Steven and Ian begin this week by discussing their Valentine’s Day plans and plotting a potential Love Is Blind-cast. Then Steven formally congratulates Ian on the Philadelphia Eagles’ beatdown of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl, and sort of makes amends for all of his Nick Sirianni slander. From there they break down the Super Bowl Halftime Show, and discuss the polarized reactions to Kendrick Lamar’s performance. In the Fantasy Albums Draft update, they discuss new albums from Bartees Strange and Horsegirl. Finally, they wrap with an overview of the 2025 slate of Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame nominees.
In Recommendation Corner, Ian shouts out the Australian Skeleten and Steven stumps for a benefit EP from Big Thief.
New episodes of Indiecast drop every Friday. Listen to Episode 226 here and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. You can submit questions for Steve and Ian at [email protected], and make sure to follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter) for all the latest news. We also recently launched a visualizer for our favorite Indiecast moments. Check those out here.
Offset continues to seemingly shade his ex Cardi B through his new music, following December’s boastful “Swing My Way” with a vindictive new single, “Ten.” This time around, Offset insists on his own memorability, predicting that “You gon’ have to f*ck ’bout ten more n****s to get over me.”
He also takes a “sorry, not sorry” stance toward all the rumors of his infidelity, sneering, “It’s a big difference / I was just f*cking the b*tches you was nitpicking / Watching me splurging on b*tches and it hit different / Calling me and asking me questions, mind your business.”
Yeesh.
It certainly sounds like Offset is doing his best to earn Cardi’s ire, which she last unleashed back in October, declaring in a since-deleted string of tweets, “Bro I wish the worst on this man…I never hated somebody so much and these b*tches be so thirsty to have him please take this man off my hands this garbage bag is too heavy!!” Although she deleted the posts, it doesn’t sound like he’s on her list of favorite people.
Meanwhile, Offset’s prediction doesn’t seem like it’ll be coming true anytime soon after Cardi asserted in November, “I’m telling you…the dating pool got piss in it .”
You can listen to Offset’s new single “Ten” above.
It’s no secret that Drake had a Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year in 2024, which has so far seemingly carried over into 2025 as Kendrick Lamar continued to taunt him with his Super Bowl Halftime Show performance and Grammys sweep. However, Drake has words for those trying to throw dirt on his career’s casket, opting to defy the reports of his demise on “Gimme A Hug” from the new joint project with his OVO artist PartyNextDoor, Some Sexy Songs 4 U.
“You Neo in The Matrix, these n****s just Nemo in the ocean / Small fish, making kids feel emotion / Using you for promotion, true words that never been spoken,” he raps in the first verse, giving himself a bit of a pep talk and contrasting his control over the rap world with other rappers, who he considers lost. He also issues his new policy on feuding with his rap foes: “F*ck all rap beef, I’m trying to get the party lit.” I mean, that was the whole point everybody was trying to make, man, but you got it, I guess.
You can listen to Drake and PartyNextDoor’s “Gimme A Hug” above.
Some Sexy Songs 4 U is out now via OVO Sound. You can stream it here.
Halle Bailey is back with a new single about the ups and downs of love for Valentine’s Day. Her new song is called “Back And Forth,” and finds the recently single singer recounting how a romantic entanglement contradicts itself. Ultimately, she demands a “love that doesn’t hurt,” but can’t help but go “back and forth” with her paramour. Perhaps the song is a not-so-subtle dig at DDG, with whom she recently split despite sharing a son, Halo.
Since becoming a mother, Halle has progressed her solo music career in fits and starts, dropping the singles “In Your Hands” and “Because I Love You” five months apart. Given “Back And Forth” took another five months or so to release, it certainly looks like the singer is taking her time creating her solo debut album — which could only be a good thing.
Of course, there are those fans who’d prefer a reunion of sister act Chloe X Halle, with the Bailey sisters rediscovering their Ungodly Hour chemistry for more than the handful of tracks they’ve recorded together over the past five years. Chlöe has hinted that such a project could be in the works as well, so we’ll see which happens first.
For now, you can listen to “Back And Forth” above.
Earlier this month, Sabrina Carpenter announced her plans for Valentine’s Day included releasing a new deluxe edition of her fan-favorite album, Short N’ Sweet. As promised, the updated version of her breakout album has arrived, along with a revamped, country western version of standout track “Please Please Please” featuring none other than country legend, Dolly Parton. Carpenter previously joked that Parton wouldn’t like her to swear but she couldn’t help herself, sneaking a “holy sh*t” into the announcement tweet. However, true to form, the new “Please Please Please” does remove some dirty language.
Meanwhile, the music video for the song nods to another odd couple, the titular duo of Thelma And Louise. After some opening news clippings set the stage — the two are wanted fugitives suspected of murder — Sabrina and Dolly drive their pickup truck like they stole it to stay ahead of the law. A reveal toward the end shows they’ve also added kidnapping to their list of crimes, but unlike the duo from the film, our two country lasses manage to dodge the cherry tops in hot pursuit.
Speaking of arrests, it turned out that Carpenter’s tour tradition of “arresting” celebrities with fuzzy pink cuffs was actually requested by one of her first “victims”: Stranger Things actress Millie Bobby Brown.
You can watch Sabrina Carpenter’s “Please Please Please” video featuring Dolly Parton above.
Short N’ Sweet Deluxe is out now via Island Records. You can stream it here.
It has been a few months since TikToker turned potential pop star Addison Rae released the first singles from the follow-up to her 2023 debut AR. The most recent one, “Aquamarine,” was an upbeat dance-pop anthem perfectly suited for the dance floors of a French disco. Its follow-up, the more stripped-down “High Fashion,” is more mid-tempo, with Rae comparing attraction to addiction, telling a possible paramour, “I don’t need your drugs / I’d rather get high fashion.” It’s a do-it-yourself declaration of independence that posits self-care is more important than the pursuit of romance.
The music video for the song, directed by Mitch Ryan, was filmed in Louisiana, Addison’s home state, and takes inspiration from the classic film, The Wizard Of Oz.
Rae’s latest foray into producing pulsing pop music picked up last year with some help from Charli XCX. After appearing on Rae’s “2 Die 4” from her first album, Charli returned the favor, giving Rae a spot on the remix of “Von Dutch” from Brat And It’s Completely Different But Also Still Brat.
Rae’s official debut album is “coming soon,” according to a press release, and will feature the singles “Diet Pepsi,” “Aquamarine,” and “High Fashion.” For now, you can watch the video for “High Fashion” above.
In just a few days, English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rex Orange County returns to his home country for a run of hometown shows at the London Palladium. But first, he’s got some new songs to share for Valentine’s Day.
The songs, “Rearrange My World” and “There’s A Field (That’s Only Yours),” are duets with Canadian singer-songwriter Daniel Caesar with writing from Blood Orange’s Devonté Hynes and Toronto poet Mustafa. The two stripped-down songs feature low-key instrumentation and introspective, tender lyrics. “Can we walk until I know who I am? I live above a bar I’ve never been. I think
about more than I can spend,” Rex croons on “Rearrange My World.” On “There’s A Field,” the two singers likewise share some romantic lyrics: “I can’t fall with you, but I’ll
fall with you,” they sing. “Right down to this old floor, there’s a field that’s only yours.”
The two new duets are Rex’s first new singles since the release of his 2024 album The Alexander Technique. Meanwhile, Daniel Caesar last released a full-length body of work in 2023, with Never Enough; most recently, he’d covered Bob Marley’s “Waiting In Vain” for the biopic Bob Marley: One Love.
You can listen to Daniel Caesar and Rex Orange County’s new songs “Rearrange My World” and “There’s A Field (That’s Only Yours)” above.
Ever since producer Benny Blanco and singer Selena Gomez confirmed that they were dating (and now engaged), it was probably only a matter of time until they also announced they were working together on music. That announcement has arrived. The album, I Said I Love You First, is coming on March 21 via SMG Music/Friends Keep Secrets/Interscope Records, and the couple gave fans the first sneak peek with “Scared Of Loving You.” A simple, sweet ballad, the song is built around a gentle acoustic guitar loop, and was written by Blano, Gomez, and Finneas.
According to the press release for the album announcement, “I Said I Love You First celebrates the pair’s love story, giving fans a unique window into their relationship,” telling the story from the beginning.
The song marks Gomez’s return to music after two years. In the time since the release of 2020’s Rare, Gomez has released a handful of singles, including “My Mind & Me” to accompany the release of her documentary of the same name, and “Single Soon,” while appearing with Rema on his hit “Calm Down” and Coldplay on their single “Let Somebody Go.” Her focus, though, was on her acting career, including the Emmy-winning mystery comedy series, Only Murders In The Building with Martin Short and Steve Martin.
NBA All-Star Weekend is upon us, and for the 2025 edition the basketball world will shift its attention to San Francisco. The three days of events will start with the annual Celebrity Game on ESPN and end with the All-Star Game on TNT (for the final time) in its new format.
More than 60 players from across the NBA will participate in at least one event at All-Star Weekend, with a few double-dipping. Victor Wembanyama was selected for an event on all three nights, but was replaced in the Rising Stars Challenge after being selected as an All-Star because this year’s format brings the winning team from the Rising Stars into the All-Star Game as the fourth team in the mini-tournament and he couldn’t play for two teams.
There’s plenty of intrigue (and/or skepticism) about the new mini-tournament format — which it has to be said has made the Rising Stars much better since they went to the same format a few years back — and we’ll have to wait until Sunday to find out if it improves the All-Star Game experience. In the meantime, you can check out the full rosters for each event at All-Star Weekend so you know when and where you can watch your favorite player.
Rising Stars Challenge (Friday, Feb. 14; 9:00 p.m. ET, TNT)
It’s one of the most sought-after descriptors in bourbon for neophytes and newcomers, but the trouble is…folks can’t seem to agree on what the hell “smooth” means. For some, it’s a dirty word, indicating a bourbon devoid of flavor. Still, it means a velvety, approachable taste for others, with the ethanol’s rough edges sanded down to delightful perfection.
I tend to think that people who despise the descriptor are snobs of the highest order and people who generally hate fun. After all, the whiskey world is much better when it’s an inviting place for people to explore its bounty of flavors on every level — from the bright-eyed bourbon-curious folks to the grizzled whiskey veterans. Holding the door open for people who want a “smooth” bourbon quite often leads them to bottles with complex flavors that, in turn, sink their hooks into them. Thus, another bourbon enthusiast is born!
With that aim in mind, we’ll set out today to find the best smooth bourbons that anyone can enjoy. These bottles prove that bourbon doesn’t need a ton of punch to put up a good fight in a blind taste test, thanks to their well-rounded aromas, exceedingly approachable flavor profile, and satisfyingly easy-going finish.
So, without further ado, here’s our blind ranking of the best smooth bourbons for 2025!
Right off the bat, this whiskey has a gentle, well-rounded nose. There’s some clover honey to go with sage, white pepper, and youthful oak. The nose concludes with a touch of hay as you raise the glass to your lips, and the palate introduces more expressive flavors like vanilla extract and orange rind to the mix.
It’s true, this isn’t a complex bourbon, but it makes up for that simplicity with a synergetic flavor profile that’s really quite enjoyable.
Taste 2
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
This whiskey comes across as a bit grain-forward on the nose. Subtle corn pudding notes are folded into the aroma of Chelan cherries and white pepper, while the palate is almost medium-bodied with honeyed graham cracker notes joining vanilla pudding and faint caramel.
This whiskey initially seems straightforward, but in reality, it has a lot of nuance and a deceptive depth of flavor. I’m definitely digging this one.
Taste 3
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
The brandied raisins, honeysuckle, black pepper, and gooey caramel aromas are heavy on this one. A bit of youthful oak works well as a counterweight to the baking spices and sweet tones. On the initial sip, the taste of candied walnuts and cinnamon sugar, while clove and nutmeg, comes through on the medium-length finish.
This one is definitely an early favorite for the top spot of the best smooth bourbon.
Taste 4
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Woah, the toasted coconuts and milk chocolate aroma billowing out of the glass as soon as this whiskey is poured is fantastic. There’s also Rainier cherry note along with some vanilla bean ice cream and cedar, making this the most unique bourbon of the lot so far.
While this whiskey is quite obviously low-proof on the palate, its rich, unique flavor profile punches way above its weight. This one has the chops to be the best of the bunch.
Taste 5
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Honeysuckle, vanilla, and caramel make up the base aroma notes of this bourbon right off the bat. It’s not particularly complex, but taken as a whole, the notes work well together. On the palate, things are a bit more dilute. Smooth, for sure, but this one isn’t as flavorful as the nose suggested, and as such, I think this will place toward the back of today’s pack.
Taste 6
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
The healthy aroma of port wine and the ruby tint to the whiskey in the glass lead me to suspect this is a divine pour. The nose also has a faint nuttiness with some chocolate and vanilla balancing out the subtle shakes of black pepper and clove.
This is tasty stuff, with great balance and a bevy of flavors. It’ll be curious to see how highly this one can climb, as I’d currently place it in the middle of the herd.
Taste 7
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
This bourbon immediately casts a ton of intrigue. It’s full of milk chocolate, maraschino cherries, coconut flakes, and waxy plum notes on the nose, which all survive on the palate to go with some mineral water, mature oak, and cinnamon.
This bourbon is not only flat-out delicious, but it’s so different from the rest. This is a winner.
Taste 8
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Well, this is a fun change of pace! This glass contains lightly brûléed vanilla, dried strawberries, lemon zest, and butterscotch. The first sip brings on more of the same, but what’s most impressive is that the texture is oily, and each layer of flavor is surprisingly dense and distinct.
This might be the most perfectly proofed whiskey of the bunch, giving it outstanding balance and a full-bodied mouthfeel.
Taste 9
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Peanut shells and honey immediately come wafting out the glass, but there’s also some black pepper, fresh hazelnuts, and caramel. The first sip gives off the flavor of cream soda, black pepper, and rich oak, with gentle undertones of maple syrup.
Taking a step back from this glass, I’m amazed that each layer of flavor is distinct and able to stand on its own. This is one of the best bourbons of the day.
Taste 10
Frank Dobbins III
Tasting Notes:
Brown butter and flaky pastry notes come wafting out of the glass to greet the nose with this whiskey. It’s a nuanced interplay of cola nut, clove, and vanilla that keeps me returning to the rim of the glass before taking an initial sip. On that first sip, well-defined caramel notes blended with oak tones, vanilla pods, and lemon bars for a rich balance, which I quite liked.
Buffalo Trace is one of the biggest names in the bourbon world because it produces legendary expressions like Pappy Van Winkle and bottles from the critically acclaimed Buffalo Trace Antique Collection like George T. Stagg and William LaRue Weller. Their flagship product is the perfect entry point for anyone interested in bourbon and curious about those more elusive expressions.
Bottom Line:
Buffalo Trace Bourbon skews a bit on the lighter side of the sweetness spectrum with vanilla, caramel, and delicate oak, showcasing the classic trio of prototypical bourbon flavors. Not to be overlooked as a mere beginner’s pour, there is enough depth to these flavors to keep even a more seasoned drinker engaged without rebuffing its reputation as a remarkably smooth-sipper.
Angel’s Envy’s flagship expression, its Kentucky Straight Bourbon, is blended in small batches of 8 to 12 barrels at a time and finished in 60-gallon ruby port wine casks. This expression’s base liquid is typically aged up to 6 years.
Bottom Line:
If you want the short and simple, here it is: this bourbon excels by being rather unlike a bourbon. The ruby port notes do a lot of the heavy lifting, but what makes that a plus and not a minus is the fact that this is a bourbon that can deftly capture an audience more attuned to wine or mixed drinks, making this a smooth option and one more than capable of creating new fans.
Maker’s Mark features an iconic bottle design, the same one they’ve been utilizing since their founding in 1953, and a mash bill that’s been used for just as long. This wheated bourbon is one of the best-selling whiskeys in the entire world, making it a ubiquitous sight on liquor store shelves.
Bottom Line:
Despite its modest proof point, Maker’s Mark has a ton of flavor, meaning you won’t blow out your palate or scare off bourbon novices if you decide to sip this one straight up or share it with friends. It’s ubiquitous on liquor store shelves and should be a staple on your bar cart, primarily if you aim to offer guests a smooth bourbon they can enjoy at their leisure.
Larceny Wheated Bourbon gets its moniker thanks to a legend about a Treasury agent named John E. Fitzgerald, who was reputed to have “used his keys to the warehouses to pilfer bourbon from the finest barrels.” The crime earned him infamy and now acclaim as his name adorns the label of Heaven Hill’s most widely available wheated bourbon.
Bottom Line:
Wheated bourbons are commonly regarded as far tamer and mellower than their rye-recipe counterparts, and that reputation is on full display with Larceny. As an easygoing and easily found wheated bourbon, Larceny is a rock-solid bourbon if you’re looking for something exceedingly smooth.
Basil Hayden, and its eye-catching bottle, is produced by one of the most well-regarded brands in the whiskey world — Jim Beam. Though the age statement was removed back in 2014, the whiskey in this blend is still believed to be between 6 and 8 years old.
Bottom Line:
Basil Hayden is an easy-sipping bourbon banger. The bouquet of prototypical bourbon notes on the nose prepares your senses for the palate’s steady yet unrelenting bounty of flavor. Basil Hayden is already well-known as one of the smoothest bourbons available today, and it checks every box from affordability and well-rounded flavor to availability.
5. Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series High Wheat Bourbon — Taste 8
Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Origin Series, founded in 2023, began with three initial entrants, but this new 6-year-old High Wheat Bourbon marks the lineup’s first official expansion. By combining a low barrel entry proof with a high percentage of wheat (39%) in the grain recipe, the brand sought to extract the maximum amount of wood sugars.
Bottom Line:
Bardstown Bourbon Company already has a wheated bourbon in their Origin Series, and it’s a rock-solid option with its fair share of admirers among those who have tasted the well-received lineup. That said, this High Wheat Bourbon not only one-ups its wheated bourbon predecessor in smoothness but also makes for a more flavorful, easy-sipping alternative.
Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon was transitioned into a Kentucky-exclusive offering in 2022. However, in 2024, the brand announced that it would be distributed in other states for the first time in two years due to a surplus. The word isn’t yet out on whether that trend will continue through 2025 and beyond, but it came as welcome news to fans of the Evan Williams lineup’s only single-barrel bourbon.
Bottom Line:
Despite its relatively low ABV, Evan Williams Single Barrel’s mellow profile delivers rich flavors that cause it to punch above its weight. This expression’s availability has waxed and waned in the last two years, but for those lucky enough to find a bottle in their local market, this continues to be a high-quality, flavorful, and yes, smooth bourbon.
Woodinville Whiskey Co., out of Washington State, has been producing stellar craft bourbon since 2009. Even with the incredible quality they put into their limited edition offerings, you’d be foolish to skip over their flagship offering. Aged for at least five years, Woodinville Bourbon is made entirely with local grains from a mash bill of 72% corn , 22% rye, and 6% malted barley.
Bottom Line:
Woodinville Bourbon’s borderline tropical appeal is a substantial part of its smoothness. Those coconut and milk chocolate flavors work well with the whiskey’s velvety texture to provide a smooth experience that will impress bourbon savants and intrigue any newcomers.
Michter’s was recently voted the World’s Most Admired Whiskey Distillery, and its flagship bourbon is the most readily available example of why. For this expression and the rest of its whiskey lineup, Michter’s uses a proprietary filtration process to optimize the flavor coming from its barrels.
Bottom Line:
Michter’s US*1 Bourbon perfectly threads the needle of being delicious and affordable. Free from any harsher elements, your palate will take to this whiskey like a fish in water as those enchanting mellow notes wash over your tongue and coat your mouth with a remarkable range of flavors that make this one of the smoothest bourbons on the market today.
For their flagship 10-Year Bourbon, Widow Jane blends whiskey distillate from three different states in bespoke 5-barrel batches before proofing it down with mineral water from their Rosendale Mines in New York. The barrels from each blend hail from distilleries in Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee.
Bottom Line:
Widow Jane’s flagship expression might be under the radar for certain consumers who turn their noses up at bourbon produced outside of Kentucky but make no mistake. This complex, lush bourbon is one of the best in the land, and its “smoothness” is only outdone by its outstanding depth of flavor.
Widow Jane 10-Year is the best smooth bourbon money can buy in 2025.
Part 3: Final Thoughts
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
.” 
