The 2024 CMA Awards will go on without Beyoncé on November 20, and Luke Bryan will co-host alongside Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning. Bryan commented on Beyoncé’s shutout while appearing on SiriusXM’s Andy Cohen Live.
“It’s a tricky question because, obviously, Beyoncé made a country album, and Beyoncé has a lot of fans out there that have her back,” Bryan told Cohen. “If she doesn’t get something they want, man, they come at you — as fans should do.”
The American Idol judge continued, “It’s a tough thing to say — I don’t know how many albums did she sell? I know she had one song. So, I mean, listen, I’m all for everybody coming in and making country albums and all that. But just because she made one — just ’cause I make one, I don’t get any nominations. A lot of great music is overlooked. Sometimes, you don’t get nominated.”
Bryan saved the most controversial sentiment for last: “Everybody loved that Beyoncé made a country album. Nobody’s mad about it, but where things get a little tricky — you know, if you’re gonna make country albums, come into our world and be country with us a little bit. Like, Beyoncé can do exactly what she wants to. She’s probably the biggest star in music. But come to an awards show and high-five us and have fun and get in the family, too. And I’m not saying she didn’t do that. I didn’t know. I had never seen [her]. But country music is a lot about family.”
“This album has been over five years in the making,” Beyoncé wrote, in part, in her caption of the Cowboy Carter album cover artwork. “It was born out of an experience that I had years ago where I did not feel welcomed…and it was very clear that I wasn’t. But, because of that experience, I did a deeper dive into the history of Country music and studied our rich musical archive. It feels good to see how music can unite so many people around the world, while also amplifying the voices of some of the people who have dedicated so much of their lives educating on our musical history.”
Appropriately, people on X (formerly Twitter) have reacted to Bryan’s take by pointing out that Beyoncé is inherently country, given that she is from Texas and the genre was build on Black musicians’ backs.
As a relevant aside, The Hollywood Reporter exclusively reported Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter “will compete for Best Country Album” at the 2025 Grammys.
“If Beyoncé — the most decorated artist in Grammy history — earns a best country album nod, it would be her first in the genre and she would become the rare artist who has scored nominations across multiple genres at the Grammys,” THR relayed.
Each week our staff of film and television experts surveys the entertainment landscape to select the ten best new/newish shows available for you to stream at home. We put a lot of thought into our selections, and our debates on what to include and what not to include can sometimes get a little heated and feelings may get hurt, but so be it, this is an important service for you, our readers. With that said, here are our selections for this week.
You might know Brian Jordan Alvarez from his videos on TikTok and Instagram as TJ Mack, the singer of earworm “Sitting.” He’s also the star and creator of English Teacher, about a teacher who “often finds himself at the intersection of the personal, professional, and political aspects of working at a high school. Evan wants to be a principled person but often runs into trouble because of it.” His first lesson to his students: sitting is the opposite of standing.
There’s a few things you should know about Slow Horses:
1. As we previously wrote: “Each season is six episodes long and focuses on a distinct mystery or conspiracy and is full of little twists and turns and double-crosses. Sometimes there are stolen diamonds. Sometimes the slow horses will reveal themselves to be drug addicts or gambling addicts and it’ll muck everything up for a little. Sometimes you’ll be watching someone do something and assume they’re taking a brave and bold stance for righteousness and then realize they’ve been manipulated into accidentally doing the bidding of someone smarter and more conniving than they are.”
2. There is so much farting. Like, even more than you think.
If you have an unhealthy relationship with television shows (if you’re reading this, you probably do), have I got a movie for you! Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow follows two outcasts played by Jaden Smith and Brigette Lundy-Paine who bond over a shared affection for The Pink Opaque, a Buffy the Vampire Slayer-like series with a deep, very ’90s lore. It’s a wonderful film not only about nostalgia, but also gender dysphoria. There’s a killer soundtrack, too.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: more movies should star Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne and Elizabeth Olsen. So thank god for His Three Daughters, which is about three estranged sisters (bet you can guess who they’re played by!) as they reunite to care for their ailing father. The single-setting drama is one of the best movies of the year, which, again, is what happens when you put Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen in the same cast.
Colin Farrell’s scene-stealing performance in The Batman resulted in him being turned into a meme and, probably more impressively, getting a spin-off on Max. The Penguin explores Oswald Cobblepot’s (or as he’s called in the show, Oz Cobb’s) rise in the seedy Gotham underworld. The series, which also stars Cristin Milioti, Clancy Brown, and Theo Rossi, is getting comparisons to another crime drama in the HBO / Max family: The Sopranos. Not too shabby.
There’s a good chance you’ve already seen Inside Out 2. It is the highest-grossing movie of 2024 after all. But now you can watch it again and again (especially if you have kids) on Disney Plus. The Pixar film brings back Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger from the original, and adds new emotions, including Maya Hawke as Anxiety and Ayo Edebiri as Envy. For more on the making of Inside Out 2, read our interview with director Kelsey Mann.
After former SNL head writer Harper Steele came out as a trans woman, she and Will Ferrell went on a two-week road trip across America. Will & Harper follows their journey. “What if we went on a road trip together, giving her a chance to go into a cowboy bar or whatever places she misses, and I can be by her side and lend support as a friend?” Ferrell said about the origin of the documentary. “At the same time, it would give us a chance to reconnect and figure out what this transition means to our relationship.” If only all SNL cast members from the ‘90s were so open minded…
It’s crazy that we live in a time where a new movie starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt is somehow flying under the radar. But don’t miss Wolfs, which reunites the Ocean’s Eleven hunks for an action comedy in which they play professional fixers who are begrudgingly forced to work together. The film is directed by Jon Watts, who made the MCU’s Spider-Man trilogy. Coincidentally, Clooney is one of the few MCU mega-star holdouts (unlike Pitt in Deadpool 2, which kind of counts?).
The acclaimed anime Dan Da Dan is about Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate / occult fanatic Okarun, who begin talking after she saves him from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them: Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. It’s a real Mulder and Scully dynamic, if they were both Mulder. Dan Da Dan, which is getting a weekly release, comes from animation studio Science Saru, who also made last year’s shockingly good Scott Pilgrim Takes Off.
One of the most talked-about shows at the moment is Nobody Wants This. It turns out, everybody wants to see Kristen Bell and Adam Brody in a romantic comedy, which is something I could have told Netflix without having to be paid an executive’s exorbitant salary. Nobody Wants This follows the unlikely relationship between a sex podcaster (Bell) and a hot rabbit (Brody). It’s very cute, and hopefully a sign that we’ll get more good rom-coms soon.
One of the year’s best coming-of-age movies is Didi. Written and directed by Sean Wang, the Sundance Film Festival winner is set in 2008 and centers on the titular 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy, played by Izaac Wang, as he navigates the horrors of being a teenager. If you were an adolescent during the AOL Instant Messenger days, this one will hit close to home.
Quarantine hit The Platform is an allegorical horror film about class struggle, where inmates in a “Vertical Self-Management Center” are fed using a platform that’s initially filled with food but as it descends, there’s fewer and fewer options for the lower levels. Those at the bottom are lucky to get anything at all. Following a prisoner rebellion (and some delicious looking panna cotta) in the original, The Platform 2 has a new leader imposing their rule in the Platform, while “a new resident becomes embroiled in the battle against this controversial method to fight the brutal feeding system,” according to the logline from Netflix. “But when eating from the wrong plate becomes a death sentence, how far would you be willing to go to save your life?”
Hold Your Breath stars Sarah Paulson… don’t worry, this isn’t another Ryan Murphy project. Let’s start again: Hold Your Breath stars Sarah Paulson as a mother of two in the Dust Bowl-era 1930s who is convinced that a sinister presence is threatening her family. Paulson is predictably excellent, and the rest of the cast, including recent Emmy winner Ebon Moss-Bachrach and Annaleigh Ashford, isn’t too shabby, either. The film’s original title was Dust, but hopefully that’s being saved for a biopic about the Dust Brothers.
The Franchise is a long-overdue satire of superhero movies from creator Jon Brown and producers Armando Iannucci and Sam Mendes. It’s like The Boys, but less violent — although both shows do star Aya Cash. She’s joined by Himesh Patel, Jessica Hynes, Billy Magnussen, Lolly Adefope, Darren Goldstein, Isaac Powell, Daniel Brühl, and Richard E. Grant. The series makes fun of the chaotic world of superhero moviemaking and asks an important question: “How exactly does the cinematic sausage get made?” (With lots of greenscreen, that’s how.)
Earlier this year, Stephen King had this to say about Salem’s Lot: “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.” King doesn’t always have the best taste in adaptations of his work, but he makes a strong case here. 2024’s Salem’s Lot (the first feature-film adaptation of the author’s personal favorite novel, following two miniseries) stars Lewis Pullman, Makenzie Leigh, Bill Camp, Pilou Asbæk, Alfre Woodard, and William Sadler, and was written and directed by Annabelle and It writer Gary Dauberman.
The last time we got a new album from 50 Cent was in 2014 with Animal Ambition. He’ll come out with a new song now and then, like 2022’s “Power Powder Respect” with Jeremih and Lil Durk. Mostly, though, 50 is inactive these days when it comes to new music.
Why Doesn’t 50 Cent Make New Music Anymore?
During a panel with Earn Your Leisure at Invest Fest last month, 50 explained his mindset:
“My ideas are getting so big that it’s changing even how I can deliver things. I have to be conscious of what I’m saying or what I’m doing because the idea — it’s going to disrupt my idea. A lot of the music, if you listen to the music that’s out right now, I have to tap into my stupid. I have to tap into the stupid side of me to write the right thing when it comes time to write the music.
This is why I haven’t created as much content as I was creating in the past, and I started going toward the film production and development of these projects. Because I think I can impact things in a bigger way through that.”
So, to summarize, 50 isn’t interested in being part of the current musical landscape, and he’s currently more invested in working in TV and movies.
Earlier this year, Sydney Sweeney bought a home in Florida (a likely thing for a Disney World fan to do). Even though she was outside of the Hollywood celebrity bubble, it did not take long before the paparazzi invaded her space — and started yelling at her family. “They said, ‘If you tell her to just come outside in a bikini, I’ll take pictures and then I’ll leave you alone,’” the actress revealed to Glamour, who named her 2024’s Woman of the Year.
Sweeney also responded to the flimsy speculation that she called the picture-snappers herself. “Why would I call the paparazzi to take pictures of me at my own house when my baby cousins and family are there and I’m in my backyard? Why would I ever want that?” she said. “I have pictures of these guys in kayaks hiding in bushes in the ocean. They got there at 8 a.m. and wouldn’t leave until 4 p.m. I should be able to be in my home and feel comfortable and safe.”
The Barbarella actress added, “When those photos go out, then my actual safety is at risk. Everyone knows where I am. Now there’s boats that go by, and I literally hear them say, ‘This is Sydney Sweeney’s house.’ It becomes a star tour in my front yard.”
The next time the paparazzi converges around her house, Sweeney should send her dog Tank after them. No jury would find her guilty.
Lana Del Rey just had a significant life change: Last week, she got married to Jeremy Dufrene, who works as an alligator tour guide in Louisiana. Now, Del Rey has publicly addressed the nuptials while calling out some paparazzi for harassing her.
In the comments of a fan account post on Instagram, Del Rey wrote (as TMZ notes):
“Unfortunately, a local couple from Houma won’t stop flying drones into our windows every morning and following us with a tracker.
all that being said Jeremy is the one and only. And amazing. And we’re very happy.
But if Sara Michelle Champagne and Kruesch (a famous New Orleans paparazzi) could stop switching vehicles following the family- and stop following us around remote parts of the country and photo shopping my wedding ring into a pearl- I know we would feel a lot safer.”
Meanwhile, Del Rey and Dufrene seem to be otherwise enjoying married life so far. As TMZ reports, the two were spotted snuggling outside of a Louisiana restaurant, where they appeared to take some selfies together as Del Rey sported her wedding ring. The two apparently also took time to take photos with restaurant staff and talk with them after their meal had concluded.
For years, Diddy was a cultural icon, but his reputation has soured significantly lately due to the sex trafficking and assault allegations he’s facing. So, many people with any sort of even tangential association to him are doing what they can to distance themselves from him, and now that includes Jonas Brothers member Joe Jonas.
On September 28, Jonas Brothers performed at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France. During the set, the brothers performed “Cake By The Ocean,” a favorite by Joe’s other band, DNCE. Video of the performance is just now starting to pick up some attention, as NME notes, due to a lyric change.
Usually, Joe sings, “Walk for me, baby / I’ll be Diddy, you’ll be Naomi,” but in France, he sang, “Walk for me, baby / I’ll be watching you be Naomi.”
This follows Kesha making a similar alteration earlier this year: Performing “Tik Tok” alongside Reneé Rapp at Coachella, she changed the Diddy lyric from “Wake up in the morning, feeling like P. Diddy” to “Wake up in the morning like, ‘F*ck P. Diddy!’”
It was reported earlier this week that Diddy could face an addition 120 lawsuits from alleged sexual assault victims, including some who were underage at the times of the alleged incidents.
With Bourbon Heritage Month in the rearview, we totally get it if you’re hankering for some rye whiskey.
While we’re firm believers that great spirits should be enjoyed all year long, there’s simply something about the fall that makes rye whiskey much more attractive. The spices, the prototypical notes of mint and pine, and the fact that its elevated ABV can warm you up in a single sip make rye whiskey a great drink to pour as the leaves change colors.
So what ryes do you need to try right now? We know you’re wondering, and we’ve got a list of fifteen brand-new ryes that hit shelves recently that you need to try as soon as you can.
Let’s dive right in and explore the ten rye whiskeys you need to try now!
Bulleit made a splash with their recent 12-Year Rye, but now they’re making waves again with this new, ongoing 10-Year version. Age ain’t nothing but a number, and so we knew we needed to taste this younger alternative at the festival to see if it deserves the same high praise.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: On the nose, Bulleit’s new rye begins with citrus and oak notes before candied maple and strong mint vibes start to supplant them and take over the aroma profile. It’s a well-developed bouquet that speaks to a promising tasting experience. Let’s dive in.
Palate: Well-rounded is the first thing that comes to mind after a sip of this one. It checks a lot of boxes (what Bulleit expression doesn’t?), and it escapes any accusations of being quotidian with a silky mouthfeel that belies its age and will surely be used to elevate cocktails.
Finish: The finish continues this whiskey’s balanced and solid trend without rocking the boat. It has a fairly succinct finish that ends with a sweet melange of mint, caramel, and orange zest.
Bottom Line:
While we’ll be sad to see Bulleit’s 12-Year Rye go (buy it while you still can), knowing that they’ve got this reliable, delicious 10-year version stocking shelves as an evergreen SKU definitely softens the blow. This isn’t just leftover juice; it’s a wholly new product that scratches a similar itch at an even lower price.
Knob Creek has been putting out stellar rye for a long time, but their brand new 10-year-old expression was released in early June and is now the oldest age-stated rye in the Knob Creek lineup.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on Knob Creek 10-Year Rye is oaky with an intriguing note of petrichor to go along with dark chocolate and a Brazil nut meatiness.
Palate: Pecans and nutmeg are the standout flavors on the palate of this pour, with a bit of wheat toast and honey bolstering this fine-tuned and expertly balanced whiskey. The robust mouthfeel defies its modest proof and serves as a fat red cherry on top.
Finish: More honey and wheat toast define the back end of this pour, while a touch of barrel char contributes to the outstanding finish as well.
Bottom Line:
Knob Creek’s regular 7-year rye is not exactly my jam, but that’s not because it’s flawed. It’s just okay. It’s ironic then that adding some oakiness is just what it needed to turn the dial from ehh to eleven. This is sure to be a new standard for a lot of rye enthusiasts, and it should be.
Redwood Empire out of California has been quietly producing some phenomenal whiskeys that the rest of the country has been all too slow to pick up on. Here at UPROXX, we’re happy to sound the alarm because Batch 001 of this fantastic rye, made from a mash bill of 67% rye, 31% malted barley, and 2% wheat, is sure to convert some new fans for the brand. This small lot expression is blended from 45 barrels.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Pine, Manuka honey, and mint tea form a delicious trifecta on the nose, which then leads the way to cedar, tobacco leaf, and black pepper aromas.
Palate: Honey and black pepper hit the palate at first, with the cedar and faint mint following closely behind as black tea curtails the sweetness at mid-palate. The texture is impressive and allows a second wave of sweetness in the form of confectioner’s sugar to kick in before the ample finish.
Finish: The finish is medium length, with honeysuckle and nougat taking shape, along with a little bit of orange blossom and oak.
Bottom Line:
Redwood Empire Van Duzen Rye has a funny name, but its instantly familiar medley of well-developed flavors is indicative of the fact that the folks behind this brand are dead serious about crafting high-quality whiskey. That small percentage of wheat in its mash bill likely contributes to its creamy mouthfeel, while that atypical but entirely welcome high-barley content keeps things interesting.
Elijah Craig’s latest line extension, building on the success of their well-received Toasted Bourbon, is a Toasted Rye bottled at the brand’s classic 94-proof point. They claim this one is “twice barreled for flavor,” so let’s see how it shakes out…
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Browned marshmallow, cream soda, and cinnamon make quite an impression on the nose before milk chocolate, thyme, and a touch of menthol rise in prominence. It’s a delightful medley that makes you anxious to explore your first sip.
Palate: Vanilla and cinnamon are the first prominent notes on the palate, with mint and black pepper baking spice infusing each sip with a touch of prickliness. The mouthfeel isn’t particularly remarkable, but it’s broad enough to allow the flavors to blossom over every stretch of your palate.
Finish: Honeyed mint and white pepper help extend each sip’s medium length, along with a touch of vanilla custard.
Bottom Line:
This toasted rye forgoes complexity and delivers a lip-smacking, straightforward whiskey worth subbing out dessert for. The marshmallow tones are vibrant, the mint is vivacious, and all told, this bottle is just a straight-up victory for the Elijah Craig brand. Given the choice between this one and the lineup’s standard rye, this is the one you should reach for.
11. Sentinel Of The Desert Straight Rye Whiskey Finished In Del Bac Mesquited Casks (Batch 3)
Aged for no less than two years, this lively expression from Whiskey Del Bac leans directly into the beauty of youthful rye whiskey flavor. Distilled and aged in Indiana, what makes this one unique is the fact it’s finished in Del Bac “Mesquited” casks, matured for an additional summer in the Sonoran desert heat, and then filtered across mesquite charcoal from the brand’s “mesquited” malted process — a southwest twist on the Lincoln County Process.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aromas of honey, cornbread, and mint all accent the air above the glass once this whiskey is poured, along with a slight dill note and confectioner sugar.
Palate: Some faint mesquite notes with cayenne and honey hit the tip of the tongue before the flavor of corn pudding comes crashing in. The mouthfeel is held together well, maintaining a spry feel across the palate without ever giving the impression of thinness. This rye has some surprisingly persistent staying power, given the proof, and a solid mouthfeel with well-balanced flavors that favor the sweet while giving plenty of space for the barbecue baking spices.
Finish: The finish features white pepper and sugar with slight grassiness and clove flavors that pop up before the liquid gently recedes off the tongue.
Bottom Line:
Scotch snobs have taught the world that big age statements are indicative of quality, but American whiskey aficionados are leading the charge on unlearning that specious sentiment. Rye whiskey can take on a ton of spritely, stupendous flavors at just two years of age and Sentinel Straight Rye is an excellent example of that fact.
10. World Whiskey Society 12-Year Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Awamori Cask
World Whiskey Society has no shortage of incredibly unique bottle shapes and package designs across its portfolio of equally atypical whiskey offerings. One look at this gargoyled bottle on the shelf and you’d be forgiven for taking it as a sign that they spent more on packaging than the product inside, but two factors can allay those concerns: it’s aged for 12 years, thus significantly mature, and finished in exotic Japanese Awamori casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Peaches, pie crust, and cinnamon bark make the initial impression on the nose of this whiskey, with some green apple, custard, and clove joining the party soon after.
Palate: Peach rings, mint leaves, and honey-drizzled baklava begin to coat your palate with rich flavor while some nice nutmeg, oak, and almond notes begin draping themselves around the edge of the tongue. Add to that grouping some faint cinnamon and golden raisins, all contained in a taught, medium-bodied texture.
Finish: The finish is medium-length, with the flavor of peaches, oak, and nutmeg standing out most prominently, while a touch of grilled green tomatoes intrigues you into extended consideration.
Bottom Line:
Given its unusual packaging and seldom utilized finishing casks, this expression will surely pique your curiosity, and for those who dare to be different, your interest will be rewarded. This off-the-beaten-path rye leads directly to flavor town; in fact, as a nod to its hefty topper, I’d even say it’s frighteningly tasty.
Raconteur Rye’s second batch, nicknamed “Brazen,” represents a subtle evolution of this ascendant brand. At a slightly higher proof with “dialed up” flavors, this 7-year-old rye was finished in Mizunara casks that previously held 17-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dates and Fig Newton aromas mesh at first with some cracked black pepper and pie crust combined with cream soda and strawberry saltwater taffy at the center of it all. This whiskey has a really fun nose that’s lively and inviting.
Palate: It’s a lot more viscous than I expected from the nose, with great oiliness and a surprising bit of chocolate milk to go with the flavor of dates and red grapes. Fresh mint, mellow black pepper, and oregano kick in at midpalate and undulate across the palate, climbing up the roof of the mouth.
Finish: The finish has a touch of leather, more grape, and some gentle oak for balance. It has a medium length aided by the viscous texture, which grants it a supple staying power while the black pepper spice slowly recedes.
Bottom Line:
The bevy of flavors in this bottle might initially give you pause, as it takes a second for all of those tightly wound layers to unfurl, but with some time spent in the glass, this rye only gets better and better. Your only trouble will be maintaining the will to let it sit and improve because even the first sip of Raconteur Rye is sure to draw you in quickly.
We’re probably all familiar with the famous 95% rye and 5% malted barley grain recipe that a score of whiskey brands are using these days, but Blackwood Distilling Co. kicks things up a notch by taking that insanely popular mash bill and finishing it with their signature toasting process, utilized for both their rye and bourbon whiskey.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Mint chocolate and marshmallow come through big time on the aroma notes, giving this whiskey the scent of a mint s’more with a slight mineral note and barrel char plus vanilla rounding things out.
Palate: Heavy mouthfeel with lavender candy and caramel joining the marshmallow and rye spice as chalky, dark chocolate and mocha flavors ring around the edges of the tongue, slowly diffusing and leaving cayenne and black pepper in their wake.
Finish: The finish on Blackwood Toasted rye is remarkably lengthy and resplendent with caramel, rye, and nutmeg, giving it a slightly spicy send-off that you’ll definitely want to savor.
Bottom Line:
By delivering bold flavor in spades, Blackwood Toasted Rye offers an incredibly smooth and well-rounded barrel-strength blend that will appeal to drinkers of all types. This whiskey is a fantastic example of the heights rye can reach when toasted casks are utilized to elevate, rather than obfuscate, the flavor of the underlying liquid.
Ol’ New Riff is a bit of an oxymoron and doubly so because this “Ol’” expression is the newest release in New Riff’s lineup. With a grain recipe of 65% balboa rye, 30% heirloom corn, and 15% two-row malted barley, this intriguing expression has only been on the market since mid-May 2024.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Admire the air out of this glass as the aroma of candied walnuts and paprika combine with leather, Red Vines, and figs. Then, go in for a second whiff as vanilla and clove appear out of nowhere.
Palate: More ripe figs can be found on the palate, along with an abundance of delicious nutmeg and root beer notes. Plumbing the substantive mouthfeel reveals further flavors like coffee bean and hazelnut spread.
Finish: The finish is where the hazelnut shines, along with a bit of barrel char and cinnamon. It’s also surprisingly long-lasting, and I hate to say that when tasted blind, it did have something of a “dusty” quality, making it seem “Old.”
Bottom Line:
The name of this whiskey is a bit tongue-in-cheek, but your tongue and cheeks will absolutely adore the liquid itself after one sip. New Riff has mastered Bottled in Bond whiskey and the sweet mash process, especially with their rye expressions. This is the finest example of their mastery yet.
6. New England Barrel Company Single Barrel Cask Strength Rye Whiskey Selected For Liquor Junction
New England Barrel Company is one of the biggest brands in the region, and their superb, sourced stock of whiskey has been turning a lot of heads this year. This exclusive single-barrel expression, hand-selected for Liquor Junction and yielding only 132 bottles, sold like hotcakes and comprises the brand’s oldest sourced rye casks.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dense caramel and chocolate wafer aromas come tumbling over the glass’s edge, with honeyed mint tea and graham crackers competing with cinnamon bark and flan for your full attention.
Palate: The flavor of chocolate wafers, cinnamon bark, and some fresh sprinkles of nutmeg wash over the palate at first. There’s some mocha and oak at midpalate with potting soil and mint sprouting towards the back of the mouth. The liquid has a nice, viscous, mouth-coating texture, and it drinks well below the proof
Finish: Menthol and barrel char flavors combine with lady fingers and black pepper on the lengthy finish, which lingers courtesy of the proof, which is felt primarily at the midpalate and roof of the mouth.
Bottom Line:
The world of rye whiskey covers so much ground, from light and bright whiskeys to floral, grassy ones and even lush, dark pours. This single-barrel selected for Liquor Junction is the last of the bunch, offering a dense, decadent whiskey that truly plumbs depths of flavor that you can only get from well-aged rye. This is exactly the sort of pour that makes you appreciate the return of autumn because it’s loaded with fall spices and will warm you up fast when the weather turns.
Premier Drams was sprung from several great American whiskey minds, with Jack Rose’s proprietor Bill Thomas among them. These outstanding ryes come from several sources, all aged at the historic Castle & Key Distillery, formerly the home of Old Taylor. This particular single-barrel was selected for Allview Liquors in Maryland and bottled at 102 proof, which is atypically low for a cask strength expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose on this whiskey is remarkably rich with honeysuckle, green apple, and mint. Each aroma note is distinct and well-developed, making this rye whiskey a pleasure to raise to your nose repeatedly, as the aromas’ limited extent is an afterthought given the heights they reach.
Palate: Once on the palate, the same rings true for this whiskey’s flavor wheel, which is limited mainly to honey, mint tea, green apples, black pepper, and oak. It’s a classic combination done well that makes this whiskey so impressive, as none of the notes bleed over into each other, taking turns finding different regions of your tongue to detonate with flavor. The mouthfeel is supple and spry, coating your tongue with ease while encouraging chewing so you can plumb greater depths of richness.
Finish: The finish is short-to-medium, but thanks to its viscous texture, it doesn’t feel like the party is cut short because it’s so packed with flavor before the finish even occurs.
Bottom Line:
The beauty of Premier Drams isn’t that they deliver well-aged American whiskeys at cask strength, what brand doesn’t do that these days? The beauty lies in the brand’s twin virtues of careful cask curation and atypical maturation, which results in much lower proofs, delivering an incredible amount of flavor at exceptionally approachable ABVs. This style of American whiskey was once all the rage, and if the quality offered by Premier Drams is any indication, it’s sure to become en-vogue again very soon.
Heaven Hill’s brand-new Grain To Glass lineup features three whiskeys intended to highlight the carefully grown grains (Beck’s 6158 corn) they sourced from hand-selected local farming partners. For the lineup’s lone rye offering, they bottled a whiskey that utilizes a different grain source and mash bill from their other standout expressions like Parker’s Heritage 10-Year Rye and Pikesville Rye.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Tobacco leaf, almond, mint sprigs, and oak all take turns rising and falling on the nose for a dense, impressive melange that makes you want to sit with your glass for extended consideration.
Palate: The heavy mouthfeel brings milk chocolate, tobacco leaf, oak, and smoked mint across the palate on the first sip. The layers of flavor go deeper on the second sip, with cayenne, caramel, and cinnamon dancing on the center of the palate, while the influence of ethanol causes the periphery of the tongue to pulsate with delight.
Finish: The finish is long-lasting, drying the palate out a bit while black tea, oak, freshly cracked black pepper, and mint linger at the back of the tongue.
Bottom Line:
Heaven Hill’s Grain To Glass series hit the mark across the entire lineup, but the rye is easily the star of the show. They’ve delivered a bottle of rye that can go toe-to-toe with the best of them by switching up their grain source and tinkering with the mash bill to optimize it.
E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye has long been teased, hitting the TTB website a few years back, but it’s finally ready for market in 2024. Aged at Buffalo Trace Distillery, this brand-new release marks the second rye expression in the E.H. Taylor lineup, joining E.H. Taylor Jr. Straight Rye, which is Bottled in Bond.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The aroma of thick honeycomb, sweet peas, restrained mint, and chocolate truffle dust accent the air around the glass after pouring this dense whiskey. The proof seems tame and allows you to dip your nose into the glass and truly explore each layer of flavor, with some gooey caramel, peanut brittle, and charred red pepper also making an appearance.
Palate: The texture is immediately dense on the palate. This robust rye whiskey brings plenty of Manuka honey, rich chocolate truffle dust, and freshly picked mint rolling over the tongue in a viscous wave. On the second sip, the proof becomes more evident as the flavor of charred red pepper and vanilla ice cream’s sweetness fuse with a touch of cayenne and white pepper.
Finish: The finish is remarkably lengthy and mouth-warming as the liquid penetrates every corner of your palate and gives your upper chest a gentle hug full of clove, mint, and peanut brittle.
Bottom Line:
Expectations were high for E.H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye as a brand-new cask-strength bottling from one of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s most well-regarded whiskey lineups. Those expectations have been exceeded. Despite its significant proof, this rye whiskey couples an impressive approachability with a remarkable depth of flavor that will leave you sucking your tongue and parsing additional layers long after your last sip. It’s stunning to think that this is just the first release in what will surely be a highly sought-after line extension from America’s oldest continuously operating distillery.
2. Frank August Case Study: 03 Winter Cover Rye Whiskey
For their newest Case Study release, Frank August created nine unique batches, each consisting of three selected barrels of straight rye whiskey, and blended them optimally. Notably, this is the first straight rye whiskey in the Case Study series, which has previously highlighted the impressive rising brand’s bourbon blending prowess.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Incredible apple orchard aromas that immediately transport you to a farm in the fall leap out of the glass. There’s some faint cinnamon bark and sage, along with some more distinct honey and muted orange blossom notes that make this whiskey an absolute delight to swirl in your glass and enjoy.
Palate: On the palate, there’s a ton of vanilla ice cream and clove flavor before the apple and cinnamon notes begin to trickle in. It’s incredibly creamy with crème brûlée enticing the taste buds while gentle oak streaks up the middle of the tongue and floats to the edge of the palate.
Finish: Black pepper, oak, and burnt sugar find the finish along with some salted caramel sablés
Bottom Line:
This incredibly creamy and well-rounded rye will shock people more accustomed to grassy, peppery takes on the category, but rather than being an imitation bourbon, this one really carves its own lane and leans into the lush apple orchard flavors that will make it a hit all autumn long. With Case Study: 03 representing the brand’s most ambitious foray into the rye category, they’ve earned a ton of respect for their craft and boldly made it known that they’re not just here to stay but that they’ve got next.
Brook Hill is the Rare Character brand’s ne plus ultra expression, which, as you should already know, means this is some absolutely epic whiskey. With a history that dates back to the turn of the 19th century, the modern-day revival of Brook Hill is releasing exclusive bourbons and rye, with a highly limited number of single barrels of the rye hitting the market so far this year.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Milk chocolate, like the milk in a bowl after you finish your Cocoa Puffs, and sweet mint are most immediately alluring on the nose. Stick around a while, and you’ll also find chunks of toffee, polished leather, and paprika contributing to this dark and brooding nose.
Palate: Candied walnuts hit the palate along with a big spoonful of brown sugar before that Cocoa Puff milk note begins to pool at midpalate, whetting the edges of your tongue. Paprika and barrel char are relegated to the shotgun seat as some nutmeg, Smarties candy, and dried cranberries steer the ship before this transitions into the finish.
Finish: Almost chalky as the texture grips the back of your tongue before tapping out. There’s some oak and nuttiness on the finish, along with drops of honey, but despite the impressive length of those flavors, you’ll probably be on your second glass before you truly appreciate them.
Bottom Line:
Brook Hill came out of the gate strong, but then, that’s what Rare Character has become known for. They don’t half-step when it comes to new releases, and ever since introducing Brook Hill to the market in 2023, they’ve been batting 1.000. Step right up and see what the hype is all about.
Who makes the best fast food double cheeseburger? It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves over and over again, and we’ve done all sorts of tests, from comparing them — from ranking nearly 20 to breaking the burger down to just the patty. After various attempts to answer that question, we’ve accepted that our number one is always changing.
New burgers come and go and quality control varies from restaurant to restaurant. And while it isn’t easy to crown a single burger as the absolute best, we’ve got a shortlist of amazing cheeseburgers that we could recommend depending on what exactly you want from a burger (are you a decadent and indulgent burger lover, do you want something simple but delicious, or are you looking for something more creative and elevated?)
With that said, we were surprised when USA Today published a burger ranking as part of its annual Readers’ Choice 10 Best, and named The Habit’s Double Charburger as the “Best Fast Food Burger,” of 2024. Maybe we needed to give this growing chain’s burger a second look. So we put it up against the double cheeseburger from our current favorite chain (Shake Shack) and the most hyped/ debated chain on earth In-N-Out.
Here’s how the three double cheeseburgers fared in a blind battle.
Methodology:
Dane Rivera
In 2023, we named Shake Shack’s Double Shack burger as the best basic (meat, cheese, sauce, lettuce, tomato) double cheeseburger in all of fast food. While I think the Shake Shack burger is the best tasting, In-N-Out (USA Today’s #2 pick) is my go-to since it’s cheap, high quality, and delicious.
Because all three burgers have similar builds this feels like a fair battle, so we rounded up all three, took photos (including a center cut for those that are into that), shuffled ‘em up, and I tasted each under cover of a blindfold.
The results took me by surprise. Let’s get into the details.
Part 1: The Blind Double Cheeseburger Taste Test
Taste 1:
Dane Rivera
Even though I’m only dealing with a half of a burger here, this thing is seriously hefty. The meat is a bit dry but has a wonderful smokey and beefy flavor, with thick slices of caramelized onion providing a lot of aromatics and upping the savory quality.
If I had one gripe it’s the lettuce. It’s a bit too watery and adds a slightly bitter flavor to the finish.
Taste 2:
Dane Rivera
The meat on this burger really puts into perspective how dry Taste 1 was. This stuff practically melts in your mouth. It’s juicy, savory, beefy, and has salty and crispy bits on the edge of the patty that taste pretty damn addicting. I love the produce here too, the tomato is juicy, the lettuce is mellow and slightly floral, and the onions provide a sharp finish.
My only gripe here is that the onions are raw, but they don’t seem overbearing or intrusive to the overall flavor profile.
Taste 3:
Dane Rivera
Very bready, salty, and onion-forward. What I can taste of the beef is very good, but most of the flavor is brought by the cheese, caramelized onions, and wonderfully tangy burger sauce. I got a major gripe here though, the bun is over-toasted to the point that it crunches. If you like that in a burger, you’ll love this, but for me that makes this one the clear loser of this blind taste test.
Part 2: The Double Cheeseburger Ranking
3. In-N-Out — Double Double
Dane Rivera
This was the big shocker for me. I love In-N-Out but now after this they might come and revoke my California residency. What held this burger back was the bun, it was toasted to the point of being toast — I feel buns that are lightly grilled to the point of still being spongey help to compliment the savory flavor of a cheeseburger better.
This didn’t deliver that for me.
The Bottom Line:
A great burger, but we have to rank these things, and this one, unfortunately, offered the least enjoyable experience.
2. The Habit — Double Char Burger
The Habit
I have to hand it to the readers of USA Today, this was a great cheeseburger and I’m genuinely shocked I enjoyed it better than my beloved In-N-Out. But for a full meal with fries and a drink, it’s a bit more expensive than what In-N-Out offers ($13 vs $10) so while I liked this, I don’t know how often I would choose it.
Still, I’ve yet to find a fast food chain that does charbroiled burgers better than the Habit, so if you’re looking for that flavor specifically, it’s certainly worth picking up.
The Bottom Line:
There is some significant hype behind this burger right now, and it lives up to it. If you love charbroiled burgers specifically, you can’t go wrong here.
1. Shake Shack — Double Shack
Dane Rivera
Let me just say — if for some reason it wasn’t clear — that every burger we tasted today was amazing. You really can’t go wrong with any of these, but if you’re looking for the clear and absolute best, it’s Shake Shack’s Double Shack, and the other burgers don’t even come close.
Everything from the texture and flavor of the meat to the veggies and bread is better here. It’s the only burger in today’s lineup that I would describe as mouth-watering, the only burger that melted in my mouth, and the only burger that made me instantly want to eat the other half.
It’s also the most expensive burger in the line-up, so if that’s a deal-breaker for you, you might want to dry our number two pick.
The Bottom Line:
Our clear winner. This burger is truly next level, and although it sells for a premium price ($10.49 just for the sandwich in Los Angeles), it’s worth every penny. It doesn’t come as a complete surprise that Shake Shack took the number one spot for us, but what took us aback was just how far ahead of the other two this one was.
If you’re looking for the best fast food double cheeseburger your money could buy, this is the one.
Charlie Hunnam’s most enduring role, Sons of Anarchy, lasted for seven seasons before he was surely weary of inhabiting one character for so long. Still, he made his way back to the small screen in recent years with Apple TV+’s Shantaram and will make another return to the wrong side of the law (with a non-violent twist) in Amazon’s Criminal series.
In contrast, the next series that shall arrive on the Hunnam roster will be incredibly violent. Ryan Murphy and Netflix’s Monster anthology show, which began with Evan Peters as Jeffrey Dahmer and followed up last month with Cooper Koch and Nicholas Alexander Chavez as the Menendez Brothers, will focus on a different murderer for a third season. Hunnam will step into those bloody shoes and (eek) perhaps into a “skin suit,” too. With that gore factor to come acknowledged, let’s talk about what Hunnam will do that will become the subject of countless viewers’ nightmares.
Plot
Getty Image
Hunnam has been tapped to portray Wisconsin-born killer Ed Gein ^^^, also known by the Plainfield Ghoul and Butcher of Plainfield labels. In 1957, Gein confessed to the murder of two people but was suspected of killing several others over the course of a decade. He also allegedly desecrated graves, snatched dead bodies, and then there’s the skin-peeling horror that inspired Jonathan Demme’s Silence of the Lambs. For that matter, Gein also inspired the Leatherface character in Tobe Hooper’s Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Norman Bates in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho.
Gein, who died in 1984 from lung cancer at a psychiatric hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, was also the subject of a 2023 MGM+ docuseries, Psycho: The Lost Tapes of Ed Gein, which delved into his early life as well as his macabre “house of horrors.” Murphy has given no hints on the narrative form that his dramatization will take in the third season of Monster, but we can expect (as with previous seasons) for the show to continue sparking controversy and probably remain one of the most watched series in Netflix history.
At present, Hunnam has not given interviews about this role, but Ryan Murphy chose to publicly announce his choice for the third-season lead during the recent premiere of the second Monsters season.
Cast
Thus far, Netflix has only addressed the main role of Ed Gein, so we’re looking at Charlie Hunnam, which ain’t so bad. Unfortunately, he will be pretending to commit some of the worst atrocities imaginable.
Release Date
The first two seasons landed close to two years apart with Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story landing in Sept. 2022 and Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Mendendez Story arriving in Sept. 2024. If a pattern exists, then we can guess that Netflix will bring the Ed Gein season of Monster in Sept. 2026.
Trailer
Since it will be awhile before footage emerges, Sons of Anarchy clips present a chance to look back at Hunnam’s most homicidal scenes at Jax Teller. Below, The Godfather-bloodbath-style killing of drug kingpin August Marks isn’t the most brutal Jax Teller act by a long shot (the tattoo removal and the mistakenly targeted revenge for Tara’s murder probably take top prize), but it comes close and has the added visual of Jax disguised as the Grim Reaper.
To date, Ryan Coogler has directed four movies, and they’ve all starred good luck charm Michael B. Jordan. Fruitvale Station was a film festival sensation; Creed makes me cry every time I watch it (which is a lot); Black Panther is widely considered the best movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe; and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is a touching tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.
Can they go five for five? We’ll find out soon with Sinners.
Here’s everything to know about Sinners, including plot details, the release date, and whether there’s a trailer.
Plot
Set in the Jim Crow-era south, Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan as twin brothers who, after trying to leave their troubled lives behind, return to their hometown to start again. But upon their arrival, they’re greeted by an “even greater evil.” The cryptic logline for the gothic horror film also includes the quote: “You keep dancing with the devil, one day he’s gonna follow you home.”
Coogler and Jordan have said very little about Sinners, although Entertainment Weeklydescribed it as a vampire film (vampires vs. the Ku Klux Klan, perhaps?). They have, however, discussed why they enjoy working together.
“It was one of those things I sensed immediately,” Coogler told Time about the Leonardo DiCaprio to his Martin Scorsese, so to speak. “I wrote the script to Fruitvale Station with him in mind, just from his body of work. I hadn’t ever sat down and spent time with him before. But based on his body of work I thought he’d be the right person to go to for the role. But I wanted to sit down and meet him first because I learned in film school that I like to work very closely with my actors. We have to have chemistry for us to be able to work.”
He added, “So I met with him and it was one of those meetings where as soon as you meet with somebody you kind of connect.”
Following a bidding war, Sinners was acquired by Warner Bros. thanks to a unique agreement: some of the movie’s rights will revert to Coogler “over the course of several decades,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. If only this was true for every director, although not every director has made a movie as good as Creed.
Cast
Sinners is led by Michael B. Jordan. Two of them! The rest of the cast includes Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O’Connell, Wunmi Mosaku, Jayme Lawson, Omar Benson Miller, Li Jun Li, Lola Kirke, and Delroy Lindo (I’m still salty he didn’t win an Oscar for his performance in Da 5 Bloods).
Release Date
Sinners hits theaters on March 7, 2025.
Trailer
Watch one of the best movie trailers of 2024 below.
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