of mint emerging in lockstep with red chili pepper skin and the semi-bitter barrel char note that’s only faintly evident at midpalate.
Bottom Line:
Old Stubborn excels by marching to the beat of its own drum and eschewing the comforting familiarity of most wheated bourbons on the market. Mellow sweetness is supplanted by self-sure vegetal notes that play well with your standard confectionery flavors to produce a truly unique sipping experience.
Frey Ranch Distillery, tucked away in the mountains of Nevada, are relative newcomers to the American whiskey world but they’ve been farming since 1854. All of that agricultural know-how finds its way into the bottle as they utilize their own sustainably grown grains in each of their products, putting nearly 170 years of experience on full display in their farm-to-glass bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Leather and cinnamon bark come roaring out of the glass as the impressive proof in this whiskey makes itself known vis-a-vis its burly aromas. Buttery pastry notes and a sweetness reminiscent of port wine adds refinement to the affair with custard and torched blood orange elevating it as well.
Palate: The interplay of grain – with corn pudding playing the role here – with tropical fruit, tobacco leaf, black tea, and clove is mesmerizing in every sip. Be sure to suck your teeth as an invitation for toasted almonds and overripe dates to join the party.
Finish: The finish showcases a delicate balance – though this whiskey is anything but delicate – where leather, dates, and big black pepper vibes all claim equal ground and cling to the roof of your mouth for dear life.
Bottom Line:
Believe it or not, Frey Ranch Distillery has been around for nearly 20 years, having been founded in 2006. What time has wrought is a level of expertise coupled with high-quality grains to produce a robust bourbon loaded with fulsome flavor notes and a silky mouthfeel that you’ll want to experience over and over again until your bottle, like mine, is nearly depleted.
5. Old 55 Single Barrel 100% Sweet Corn Cask Strength Bourbon Whiskey
Newtown, Indiana is home to Old 55 Distillery who is deploying proprietary enzymes and producing both a wheated bourbon as well as some truly magnificent, albeit extremely limited, 100% sweet corn bourbon. Cask strength is where their sweet corn bourbon shines brightest, as it showcases all of that unsprayed, organic sweet corn in all its glory.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s an earthy aroma reminiscent of tree bark that is quickly supplanted by gobs of sumptuously sweet corn pudding, melon, white peach, and overripe apricot.
Palate: On the palate the viscousness of the liquid is immediately remarkable, which lays the foundation for corn pudding, blackberries, vanilla ice cream, and cinnamon bark to coat your tongue in nearly equal measure.
Finish: On the finish you’ll find the kick of cinnamon bark, cola nut, and jammy blackberry sweetness kissing you goodbye after every sip.
Bottom Line:
Producing 100% sweet corn bourbon is not only more labor-intensive but it’s also extremely expensive — which goes to explain the high sticker price for Old 55 100% Sweet Corn Bourbon, but the results are so damn worth it. Not only is this one of the more unique bourbons on the market from a production standpoint, but it really goes to show the potential of bourbon as a category when the cost is thrown to the wind and talented distillers set their sights on one simple goal: flavor.
Wyoming Whiskey, nestled out west in Kirby, Wyoming, has a flavorful portfolio of bourbons in its lineup but the 10-Year Anniversary expression should be considered its crown jewel to date. To honor their 10th calendar year, in 2022, they united their original master distiller and their master blender to create this special release using the oldest barrels in their inventory to produce this high-rye bourbon.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: A duo of apricot and pear find themselves fused with caramel, hay, and a bit of bubblegum – but the ride doesn’t end there. Dig deeper to find a savory note reminiscent of smoked brisket alongside orange blossom, brandied cherries, and baklava.
Palate: Citrus kisses the tip of the tongue before allowing bubblegum, creme brulee, and a stout oak presence to enter the fray. This succeeds by being spry on the palate despite containing a depth of rich flavors commensurate with 10-year-old bourbon.
Finish: The finish contains the herbaceousness of bay leaf and honeyed mint tea along with white pepper and a final dash of barrel char.
Bottom Line:
Wyoming Whiskey’s 10th Anniversary Bourbon features a delightfully refreshing bouquet of aroma that is only outdone by the flavors found on the palate. It is one of those exceptional – and rare – bourbons that can succeed by being multiple things at once, and that’s worth some serious applause.
3. Starlight Distillery Mizunara Reserve Bourbon Finished In Japanese Mizunara Barrels
Starlight Distillery, located in Borden, Indiana, can comfortably be considered one of the best craft whiskey distilleries in the entire country. For this mouth-watering Mizunara-finished release they take barrels that were initially earmarked for their premium “Family Reserve” lineup, age them for at least 4 years, and then rest them for an undisclosed period of time in exotic Japanese oak casks. The resultant whiskey carries a 7-year age statement.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Cinnamon-specked fried apple pie aromas waft out of the glass along with candied ginger, orange pith, and root beer. It all makes for a mesmerizing melange that, at 116 proof, comes across as surprisingly approachable.
Palate: On the palate this whiskey bursts with bright cherry and cedar that swiftly clears space for vanilla buttercream, cinnamon, and charred green apple skin.
Finish: A healthy helping of allspice helps to focus, rather than curtail, the wonderful sweet flavors on display in this whiskey.
Bottom Line:
Mizunara is an infamously difficult oak to use in whiskey production due to its extreme porosity — which can cause those casks to spring a leak. Without that knowledge, it might also be difficult for the layperson to imagine why it isn’t more widely used because the flavors it can wring out of bourbon – particularly one with the sumptuous baseline provided by Starlight bourbon – are stellar.
This delicate whiskey achieves a depth of flavor typically reserved for bourbon twice its age, making it well worth the expensive barrels it was finished in.
This 18-barrel blend from Holladay Distillery came about thanks to a unique collaboration with Bourbon Lore, the brand-new enthusiast community that’s already shaking up the American whiskey world. This collaboration was helmed by Master Distiller Kyle Merklein along with the illustrious group of Mason Walker, Clay Risen, Emerson Shotwell, David Jennings, and Ryan Alves.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nosing notes are driven by the aroma of aged leather books, raspberry fruit parfait, and the faint influence of cinnamon. Those aromas are further fortified by notes of milk chocolate and a bit of herbal tea.
Palate: As this whiskey splashes across your palate you’re immediately greeted by the creamy mouthfeel. Expect to find raspberry and sarsaparilla along with shades of white pepper, cream soda, and clove set against a sturdy backdrop of oak.
Finish: On the finish this bourbon defies its age, coming across as a 10+ year-old product courtesy of its rich oaky character accented by Aleppo red chili flakes.
Bottom Line:
The social media hype resulted in this whiskey being sold out almost instantly, but it will leave a lasting impression on both your palate and your opinion of Holladay Distillery. It checks every box and drinks dangerously below its proof while tasting like bourbon with a significantly higher age statement. Rest assured, this probably won’t be the best bourbon Ben Holladay ever releases, but it’s also safe to say this is the best stuff they’ve ever bottled to date.
Your house, that is, because if not then Kings County Blender’s Reserve needs an introduction. This particular batch produced 269 bottles and featured the very last of the distillery’s 5-gallon barrels in a blend that was aged for at least 7 years.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Well-aged leather furniture, Mexican hot chocolate, and coconut flakes are all initially resplendent on the nose. There’s a good bit of evident ethanol, but it’s not overpowering, and once acclimated there are notes of marshmallow with the faintest touch of orange rind and deep oak to be found.
Palate: An incredibly dense mouthfeel introduces spoils like the Almond Joy and Tootsie Roll candies, marzipan, plus rich oak which are all on full display along with gentle accents of tobacco leaf and orange zest.
Finish: A bounty of barrel char and baking spice – namely black pepper and nutmeg – emerge on the finish which is exceptionally long-lasting and warms your chest through every savory sip.
Bottom Line:
Kings County’s Blender’s Reserve stands in remarkable defiance of the notion that the best bourbon in the world can only come from Kentucky. Utilizing anything-but-industry-standard 5-gallon barrels in this blend along with Kings County’s signature 80% New York corn, and 20% malted barley mashbill, this is a bottle that charts its own path to flavor town yet arrives with all of the gusto its hefty proof would indicate.
Simply put, if you want to prove that the best bourbon doesn’t have to be made in Kentucky then you should pour a glass of Kings County Blender’s Reserve.
Fast food is getting expensive. So much so that we’ve been talking about it all year. The brands know it too, which is why so many of them are scrambling right now trying to figure out how to get customers back to the drive-thru.
One way to win us back is by expanding value menus. Taco Bell is doing it well, but the big cheeseburger brands can’t seem to figure out how to make it work. Luckily, there are a few affordable burgers out there that manage to be cheap and delicious. But what about flipping the conversation to talk about expensive cheeseburgers. Are they better? Are they really worth it?
The short answer is “not always.” Sure, some burgers are, but for every expensive burger that tastes so good the price is justified, there are at least two lesser burgers from other brands that have us scratching our heads as to why they’re so expensive. So to help guide you to the best burgers in fast food, we’re ranking all of our favorite expensive burgers.
What does expensive mean in this case? Over $10. I think once you get into double digits, you’re getting prohibitively expensive for a lot of people, so that’s our threshold. If a burger is less than $10 — it didn’t make this list.
6. Umami Burger — The Double Umami Burger
Umami Burger
Price: $11.95
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Oh, how the mighty have fallen. More than a decade ago, Umami Burger was in the running for the best fast casual cheeseburger on the market. It tasted elevated and unique, savory to the point of being decadent. And then in 2016, Umami Burger was acquired by a holdings company that owns a bunch of other food brands, and the quality immediately dropped.
These days, the burger tastes like it was made in a ghost kitchen (because it is), it lacks character, and tastes shockingly bland. All the fixing are still here, the burger is made from two smashed patties, with dashi onions, American cheese, pickle chips, and the brand’s umami sauce. But when you bite into it, all the magic is gone. It tastes like a shell of what it once tasted like.
It’s bland, under-seasoned, and way too expensive for what you get.
The Bottom Line:
The only burger on this list that isn’t worth the money.
5. Wendy’s — Baconator
Wendy
Price: $12.31
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
This one hurts. I love Wendy’s, it has one of the most consistent menus in fast food. Almost everything on it is great. But compared to the fast casual chains that make up this list? It’s struggling to compete.
Here is what I love about the Baconator — it’s super juicy and meaty with a strong smokey bacon flavor that tastes wonderfully savory. The way the fatty, smokey, and slightly sweet bacon mixes with the rich beef and savory ketchup and mayo creates a delicious umami finish (take that Umami Burger) that penetrates your tastebuds in the best way.
But if I’m being picky — which for this list, I need to be — it’s way too f*cking salty. Eating this burger feels like a health risk, and that’s not always something you want, especially when you’re paying a premium price.
The Bottom Line:
Delicious, but way too salty.
4. Smashburger — Double Classic Smash Burger
Smashburger
Price: $10.09
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Smashburger just made this list by 9 cents, and the price point of $10.09 is what you’ll find in Southern California, where I imagine fast food is a bit more expensive. So if you can get this burger for less than $10, it’s a no-brainer.
But even at $10.09, what you get is great — two Angus beef smash patties, two layers of American cheese, a single leaf of green leaf lettuce, juicy tomatoes, sweet red onions, pickles, Smash sauce, and ketchup, on a toasted bun.
The patties are thin, so thin there is an audible crunch to every bite. While thin, they still provide some great beefy flavor but not quite as much as I want. Smashburger would rank highly for me if it were just a bit beefier.
The Bottom Line:
If you love smash burgers, you’re going to love Smashburger. They do the style right, though the patties are on the thin side. So if you want a beefy burger, maybe look elsewhere (or add another patty).
3. Fatburger — King Burger
Fatburger
Price: $11.99
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
You always hear about In-N-Out, over and over and over. I admit, I’m part of the problem. In-N-Out is amazing, but so is Fatburger, and the latter is massively underrated. The Kingburger is my go-to when I want a giant cheeseburger made from fresh beef.
This burger is topped with a thick grip-full of shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, mustard, pickles, American cheese and relish, plus one giant 1/2 pound patty. A fat patty if you will.
The burger is juicy, nicely charred, and beefy, but the secret weapon here is the relish, which is bright, zesty, and shockingly spicy. While it doesn’t come stock on the build, I like to add some chili and bacon into the mix to really take this burger to the next level.
The Bottom Line:
It doesn’t enjoy the hype that In-N-Out has, but it’s just as good.
2. Five Guys — Patty Melt
Zach Johnston
Price: $15.47
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Five Guys gets a lot of criticism for being overpriced, and I think that’s pretty warranted. The standard double cheeseburger (which to confuse people, is just listed as “Cheeseburger” on the Five Guys menu), will run you over $15. For a burger that’s wrapped in foil and thrown in a greasy brown bag, that’s too much money. But… it’s delicious. And some days, totally worth it.
The key to ordering from Five Guys is to take advantage of its customizable menu. If you want to roll into Five Guys and get a cheeseburger with all the ordinary fixings, it’s a rip-off, but if you’re willing to get creative, it’s absolutely worth the money. Our favorite is the secret menu patty melt. Simply order a grilled cheese and add grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, and two beef patties. The bun will be flipped inside out, allowing the bottom portion to be buttered and grilled, giving a crispy bite that pairs excellently with the umami-rich earthy mushrooms, sweet caramelized onions, and layers of perfectly melted American cheese.
This combination of ingredients is so wonderful, savory and juicy that you don’t even need burger sauce for this one. My suggestion is to order a side of BBQ and dip when necessary to add a bit more smoke and emphasize the sweet character. Another add-on I like is adding grilled green and jalapeño peppers for some peppery vegetal heat.
The Bottom Line:
Yes, it’s expensive, but if you take advantage of the customization options, it starts to make sense why you’re paying a premium.
1. Shake Shack — Double Shack Burger
Shake Shack
Price: $12.69
Thoughts & Tasting Notes:
Shake Shack’s Double Shack Burger sits in a perfect price point in my mind. Yes, it’s pricier than all of the big chains, but the quality of the ingredients justifies it. Would I like it more if it was $2 cheaper? Absolutely, but it’s not so prohibitively expensive that I feel like I’m getting ripped off.
The ingredients are exceptional, the produce is crispy and ripe, the tomatoes add an umami-rich juiciness, and the lettuce balances the brightness with a hint of bitterness. The Shake sauce is tangy, rich, and adds an extra level of savoriness to the burger. The potato bun is soft and spongey and soaks up the burger juices nicely. But the real star of the show is the meat patty.
No other burger melts in your mouth like Shake Shack. Once you bite through the sweet caramelized Maillard crust, you’re met with a depth of flavor that somehow tastes meatier and juicier than every other burger in fast food. While the less than $10 single version of this burger is tempting, price-wise, stick with the double — the ratio of meat to bread is much better here, allowing you to enjoy the flavor all the more.
The Bottom Line:
Not just the best cheeseburger over $10, it’s the best cheeseburger in all of fast food.
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