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Stanford expert shares the number one phrase that people who are good at small talk always use

Many people don’t like small talk because it forces them to have conversations about trivial topics such as the weather, what they saw on TV the night before, or their weekend plans. Other people don’t like it because it causes them anxiety to talk with someone they may not know well.

Either way, research shows that small talk actually is a big deal. Julia Korn at Forbes says that small talk enables us to find common ground and shared interests, build muscles to overcome social discomfort, and lays the groundwork for transitioning into more serious, deeper topics.

It also makes us feel good. Studies show that a quick exchange with a barista while getting coffee can result in feelings of belonging and increased happiness.


So, how can we get more out of small talk and make it more comfortable? Stanford lecturer, podcast host, and communication expert Matt Abrahams told CNBC that one small phrase does both, “Tell me more.” He learned the phrase’s value by listening to his mother, who had “impressive interpersonal skills.”

“Her favorite phrase was ‘Tell me more,’ and it happens to be one that people who are good at small talk always use,” Abrahams wrote.

The Stanford expert says that the simple phrase works because it is a “support response” that encourages what the speaker is saying instead of being a “shift response” that brings the conversation back to you.

Suppose you’re talking to someone at a party who’s complaining about a lousy dinner they had at a local steakhouse. “The steak was overcooked, and the service was terrible,” they tell you. A proper support response could be, “Tell me more about the service” or “What else didn’t you like about the dinner?”

“Comments like these give your partner permission to expand on what they said or provide deeper insight,” Abrahams wrote.

On the other hand, a shift response that brings the conversation back to you would be something like, “I once had a bad dinner at a steakhouse…” and then you told that story. People who overuse the shift response are often seen as self-centered or the type of folks who have to make everything about themselves.

That’s a rather annoying personality trait that doesn’t make people a lot of friends or an enjoyable person to work with in the office.

Support responses such as “Tell me more” or “What happened next” are a great way to guarantee that you follow another proven conversation strategy, the 43:57 rule. A marketing whiz over at Gong.io took a deep dive into 25,537 sales calls with the help of AI and discovered a cool tidbit: sales went through the roof when the salesperson chatted 43% of the time and lent an ear for 57%. They’ve dubbed it the “43:57 rule.”

Now, while this gem of wisdom came from business calls, think about our daily chats with friends. It’s all about tuning in and showing you care about what the other person has to say. Everyone loves to feel heard and valued.

In the end, the trick to being a great conversationalist isn’t all about being witty, charming, or informed but simply knowing how to listen.

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The 30 Best Horror Movies On Shudder (October 2023)

Now that summer is out of the way, we can all agree that the time for superhero movies, brilliant marketing tactics, and a bunch of men just talking for three hours is over, and the real season of cinema is here: horror movie season. You can get your fair share of horror movies in the subsection of random streaming services, but if you want the real deal, you must go to the best source: Shudder.

The streamer exclusively has horror content, so it’s hard to weed out the good (Evil Dead II) from the bad (the live-action Chucky series!!). Of course, there are so many subgenres that can be explored. Do you want demons? Blood? Nic Cage in a chainsaw match? There’s something for everyone, here. Here are the best 30 horror movies on the service so you can really live up Halloween season. Then we can finally start watching Krampus for the holidays.

Color Out of Space

Year: 2020
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Madeleine Arthur, Joely Richardson
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 110 minutes
Director: Richard Stanley
Trailer: Watch here

Based on the H.P. Lovecraft story of the same name, a small family begins to experience a major vibe shift when a meteorite lands in the front yard and begins to omit a strange color. Soon, everything becomes dreamlike, and everyone is confused. There is a classic Nic Cage freakout, a Tommy Chong cameo, some extremely colorful moments, and then it gets even weirder.

Watch it on Shudder

Bad Things

Year: 2023
Cast: Gayle Rankin, Hari Nef, Molly Ringwald
Rating: NR
Runtime: 87 minutes
Director: Stewart Thorndike
Trailer: Watch here

If you’ve ever watched The Shining and thought, “This is good, but it would be better if they were all gay,” then this is the movie for you! A group of friends spend a weekend in an abandoned and haunted hotel where nothing could possibly go wrong! Soon, the group becomes consumed by various figures in the hotel before turning on one another. Plus, Molly Ringwald.

Watch it on Shudder

Possession

Year: 1983
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 124 minutes
Director: Andrzej Zulawski
Trailer:Watch here

Mark, portrayed by Sam Neill, comes home from work to find that his wife Anna is acting peculiarly and wants a divorce. Soon, Anna’s weirdness descends into pure madness and Mark starts to lose himself, and the two out-weird each other. It’s a movie so outlandish it was originally banned from theaters after its initial release in 1981, and now you can watch is on Shudder. Isn’t the internet amazing?

Watch it on Shudder

Tammy and the T-Rex

Year: 1994
Cast: Denise Richards, Paul Walker
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 90 minutes
Director: Stewart Raffill
Trailer:Watch here

This is definitely not a movie that many would consider “good,” although it is quite a bizarre experience that makes you feel like a different person after watching it. Denise Richards, in her first starring role, plays Tammy, whose new boyfriend Michael, played by Paul Walker, suffers a fatal accident. Luckily for her, they can still hook up his brain to an animatronic T-rex so they can still hang out. This movie was only made because a man had an animatronic T-rex and offered it to director Stewart Raffill, who then wrote the story in one week. It definitely shows.

Watch it on Shudder

Mad God

Year: 2022
Cast: Alex Cox, Niketa Roman
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 85 minutes
Director: Phil Tippett
Trailer: Watch here

There is no cohesive way to describe this movie, so here is how it was made. Director Phil Tippett, a visual effects supervisor who worked on Jurassic Park, Return of the Jedi, and Robocop, began making a stop-motion animated nightmare about traveling through the underworld sometime in the year 1990. Whilst making the film, Tippett suffered from a “huge mental breakdown” and he was subsequently hospitalized. It was finally released in 2022 for your viewing pleasure, so after all this trouble, you might as well just watch it.

Watch it on Shudder

Prisoners of the Ghostland

Year: 2021
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Bill Moseley
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 105 minutes
Director: Sion Soto
Trailer: Watch here

Once again, Nic Cage proves that he is meant to be covered in blood splatters in a horror movie. Cage plays a rugged bank robber who is tasked with a mission to find the governor’s granddaughter who has run away. If he doesn’t find her in five days, his specially-made suit will self-destruct. It’s just weird enough to work.

Watch it on Shudder

Who Invited Them

Year: 2022
Cast: Ryan Hansen, Melissa Tang
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 80 minutes
Director: Duncan Birmingham
Trailer: Watch here

An extremely weird couple shows up to a housewarming party, but the owners are too polite to make them leave, and chaos ensues. It’s a little wacky, very silly, and will make you rethink hanging out with your new neighbors.

Watch it on Shudder

Evil Dead II

Year: 1987
Cast: Bruce Campbell
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 84 minutes
Director: Sam Raimi
Trailer: Watch here

Before Sam Raimi was creating multiverses and superhero backstories, he was just a man with a sick dream: to terrify audiences with a creepy little book. While The Evil Dead was a masterpiece in its own right, its sequel retools the original and expands on the weirdness of Ash (Bruce Campbell) who keeps finding himself in painful/sometimes hilarious supernatural experiences. Plus he’s a bit of a goof!

Watch it on Shudder

The Babadook

Year: 2014
Cast: Essie Davis, Noah Wiseman
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 93 minutes
Director: Jennifer Kent
Trailer: Watch here

If you can put aside your pre-conceived notions about Mr. Babadook aside, he is a very frightening figure (before he was a meme). The creature shows up in Amelia’s house after the death of her husband, all thanks to a chilling kids’ book that taunts her and her son.

Watch it on Shudder

The Invitation

Year: 2016
Cast: Logan Marshall-Green, Tammy Blanchard
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 100 minutes
Director: Karyn Kusama
Trailer: Watch here

At a slow-burning housewarming party, Will reunites with his ex, Eden, who seems to be acting strangely. Over the course of the night, Will becomes increasingly skeptical that Eden might be a part of something larger and potentially harmful, but everyone else thinks it’s all in his head. Who turns out to be right? There’s a lot more here than it seems.

Watch it on Shudder

Mandy

Year: 2018
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Andrea Riseborough
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 121 minutes
Director: Panos Cosmatos
Trailer: Watch here

Once again, this movie highlights Cage’s ability to slowly descend into horrific madness while covered in blood. This time, Cage goes on a murderous rampage after a vicious cult targets his wife, Mandy. Through some vibrant imagery and an intense musical score, Cage must find the men who took Mandy. No spoilers here, but just imagine what it would look like if Nic Cage was coming at you with a chainsaw! That’s what this movie feels like. Only it just gets weirder and weirder.

Watch it on Shudder

Resurrection

Year: 2022
Cast: Rebecca Hall, Tim Roth
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: Andrew Semans
Trailer:Watch here

This extremely unsettling psychological thriller might trigger a panic attack, but you’ll also be able to experience Rebecca Hall’s superb acting, so there is a good give and take. A woman is stalked by a figure from her past who begins to taunt her with memories of their former life together… but things get even more deranged when she begins to let him in again.

Watch it on Shudder

The Seed

Year: 2022
Cast: Chelsea Edge, Lucy Martin
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 91 minutes
Director: Sam Walker
Trailer: Watch here

This is a silly one for sure, but there’s a weirdo little alien who is also kinda cute so it makes it worth it. A group of influencer friends spend a weekend away in a remote house, but a strange creature shows up and begins to complicate things. It’s campy and weird and will be one of those movies that all the teens are raving about in about 30 years when influencers become a relic of the 2020s.

Watch it on Shudder

Q – The Winged Serpent

Year: 1982
Cast: Michael Moriarty, David Carradine
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 93 minutes
Director: Larry Cohen
Trailer: Watch here

If monster movies are up your alley, this one will be your go-to. For centuries a giant dragon named Q has lived in the upper deck of the Chrysler Building, and he is undisturbed until one man stumbles across his nest and subsequently and unintentionally lets Q lose on the demonic world of New York City. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll never look at the NYC skyline the same way.

Watch it on Shudder

The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs: Exorcist III

Year: 2019
Cast: Joe Bob Briggs
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 183 minutes
Trailer: Watch here

Okay, so you’ve probably seen The Exorcist III (the best of the series), but have you watched it with an old man from Texas who gives his own out-of-pocket commentary? That’s the beauty of The Last Drive-In With Joe Bob Briggs. During every “commercial break,” Briggs breaks down the movie and gives intel on what makes the film so iconic, while lamenting the creepiness of it all. The best part about watching horror movies is watching with your friends anyway. Joe Bob is your friend now.

Watch it on Shudder

Gwen

Year: 2019
Cast: Eleanor Worthington-Cox, Richard Harrington
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 84 minutes
Director: William McGregor
Trailer: Watch here

For fans of The Witch and people who just love anxiety. Gwen is a young girl who must care for her sick mother while also dealing with some mysterious and unsettling forces that are plaguing the town and Gwen’s suffering family. It’s disturbing but the acting and cinematography makes for a perfectly unsettling feature.

Watch it on Shudder

Spirit Halloween

Year: 2022
Cast: Donovan Colan, Jaiden J. Smith, Christopher Lloyd
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 81 minutes
Director: David Poag
Trailer: Watch here

Not every horror movie needs to bring up some deep-rooted trauma! Sometimes, it’s enough to just watch a bunch of pre-teens learn the wonders of Halloween by locking themselves into a Spirit Halloween overnight. It’s not that deep, but it’s a perfect movie to have on in the background while you’re carving pumpkins and snacking on Kit-Kats because you’re an adult!

Watch it on Shudder

Attachment

Year: 2022
Cast: Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 105 minutes
Director: Garbiel Bier Gislason
Trailer:Watch here

Attachment follows a young couple, Maja and Leah, who move in with Leah’s overbearing and cold mother who watches over them like a hawk. While attempting to learn about Leah’s family and culture, Maja accidentally uncovers some hidden secrets and potentially dangerous spirits that are living in the shadows of their home.

Watch it on Shudder

Tenebrae

Year: 1982
Cast: Anthony Franciosa, Giuliano Gemma
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 110 minutes
Director: Dario Argento
Trailer: Watch here

The master of horror himself Dario Argento based this film on a real-life fan who was a little too obsessed with Argento’s horror films. The movie follows a novelist named Peter Neal who learns that a serial killer has been inspired by his novels, Neal sets out to try and solve the next one before it happens again.

Watch it on Shudder

Summer Of ’84

Year: 2022
Cast: Josephine Park, Ellie Kendrick
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 105 minutes
Director: Garbiel Bier Gislason
Trailer:Watch here

Major Stranger Things vibes with this one, but it works for a reason! A group of teens set out to uncover the truth behind a series of missing boys in their hometown and begin to suspect that the police are in on it.

Watch it on Shudder

Skinamarink

Year: 2023
Cast: Lucas Paul, Dali Rose Tetreault,
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 100 minutes
Director: Kyle Edward Ball
Trailer: Watch here

This polarizing movie might creep you out or put you to sleep, depending on what you’re going for. Two siblings wake up in the middle of the night to learn that their father is missing and all of the windows and doors in their house are mysteriously gone. In normal little kid fashion, the two then camp out in the living room, but something else might be lurking in the house watching them. It feels like a bad dream that you can’t wake up from.

Watch it on Shudder

In Their Skin

Year: 2012
Cast: Lucas Paul, Dali Rose Tetreault,
Rating: TV-14
Runtime: 100 minutes
Director: Kyle Edward Ball
Trailer:Watch here

A classic home invasion thriller takes a unique turn when a small family (Selma Blair and James D’arcy) is targeted by a murderous group who intends to steal their lives, identity AND their vacation house.

Watch it on Shudder

Perfect Blue

Year: 1997
Cast: Junko Iwao, Rika Matsumoto,
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 81 minutes
Director: Satoshi Kon
Trailer:Watch here

In this animated thriller, beloved pop star Mima decides to pursue acting and lands a role in a popular TV series. As Mima gets more famous, people close to her end up mysteriously dying and Mima’s reality and fictional life begin to blend together into some beautifully horrific visions that have her questioning her surroundings.

Watch it on Shudder

Halloween

Year: 1978
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Donald Pleasence,
Rating: NR
Runtime: 90 minutes
Director: John Carpenter
Trailer:Watch here

You’ve probably seen this classic horror film (or at least heard the iconic score before) but now is the time to check in on the humble beginnings of Michael Myers. After murdering his sister as a child, Myers was sent to prison for 15 years, only to be released on Halloween night when all hell starts to breaks loose.

Watch it on Shudder

Phenomena

Year: 1985
Cast: Jennifer Connelly, Donald Pleasence
Rating: NR
Runtime: 110 minutes
Director: Dario Argento
Trailer:Watch here

A young woman named Jennifer gets sent to a boarding school and accidentally witnesses a horrible murder while sleepwalking. Combining the three scariest things (sleepwalking, murder, and Italian directors) Jennifer is haunted by visions of the murder and learns that she might have a psychic ability that could help her catch the killer.

Watch it on Shudder

Watcher

Year: 2022
Cast: Maika Monroe, Karl Glusman,
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 91 minutes
Director: Chloe Okuno
Trailer:Watch here

Maika Monroe starred in 2014’s It Follows, so you might go into this film feeling unsettled at the sight of her anyway. It’s a great way to set the tone! A young actress moves to a new city with her boyfriend and begins to notice a mysterious man watching her, but others around her believe it’s all in her head. This is why wall-sized windows are never a good idea!

Watch it on Shudder

Prom Night

Year: 1980
Cast: Jamie Lee Curtis, Leslie Nielsen
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 92 minutes
Director: Paul Lynch
Trailer:Watch here

Prom night is the best night of the worst years of your life (high school) so it only makes sense to have a horror movie take place on that coveted evening. A group of friends is taunted by a violent killer who vows to get revenge… just before the prom king and queen are announced. Plus you have the original scream queen Jamie Lee Curtis, so it has all of the elements of a perfect slasher.

Watch it on Shudder

Deadstream

Year: 2022
Cast: Joseph Winter
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 89 minutes
Director: Joseph Winter
Trailer:Watch here

A washed-up influencer takes a solo trip to a haunted house in order to get back some followers in this “found footage” comedy-horror. What’s scarier, a haunted house or a man asking you to “like, comment, and subscribe” to his antics? You decide.

Watch it on Shudder

The Visitor

Year: 1979
Cast: Mel Ferrer, Glenn Ford, John Huston
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 104 minutes
Director: Guilio Paradisi
Trailer:Watch here

This dazzling yet bizarre sci-fi horror was long out of print until a decade ago when it was re-released and restored for modern audiences. The Visitorcenters on a young girl who might seem like an innocent pre-teen, but she actually is the incarnation of an evil spirit and must be stopped. This is also what it feels like to be a pre-teen, so the horrors are very real.

Watch it on Shudder

Hounds of Love

Year: 2017
Cast: Emma Booth, Ashleigh Cummings
Rating: TV-MA
Runtime: 108 minutes
Director: Ben Young
Trailer:Watch here

This is a disturbing retelling of the real-life Moorhouse Murders that took place in Perth in 1986. A young couple kidnaps a teenager named Vicki Maloney, and Vicki quickly learns that the only way she has a chance at survival is by driving a wedge in between the married couple and turn them against each other.

Watch it on Shudder

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Is Nicki Minaj’s ‘Queen Radio’ Canceled Due To Amp’s End?

On Wednesday, Amazon announced the end of its live streaming audio service Amp. According to Bloomberg, the service was launched in May 2022 as a competitor for chat apps like Clubhouse and Twitter’s Spaces feature (both of which have also since shut down), while CNBC reports the decision was made in the wake of a “sweeping review” of Amazon’s expenses by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy. Per Business Insider, Amp had failed to meet internal goals for months.

Is Nicki Minaj’s Queen Radio Canceled Due To Amp’s End?

Amp, which operated a bit like its competitors but allowed users to play licensed music and take “callers” while on the air, thus encouraging a “radio show” style format, had hip-hop stars like Big Boi, Joe Budden, Nicki Minaj, and Pusha T as part of its launch and their shows and events were expected to draw plenty of users. However, that is clearly not how it turned out. As an Amazon spokesperson said in a statement, “We’ve made the difficult decision to close Amp. We learned a lot about how live music communities interact in the process, which we are bringing to bear as we build new fan experiences at scale in Amazon Music.”

As far as what happens to those shows now that Amp is shuttering, that remains to be seen. Amazon Music currently hosts its own exclusive podcasts, so it’s possible that it’ll fold shows like Queen Radio into its existing lineup and simply stream them from that platform instead. Like Spotify, which also shuttered its own Clubhouse clone earlier this year, Amazon has been increasing its focus on traditional podcasts, so if the Amp shows can be suitably revamped to fit the format, it’s entirely possible that Queen Radio will return in some form before long.

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Where Does ‘The Daily Show’ Go Now That Roy Wood Jr. Is Leaving?

After eight years as a fan-favorite correspondent, Roy Wood Jr. is leaving The Daily Show. Despite calls for the comedian to take over the top spot after Trevor Noah stepped down late last year, Comedy Central has been in no rush to fill the position as it has worked through a series of guest hosts, including Wood. With an offer not being extended for the top gig, Wood has made the decision to step away and focus on the next steps in his career.

“I can’t come up with Plan B while still working with Plan A,” Wood told NPR while making it clear that he doesn’t want to work for The Daily Show while waiting for someone else to become the host. “The job of correspondent…it’s not really one where you can juggle multiple things. [And] I think eight years is a good run.”

Wood did make it clear that doesn’t hold a grudge against Comedy Central, and he would, of course, still be open to the hosting job if the network approached him with it.

“If you’re offered the chance to host The Daily Show at any point in your life… you have to stop for a second and consider that,” Wood said. “The next question becomes, ‘What does The Daily Show look like in 2024? And what does late night look like in 2024?’”

He elaborated further on his decision to leave in a post on Twitter/X this afternoon.

Wood’s departure leaves The Daily Show in an interesting bind as it continues to struggle with finding a new host. For a while, former correspondent Hasan Minhaj seemed like the top contender, and even Wood agreed that Minhaj has what Comedy Central is looking for.

“I think Hasan checks a lot of boxes that the network would want and people would want,” Wood told NPR. “Hasan’s young, he’s global and he has the political I.Q.”

But Minhaj’s chances went out the window last month when a New Yorker expose revealed he embellished certain anecdotes about his life, including one where his family was mailed anthrax, which didn’t happen. Shortly after the piece hit, Variety reported that Comedy Central was going back to “square one” in the search for a new host and would look “beyond” Minhaj for a candidate.

Who that candidate might be is anybody’s guess at this point.

(Via NPR, Variety)

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Will Mobius Remember Loki In Season 2?

As Loki gets ready to make his glorious return in Season 2 of his reality-breaking Marvel series, the Trickster God has his hands full right out of the gate. The first season ended with Loki returning to the Time Variance Authority, or TVA, after Sylvie (Sophia Di Martino) made the calamitous decision to murder He Who Remains (Jonathan Majors), a Kang variant who was preventing the Sacred Timeline from falling into chaos.

However, when Loki returned, his partner Mobius (Owen Wilson) had no idea who he is, and judging by the newest sneak peak from Marvel, that situation doesn’t look like it’s improving anytime soon. In the clip, Loki fans can see what happens immediately after the Season 1 end scene, and clearly, the TVA doesn’t react well to a stranger suddenly appearing in their facility with dire warnings about an evil mastermind who’s been controlling everything from behind a storm at the end of time. They didn’t like that.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Loki Season 2 picks up in the aftermath of the shocking season finale when Loki finds himself in a battle for the soul of the Time Variance Authority. Along with Mobius, Hunter B-15 and a team of new and returning characters, Loki navigates an ever-expanding and increasingly dangerous multiverse in search of Sylvie, Judge Renslayer, Miss Minutes and the truth of what it means to possess free will and glorious purpose.

Loki Season 2 premieres October 5 at 9 ET/6 PT on Disney+.

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Everything We Know About A24’s ‘The Iron Claw’: Zac Efron And Jeremy Allen White’s Jacked-Up Sports Drama

Mr. The Bear himself Jeremy Allen White might have wrapped up season two of the hit culinary horror-drama (it’s too scary for some of us who are afraid of fine dining), but he’s just getting ready to promote his next project, the wrestling drama The Iron Claw.

The movie was given the all-clear to go ahead after reaching an interim agreement with SAG-AFTRA, which means the A24 film is all set to hit theaters this winter. Here is everything we know so far about the upcoming film, which is based on a very real family.

Plot

The film will chronicle the infamous Von Erich family of wrestlers and their tragic story. Fritz Von Erich became an AWA Heavyweight Champion in the 60s before having six (!!!) boys–five of whom became (or attempted to become) professional wrestlers throughout the 80s. While the bunch became successful inside the ring, the family suffered a series of tragic losses and accidents, and were often dubbed as “cursed.”

Cast

Zac Efron will star as Kevin, the eldest Von Erich brother. Harris Dickinson will portray David Von Erich, while Jeremy Allen White will take on Kerry Von Erich, and Holt McCallany will portray the father Frtiz. Lily James, Maura Tierney, Stanley Simons and Maxwell Jacob Friedman also star.

Release Date

The movie is set to hit theaters on December 22, 2023. As with other A24 films, it is expected to debut on streaming after a theatrical release, and potentially on Paramount+.

Trailer

No trailer has been released yet, though Efron released a first look on his Instagram. Filming took place last fall, so we should be getting some jacked-up footage soon.

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This (Very, Very Pricey) Collection Of Sherry-Finished Scotch Whiskies Is Next-Level Elite

Sherry cask finishing in the Scotch whisky game is nothing new. Doing it right on the other hand … that’s a whole other beast. There’s no getting around that blenders will put whisky that’s not quite there yet or slightly imperfect into a finishing cask to cover up those imperfections or out of a need to speed things up. That makes it easy to get duped by any sort of cask finish. But there are plenty of folks out there in whisk(e)y land who are doing it right. They aren’t cutting corners, they’re taking their time, and they’re adding something truly special to their whisk(e)y to legitimately elevate it.

Enter The Dalmore’s brand-new Cask Curation Series — Part 1. The first release in this new series shows how deeply important cask finishing can be when done right. In this case, that finishing was with sherry casks from the iconic Tio Pepe González Byass winemakers in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain.

The team at The Dalmore put their heads together with the González Byass crew to find the perfect barrels of sherry (at all ages) to help finish very old The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch Whisky. This was less about the finish and more about marrying flavors from very specific sherries to very specific whisky. Trial and error was the name of the game as two teams of absolute masters found the perfect balance of wood, whisky, and sherry to create a trio of one-of-a-kind sherry-finished Scotch whisky.

That one-of-a-kind whisky led to 150 sets of three new bottles at 26, 28, and 43 years old. Since there are only 150 trio sets, this is a very rare and elite whisky product with a crazy high price tag — hell, you have to ask to be considered to pay your hard-earned cash for a set, it’s that elite. Naturally, I don’t know if it’s worth it for you because I don’t know who you are. If you’re looking for a truly unique whisky experience with elite-class whisky partnered with iconic sherry wood, then this is going to be a must-have. There are few whiskies that do a sherry finish better than these three bottles. So with that, let’s get into what’s actually in the set.

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Scotch Whisky Posts of The Last Six Months

The Dalmore Cask Curation Series The Sherry Edition Aged 26 Years Finished in Tare González Byass 2002 Vintage — Cask no. 4

The Dalmore 26 Curated Cask
Whyte & Mackay

ABV: 48.2%

Average Price: $37,500 (set of three)

The Whiskey:

This new release is the youngest of three elite whiskies that The Dalmore is dropping. This very limited edition bottle is hewn from The Dalmore’s iconic malt that spent years aging in ex-bourbon casks. The whisky was batched and then re-barreled into a González Byass 2002 Vintage Sherry Cask (Cask #4) for years more of aging until just right. The final product was bottled 100% as-is to highlight the beauty of that finishing barrel on classic The Dalmore.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a bright sense of caramelized oranges, fresh floral honey, and ripe off-the-vine apricots with a deep sense of rich vanilla pods, dry cacao, and fresh almonds with a hint of cherry syrup.

Palate: Raisin-heavy spiced cakes are cut with bright orange zest on the palate as cherry syrup leads to almond cookies cut with vanilla oils and a sense of sultanas baking in the hot sun.

Finish: There’s a buttery sense of a fresh croissant on the finish next to creamy espresso for sipping, ginger rock candy, and lush vanilla cake cut with more orange oil, almond, and poppy seed.

Bottom Line:

This is funky and fresh and presents more on the sherry side of things than a classic The Dalmore. If you’re looking for that classic plummy port-finished darkness that the brand is known for, go elsewhere. All of that said, this is so light, airy, and bright, it feels like a wholly new whisky from The Dalmore. Make sure to add a little water to let the citrus and bourbon vanilla get extra creamy and really luxuriant on the senses.

The Dalmore Cask Curation Series The Sherry Edition Aged 28 Years Finished in Very Rare Gonzalez Byass 30-year-old Matusalem Sherry Cask

The Dalmore 28yo
Whyte & Mackay

ABV: 55.3%

Average Price: $37,500 (set of three)

The Whisky:

This whisky starts off with The Dalmore’s ex-bourbon-cask-aged single malt. That whisky was then transferred into a 30-year-old Matusalem Oloroso Sherry, which is a dark, sweet, and spicy sherry with plummy depths. After a long rest, the whisky was bottled at cask strength to let all those dark sherry notes shine in the whisky.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Black-tea-soaked dates, old leathery prunes, and rum-soaked raisins drive the nose toward black licorice ropes, dark and creamy honey with a hint of summer flowers, and a bright burst of star fruit with a deep sense of bourbon vanilla beneath it all.

Palate: Mincemeat pies and sticky toffee pudding (cut with orange zest and salted toffee) drive the lush palate toward bold marmalade, brandy-soaked pears cut with marzipan, and more of that black licorice with a hint of absinth candy.

Finish: Black cherries soaked in brandy and dipped in salted dark chocolate arrive late on the finish with a sense of sasparilla bark, dark molasses, and more of that mince meat pie vibe next to candied orange tobacco and whispers of cedar.

Bottom Line:

Holy shit, this is good whisky. It has that deep and dark The Dalmore vibe while going even deeper on a holiday spiced sherry vibe that just keeps delivering dark and delicious flavor notes on the nose, palate, and finish.

If this list was ranked (it’s not because this is only sold as a set), this would be number one by a country mile.

The Dalmore Cask Curation Series The Sherry Edition Aged 43 Years Finished in Very Rare Gonzalez 30-year-old Apostoles Sherry Cask

The Dalmore 43yo
Whyte & Mackay

ABV: 46.8%

Average Price: $37,500 (set of three)

The Whisky:

This long-aged version takes whisky that spends decades resting in ex-bourbon and batches it. That whisky is then refilled into a 30-year-old Apostoles sherry cask, which is a very sweet, spicy, and plummy sherry with deep woody depths. Once just right, the whisky was bottled at cask strength 100% as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Summer honeycombs piled with bright and fresh oranges greet you on the nose with a sense of fire-roasted chestnuts, fresh raisins, sultanas, meaty dates, and a deep sense of bourbon vanilla with a touch of almond oil.

Palate: The vanilla gets vibrant and rich on the front of the palate as sweet orange binds with dark chocolate just flaked with salt next to huckleberry, black currant, and grapefruit pith with a flutter of oaky tobacco.

Finish: Apricot jam over a sweet and soft scone with a buttery edge drives the finish toward more juicy orange cut with sharp cinnamon, chocolate, and sea salt next to grilled pineapple studded with cloves and nutmeg.

Bottom Line:

This is a stellar whisky that really leans back into the brighter notes of the 26-year-old. It’s almost airy and bright even though it’s over four decades old. Overall, this is the pour you pour when you want something 100% unique and bright.

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Extra Smooth Dark Rums For Fall Sipping, Tasted Double Blind And Ranked

Dark rum is a great fall sipper to have on hand thanks to the mix of dark fruit, sweet caramel, and warming spicy notes usually found in their flavor profiles. Dark rums also make for some killer cocktails this time of year too. It’s a good time to start thinking about stocking some well-aged rum on your home bar cart, is what I’m getting at.

To help you find the tastiest dark rums to grab this time of year, I’m conducting a double-blind taste test. What does that mean exactly? With the help of my very patient wife, I was able to taste 15 pours of dark rum without any idea what brand or even style each dark rum was. I gave my wife two directives when picking the lineup though: One, don’t grab more than two bottles from the same brand, and two, don’t grab any flavored or spiced rum. All of my dark rum samples are in the same boxes and bins, so it wasn’t too taxing of an ask.

Once the dark rums were poured, I dove in and started tasting and ranking based on the flavor and depth of what was in the glass in my hand. To be very clear, I’m not here to discuss the veracity of these spirits. I know rum has a lot of additives and coloring; I also know that people lose their shit over those details and insist on purity. That’s not what this list is about. This is about dark rum bottles that are on shelves and how they taste. This double-blind tasting is looking for well-made distillates that taste good. It’s as simple as that. We can talk about additives and coloring in the rum game another time.

Sound good? Let’s dive in and find some tasty rums to sip and mix with this fall!

Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months

Part 1 — The Smooth Dark Rum Double Blind Tasting

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Taste 1

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a mix of dried ancho chili, real maple syrup, hints of bitter chocolate, caramel candy, and a good layer of creamy vanilla with a note of woody winter spices.

Palate: The palate opens with a creamy dark chocolate-covered espresso bean vibe next to more of that creamy vanilla cut with cinnamon and clove that builds towards Christmas spice cakes covered in that same dark chocolate.

Finish: The end then veers into bright and lush fruits — star fruit, tangerine skins, and peach juice — with a nice sense of tiramisu creating a creamy finish.

Initial Thoughts:

Well, this is a nice place to start. This is good but very light. All those flavors are just there, making this feel like a cocktail base more than anything.

Taste 2

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with a leathery mix of oak, eggnog, honey, and toasted coconut with a dash of tangerine and almost floral coffee.

Palate: The spice marries the woodiness on the palate as peanut brittle, marzipan, and grilled pineapple leads to hints of black pepper and some tobacco.

Finish: That tobacco and pepper are complemented by leathery fruits, melon skins, and creamy spice with a vanilla base on the finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This is perfectly nice too. It’s very woody and nutty but it works with the peppery spice.

Taste 3

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of dried fruits next to woody spice and some vanilla but it’s very basic.

Palate: The palate is light but carries a sense of toffee cut with vanilla and cinnamon next to a whisper of peach and chocolate.

Finish: Honey molasses and more dark dried fruits (mostly raisin) drive the finish toward a very light and short end.

Initial Thoughts:

This tasted cheap and light but did have a profile that said, “Yup, that’s dark rum alright…”.

Taste 4

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a mild sense of old oak and leather next to dark winter spices, dark berries, and a whisper of potpourri.

Palate: The palate has a rich blackstrap molasses sweetness and bitterness that leads to woody winter spices, red berries with a candied edge, and a hint of that dried floral vibe.

Finish: The end gets a little light but it’s more minerality than watery proofing as wet pipe tobacco and sweet vanilla candies dominate.

Initial Thoughts:

This was light too but had a much deeper and clearer flavor profile. It still felt like something you build with or sip slow.

Taste 5

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is very grassy — almost wet straw — with a sense of leathery wood, old cinnamon sticks, and dried red berries.

Palate: Vanilla, dark fruits, oak tannins, and chocolate caramel chews drive the palate as touches of dried red berries and maybe a little black tea mingle on the mid-palate.

Finish: The end leans back into the wet straw and caramel as the vanilla marries to those dried berries with a spicy foundation.

Initial Thoughts:

This was fine but that wet straw vibe was a little off-kilter.

Taste 6

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this one is deep with notes of old oak staves next to a spiced holiday cake full of candied fruits, raisins, dark spices, and buttery vanilla with a hint of espresso bitterness and maybe a whisper of gooseberry.

Palate: The palate leans into the wintry cake spice with a focus on nutmeg and clove creating a lush eggnog feel next to candied ginger, woody huckleberry, pine resin, and Almond Joy.

Finish: The end has a flourish of marzipan and fresh mint next to pineapple tobacco and more of those dark holiday cake spices all wrapped up with soft cedar bark and dry sweetgrass.

Initial Thoughts:

This has a ton going on and it all makes sense with a nice balance. It was a little dry and woody but I imagine over a rock that wouldn’t be an issue.

Taste 7

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich caramel cut with clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg leads to chili-laced dark hot chocolate on the nose with notes of vanilla and orange.

Palate: The vanilla gets creamy on the palate as the caramel carries more dark winter spice, loads of dark chocolate, and rum-soaked raisins next to roasted almonds with a hint of suede.

Finish: Old oak and dry cinnamon sticks round out the finish with creamy vanilla and plenty of chocolate and a mild note of grassy cedar bark.

Initial Thoughts:

This is creamy and sweet with a classic dark rummy vibe emboldened by a lot of chocolate.

Taste 8

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Banana bread with walnuts and plenty of brown powdery baking spice drives the nose toward light tropical fruit, oak, and caramel before a clear note of sweet black tea arrives.

Palate: That pineapple gets woody on the palate as more brown spice melds with sweet rock candy, old leather tobacco pouches, and plenty of vanilla.

Finish: The end takes on a banana foster vibe next to plenty of nutmeg and cinnamon, a hint of orange, and malty vanilla cream that ultimately leads back to a very clear sense of sweet black tea.

Initial Thoughts:

This was complex and very easy drinking, thanks to that sweet tea feel.

Taste 9

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich and spicy caramel leads to mulled wine, old cedar tobacco boxes, dates soaked in brandy, and deep dark chocolate that’s just kissed with sea salt and espresso oils with creamy vanilla lurking beneath it all.

Palate: Rum raisin, eggnog, and cinnamon bark drive the palate toward toasted oak with a sweet edge, dark espresso cream kissed with more dark chocolate, and five-spice that gives way to a hint of water chestnut.

Finish: The five-spice leads to sweet soy (almost like teriyaki sauce without the garlic) before rich caramel sweetness leads back to dark dried fruits and almost tart dark chocolate.

Initial Thoughts:

This is wildly complex and it works. The umami, dark fruit, and buttery sweetness just play so well together on the palate. This is next-level rum.

Taste 10

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Rich cinnamon cookies dipped in nutmeg-heavy eggnog leads on the nose with stewed pears, overripe bananas, and toasted almonds next to an almost floral sense of pineapple.

Palate: Cellared oak and dark molasses open the palate toward lush vanilla, more cinnamon and nutmeg, and a bright sense of freshly cut pineapple full of fresh juice cut with those brown spices and soaked in rum, creating a pineapple holiday cake vibe.

Finish: A hint of peppery fatty smoked pork arrives late and perfectly accents the pineapple as notes of dark cherry jam, old spice barks, and dry orange zest mingle with old oak staves.

Initial Thoughts:

This is excellent, even if it is very pineapple-forward. It just works and runs so deep and it’s fascinatingly delicious.

Taste 11

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose runs deep with pine-y honey, fresh ginger, rum raisin, and old leather tobacco pouches with a hint of winter spice barks and dried orange, lemon, and lime leaves.

Palate: Overripe bananas and brandy-soaked figs mingle with deep dried and candied orange on the palate as dark chocolate attaches to winter spice, rich molasses cakes, and a sense of funky oak cellars.

Finish: The figs get jammy on the end as the spices sharpen and the chocolate takes on vanilla and gets creamy with a very Christmas spiced cake vibe running deep on the finish.

Initial Thoughts:

This is just good. It’s funky, nostalgic, and deep.

Taste 12

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Leathery fruit and toasted coconut lead to orange flowers, peach pits, and banana fosters on the nose with a hint of Almond Joy.

Palate: Honey and Nutella arrive on the palate next to gingerbread dipped in milk chocolate, light dry tobacco, and a hint of dill.

Finish: Pear and black licorice drive the finish toward more caramel sweetness and a dash of lemon pepper straight out of the 1990s.

Initial Thoughts:

This was fine. The profile was dialed but it was a little light all things considered.

Taste 13

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Sweet dried leathery fruits open the nose toward rich vanilla, caramelized tropical fruits, nuttiness, and a good dose of winter spice mixes.

Palate: Those spices and vanilla mix on the palate to create a winter cake vibe dipped in dark chocolate with grilled tropical fruits cut with honey and chili spice.

Finish: And hint of old leather and oak arrive on the finish with a sense of banana leaves, pineapple skins, and more winter spice.

Initial Thoughts:

This either needed some water or time to open it up a bit. It was very tight in the glass and I feel like there was more here if I had the time to really dive into it.

Taste 14

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is very light and fresh on the nose with hints of vanilla, coffee beans, and plumminess.

Palate: Almond Joy and vegetable broth drive the palate toward old oak and a hint of apricot jam over light tobacco.

Finish: A hint of bourbon vanilla arrives late with a sense of wood spices, old tropical fruits (overripe), and soft chocolate.

Initial Thoughts:

This was very much a shrug. It’s fine. It’s also very flat.

Taste 15

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a sense of roasting herbs on the nose with an almost fresh moment of sugar cane juice (right off the press) next to dark winter spices brightened with fresh ginger, mango juice, and pineapple cores.

Palate: The pineapple gets juicy on the palate before melding with rich dark molasses, darker chocolate, and a sense of creamy vanilla layered with rich and sharp winter spices.

Finish: Those spices, chocolate, molasses, and tropical fruit bind on the finish to create a rich and vibrant Christmas cake on the end that’s spicy, fruity, and softly decadent.

Initial Thoughts:

This is a really tasty rum that delivers a hardcore winter nostalgia vibe.

Part 2 — The Smooth Dark Rum Ranking

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

15. Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado Gran Reserva Rum — Taste 3

Brugal 1888 Doblemente Añejado
Brugal & Co.

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $41

The Rum:

Brugal 1888 is produced in the Dominican Republic. The rum is aged in both ex-bourbon and ex-sherry casks which they call “double-aging.” Those barrels are batched, the rum is proofed, and it’s bottled.

Bottom Line:

This tasted fairly cheap. That doesn’t mean “bad.” It just means that it’s made for mixing. Use it accordingly.

14. Papa’s Pilar 24 Solera Profile Dark Rum Spanish Sherry Cask Finish — Taste 14

Papa's Pilar 24 Solera Profile Dark Rum
Papa

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $50

The Rum:

This Florida rum is sourced from nine different rums from around the Caribbean and Central America. Those barrels are sent up to Florida where they’re batched and then re-barreled into Spanish sherry casks for a final maturation before batching, proofing, and bottling.

It’s worth noting that this is an official project of the Hemingway family. They’ve gone the Joan Woodward and Paul Newman route with this business and donate 100% of the profits from Papa’s Pilar to various charities.

Bottom Line:

This is perfectly fine rum. I’d use it for mixing cocktails.

13. Proof And Wood 2/3 Pot Still Rum Distilled in Jamaica 3 Barrel Blend — Taste 5

Proof And Wood 2/3 Pot Still Rum
Proof And Wood

ABV: 54%

Average Price: $69

The Rum:

This rum is bottled in the U.S.A. from only three barrels of Jamaican rum. The rum first spent two years in ex-bourbon barrels in Jamaica before traveling to Kentucky where they were re-barreled into ex-rye whiskey barrels for another three years of rest — hence the 2/3 on the label. The three barrels were batched, just kissed with water, and bottled without any extra sugar, color, or flavor added.

Bottom Line:

This is another one that was fine. It was a little funky on the nose but ultimately finished strong. That slight imbalance is the only reason this is lower on this panel’s ranking.

12. Flor De Caña V Generaciones 30 Years Old — Taste 13

Flor de Cana V Generaciones
William Grant & Sons

ABV:

Average Price: $1,499

The Rum:

This rum is a true cane-to-glass experience from the slopes of the San Cristobal volcano in Nicaragua. This particular expression is a single barrel aged up to 30 years in the shadow of that volcano and is proofed with mineral water bubbling up from the volcanic soil underneath.

It’s also worth noting that this brand is made at a distillery that’s certified as 100% sustainable, carbon neutral, and fair trade.

Bottom Line:

This was very tight. It simply needs a lot of time, air, and water to get into the depth of this pour. I went back to this and after about 30 minutes and a few drops of water, it really bloomed in the glass. But that was no longer part of the tasting panel. Take that for what it’s worth.

11. Plantation Rum Barbados 2013 Limited Edition 9 Years Old — Taste 12

Plantation Rum Barbados
Maison Ferrand

ABV: 50.2%

Average Price: $79

The Rum:

This limited edition from Plantation Rum is a sourced set of Barbadian rum. The rum (from West Indies Rum Distillery) is molasses-based, column and pot distilled and spent eight years aging in bourbon casks by the sea in Barbados. Then those barrels were sent to France where the rum was re-barreled into Maison Ferrand cognac casks for another year of rest before bottling at cask strength with no additives or coloring.

Bottom Line:

This is where we get into the good stuff. This was a nice sipper overall but felt like it’d really shine as a cocktail base for a rum old-fashioned or the like.

10. Angostura Caribbean Rum Aged Seven Years — Taste 1

Screen-Shot-2021-02-02-at-12.41.04-PM.jpg
Angostura

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $28

The Rum:

While Trinidad and Tobago’s Angostura is probably best known for its iconic bitters, don’t sleep on their deep bench of rums. Their seven-year-old expression is a really solid entry. The juice is aged for at least seven years in ex-bourbon casks before it’s blended, filtered, proofed, and bottled with no sugar or spice additives.

Bottom Line:

This is a good standard dark rum to have on hand. It’ll make a mean cocktail and work as a sipper over rocks in a pinch.

9. Plantation Rum Venezuela 2010 Limited Edition 12 Years Old– Taste 2

Plantation Rum Venezuela 2010
Maison Ferrand

ABV: 52%

Average Price: $74

The Rum:

This limited edition vintage rum from Plantation is sourced from Destileria Sofa’s cellars in Venezuela. The rum is molasses-based, column distilled, and aged in ex-bourbon for eight years. Then the barrels were sent to Javrezac, France for an additional four years of aging in Ferrand cognac French oak casks. Finally, those barrels were batched, just kissed with proofing water, and bottled without any additives.

Bottom Line:

This is a good all-around sipper with a deep profile. It was a little woody, but that can be solved easily with a big ol’ rock in the glass.

8. Flor De Caña Centenario 18 Years Old — Taste 4

Flor de Cana 18
William Grant & Sons

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $50

The Rum:

This Nicaraguan rum is made on the slopes of the San Cristóbal Volcano. The molasses is made from estate-grown sugar cane from that volcanic soil. The rums are then aged in ex-bourbon barrels for varying amounts of time before blending. It’s important to note that “18” is the average age of the barrels involved and not the age of the expression.

Bottom Line:

This was a pretty good sipper with a very approachable profile. This is the sort of pour that you sip with ice when you want a dark rum that delivers. I can also see this working really well in cocktails as a replacement for bourbon.

7. Mount Gay Barbados Rum Andean Oak Casks — Taste 6

Mount Gay Andean Oak
Rémy Cointreau

ABV: 48%

Average Price: $214

The Rum:

Master Blender Trudiann Branker is creating some amazing Barbadian blends with Mount Gay’s Master Blender Collection. The fourth release takes Mount Gay rum that spent 14 years mellowing in former bourbon barrels just a stone’s throw from a beach and finishes that rum in South American oak from the Andies. After 11 months in those barrels, the rum is proofed and bottled as-is.

Bottom Line:

This is a very complex rum that takes you on a journey. I’d recommend taking the time to let this bloom in the glass with some time and water and enjoying the ride slowly.

6. Brugal Colección “Visionaria” Edición 01 Finished in Toasted Virgin European Oak Casks — Taste 7

Brugal Colección "Visionaria" Edición 01
Brugal & Co.

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $129

The Rum:

This classic Brugal rum is made with their iconic Dominican rum that’s finished in special barrels using the “Aromatic Cask Toasting Technique”. That means that the rum was finished in special barrels that were toasted with Dominican cacao beans as the fuel for the fire. Those beans imparted chocolate aromatics into the wood to play with the rum that was eventually filled into them.

Bottom Line:

This was a chocolate bomb, sure. But it worked. The chocolate was part of the overall profile and not a dominating force. If you’re looking for a deftly layered chocolate-forward dark rum, this is going to be your jam.

5. Chairman’s Reserve Finest Saint Lucia Rum “Legacy” — Taste 8

Chairman's Reserve Finest Saint Lucia Rum "Legacy"
Chairman

ABV: 43%

Average Price: $42

The Rum:

This Saint Lucia rum is about the blend. The rum is made from barrels of both molasses-based rum and sugarcane juice-based rum (similar to rhum agricole). The rums were distilled on both pot and column stills before aging ex-bourbon barrels on their own. Finally, those barrels were batched, the rum was proofed, and then bottled.

Bottom Line:

This had a really attractive profile. It was so easygoing while offering a deep sense of well-made dark rum. Try it over a rock or in your favorite rummy cocktail.

4. Diplomatico Distillery Collection No. 3 Pot Still Rum — Taste 15

Diplomatico Distillery Collection No. 3 Pot Still Rum
Brown-Forman

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $79

The Rum:

This limited edition rum from Venezuela is all about the pot still juice. The blend is a mix of 100% pot still rums that spent eight years resting in ex-bourbon barrels. The final blend was built to highlight flavor notes that the pot still imbues into the spirit.

Bottom Line:

This was just really easy drinking while offering a truly deep flavor profile. It wasn’t a “wow” sip but it was a very nice one.

3. Camikara Rum Cask Aged 12 Years Old — Taste 11

Camikara Rum Cask Aged 12 Years Old
Camikara Rum

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $86

The Rum:

This Indian rum is made from locally grown sugarcane at Picadilly Distillery in Indri, India. Once distilled, the rum spends 12 long years in ex-bourbon casks where it loses 94.4% of its volume to the angel’s share. Finally, the casks are batched, just kissed with local water, and bottled.

Bottom Line:

This was a big surprise. It was unique but still offered a deeply layered dark rum tasting experience. I can see this working wonders over ice, allowing the deeper notes to shine.

2. Appleton Estate “Legend” Minimum Aged 17 Tropical Years — Taste 10

Appleton Estate "Legend" Minimum Aged 17 Tropical Years
J. Wray and Nephew Ltd.

ABV: 49%

Average Price: $519

The Rum:

This one-off rum from The Appleton Estate’s legendary Joy Spence is a recreation of the equally legendary J. Wray & Nephew 17-Year-Old from the 1940s — which is the rum that helped launch the entire tiki craze back then. The rum in the bottle is a blend of four very rare single-estate rums that mimics that iconic 1940s release exactly.

Bottom Line:

Even though this is made for making the perfect Mai Tai, it’s delicious on its own. It’s very pineapple-forward, but it’s fresh and real pineapple (a hard trick to pull off). And if you’re looking to make the best Mai Tai ever, this is the bottle to do it with.

1. Diplomatico Ambassador Selection Cask Strength Finished in Pedro Ximénez Barrels — Taste 9

Diplomatico Ambassador Selection
Brown-Forman

ABV: 47%

Average Price: $294

The Rum:

This Venezuelan rum is made from a blend of 100% pot still rums. Those rums spent 12 years in ex-bourbon casks before being batched. Then that rum was re-barreled into Pedro Ximénez sherry casks for a finishing run before batching, proofing, and bottling without any added sweeteners, caramel coloring, or other additives.

Bottom Line:

This was the deepest and tastiest rum on the panel today. It just kept going, was delicious neat, and beckoned me back for more.

Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Smooth Dark Rums

Dark Rum Reviews
Zach Johnston

There’s a lot going on with this list of dark rums. There are so many different flavor profiles, textures, and vibes that you really can’t go wrong finding the one that speaks to you the most.

That being said, the top four or five are the most stellar examples on this panel. Again, each one offers something a little different. So go back and re-read the tasting notes and find something that speaks to you. Or grab yourself a bottle of that Diplomatico Ambassador and be done with it. It’ll be a delightfully deep, spicy, and fun dark rum sipping experience.

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Is Drake’s ‘Scary Hours 3’ Coming Soon?

Even with Drake’s newest album just hours away from release (theoretically), it looks like his fans can’t help but speculate about what else he’s got up his sleeve. While For All The Dogs is scheduled to drop this Friday, October 6 (less than twelve hours away as of this writing), there’s already a rumor going around that the third installment of his EP series Scary Hours is already on the way. As with many Drake rumors, it started with a cryptic post of his on social media — in this case, an Instagram Story reading, “Scary Hours for those who remain sleepless after all these years… shall we begin?”

Is Drake’s ‘Scary Hours 3’ Coming Soon?

Considering that Drake had to make a choice between finishing his tour and finishing For All The Dogs (choosing the album and pushing back its release date in the process), it seems unlikely that Drake has been simultaneously working on a second project. After all, such a release would probably only take attention from his new album — something that would be pretty counterproductive after the months he’s spent seeding excitement for it.

However, given the timing of the post, it was more likely a last-second promo for his new single “8AM In Charlotte.” Considering his propensity for the late-night recording sessions that often spawn his so-called “timestamp songs,” he was probably hyping fans up its release. Of course, given Twitter users’ fondness for deciphering clues (even ones that aren’t there) and taking practically everything literally, it seems that the figurative “scary hours” — i.e., Drake’s favored time for wrapping up projects with these freestyles — were mistaken for a reference to the Scary Hours EPs. He had certainly been teasing one back in June 2022.

Either way, it’s looking spooky out there for Drake haters as he preps the launch of his eighth studio album, just weeks before Halloween.

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Victoria Beckham’s Claim Of Growing Up ‘Working Class’ Was Hilariously Fact-Checked By David Beckham: ‘What Car Did Your Dad Drive You To School In?’

Earlier today (October 5), Netflix unveiled a new four-part documentary series about David Beckham, appropriately titled Beckham. Given that he’s been married to Victoria Beckham for over two decades now, she gets some screen time, too. In one particularly charged moment, David pushes back on a claim from Victoria (who, keep in mind, is also known in Spice Girls as “Posh Spice“) that she had a “working class” childhood.

In a clip shared on social media by Netflix today, Victoria tells an off-camera interviewer, “We’re very working… working class.” Then, from off-camera, David interjects, “Be honest.” Victoria insists she is as David repeats, “Be honest.” He continues, “What car did you dad drive you to school in?” Victoria starts, “So, my dad did…,” but David interrupts, “No, one answer: What car was it?” Victoria says, “It’s not a simple answer because…,” then David again interrupts, “What car did you get your dad to drive you to school in?”

Victoria responds, “It depends,” which got a “No no no no no…” out of David. Victoria then conceded, “OK: In the ’80s, my dad had a Rolls-Royce.” David says “thank you” and leaves the room, after which Victoria takes a frustrated pause.

Check out the clip above.