Category: News

Maine is much more than “vacationland” and the home of Stephen King, it’s also a beer-lover’s paradise. According to the Maine Brewer’s Guild, the state is currently home to more than 165 breweries and brew pubs. This means it’s a great place to take an early winter road trip to sip IPAs, lagers, stouts, pilsners, and all kinds of innovative, exciting beers.

Portland, Maine on its own rivals Portland, Oregon, in terms of great breweries per capita. If you simply visited that coastal city alone, you’d get to enjoy the likes of Allagash, Shipyard, Bissell Brothers, and more. But if you spend some time traveling around the state, you’ll do more than visit some of the cities mentioned in classic horror novels, you’ll enjoy award-winning beers from breweries like Baxter Brewing, Tributary Brewing, and the iconic Maine Beer Company.

The best part? If you live in the northeast (or you don’t mind a flight or two), Maine is easy to get to and even more fun to drink your way through. Keep scrolling to learn a little more about eight of our favorites.

• The Most Underrated Breweries in America, According To Craft Beer Experts
• The Best Beers Of 2023, According To The Tasting Alliance Beer Judges
• The Best Oktoberfest Beers On The Market, According To Craft Beer Pros
• The Best Under-The-Radar Pilsners, According To Craft Beer Experts
• We Made Craft Beer Experts Reveal Their Favorite Hazy IPAs

Baxter Brewing Company – Lewiston

Baxter Brewing Company opened in 2011 to craft well-made Maine-made IPAs while still paying tribute to the West Coast IPAs (and their hop varieties). They’ve branched out to other styles since then, but the IPA is still the top dog. Visit The Pub at Baxter — located at the historic Lewiston Bates Mill right next to the brewery — for a large tap list of rotating beers and great food like poutine, burgers, chicken sandwiches, and banh mi.

What To Drink:

While Baxter makes many noteworthy beers, it would behoove you to try its flagship Stowaway IPA. Brewed with almost 500 pounds of hops, it’s known for its balanced flavor profile featuring a ton of piney, floral hops as well as a healthy malt backbone.

Lone Pine Brewing Company – Portland

This Portland-area brewery first opened its doors in 2016. In the years since it’s gained a major following in the New England (and beyond) beer community and is now one of the largest craft breweries in Maine. Like many breweries, it started when high school friends Tom Madden and John Paul began home brewing and eventually decided to open a brewery. While there are various offshoots, the main facility is in Portland. This is where you’ll find their small batch pilot system, an outdoor beer garden, and 24 taps featuring a rotation of IPAs, stout, lagers, and other beers.

What To Drink:

While you can’t go wrong with any of the beers from this renowned brewery, if you want to get the most out of your experience, you’ll try Oh-J. This New England-style double IPA is known for its juicy hazy body and massive kick of citrus and pine.

Bissell Brothers – Portland

Bissell Brothers is a big name in the Maine beer world. Known for their innovative and envelope-pushing brews, Bissell Brothers Portland taproom is a great place to grab a bottle, cans, a growler, or relax with a pint from one of the 20 taps.

What To Drink:

Bissell Brothers is well-known for its Swish, a hazy juicy New England-style IPA. But after you try that one, we suggest grabbing a pint of its Lux Pale Rye Ale. This Mosaic pale ale is known for its tropical fruit flavor and gentle rye spice.

Maine Beer Company – Freeport

If you did a poll to find the most well-known Maine-based breweries, it would likely be a toss-up between Allagash and Maine Beer Company. The latter — located in Freeport — has been brewing award-winning beer since 2013. As with many breweries, its story begins with two brothers who had a passion for brewing and decided to open a brewery. Take a trip to the sprawling tasting room to try some of its more iconic brews like Dinner IPA and Peeper (its first-ever beer) and enjoy a mouth-watering pizza.

What To Drink:

No trip to Maine Beer Company is complete without trying its most famous beer: Lunch. This New England-style IPA is named for a well-known Finback whale. This balanced IPA is known for its mix of sweet caramel malts as well as candied orange peels, grapefruit, and floral piney hops.

Tributary Brewing – Kittery

Tributary Brewing, which opened in 2014, got its name from the tributaries, saltwater marshes, and tidal rivers scattered throughout Southern Maine. The brewery was founded by husband-and-wife duo Tod and Galen Mott. Tod is best known for creating the recipe for the wildly popular Harpoon IPA — one of the most successful craft beers of the last generation. Visit the Kittery tasting room for a flight or a few pints of its rotating list of seasonal and year-round beers.

What To Drink:

If you’re going to be in Maine, you might as well enjoy something from the ocean, right? Tributary’s Oyster Stout is a can’t-miss beer with its flaked and malted oats as well as Heron Island Oysters added to the boil. It’s loaded with roasted malt, chocolate, and a lightly briny flavor.

Allagash Brewing Company – Portland

There aren’t many Maine breweries more well-known than Allagash Brewing Company. This Portland staple was opened in 1995, at the height of the first real national “craft” beer boom. It’s well-known for its award-winning Belgian-inspired beers. Visit its flagship tasting room for a rotating list of taps as well as lobster rolls, beer brats, burgers, grilled cheese, and even whoopie pies featuring Allagash North Sky Stout cakes with Irish cream filling.

What To Drink:

You’re going to want to enjoy a fresh pint of its iconic Allagash White. We’d also suggest a pint of Allagash Tripel. This 9% ABV golden ale, made to taste like traditional Belgian abbey ales, is known for its mix of dried fruits, honey, and a crisp, dry finish.

Oxbow Brewing Company – Newcastle

Opened in 2011, Oxbow Brewing Company is a small farmhouse brewery situated in Newcastle. While many of the big names can be found in urban Portland, Oxbow opted for a more rural vibe. That hasn’t stopped it from becoming one of the most popular breweries in the state. While it has several offshoot sites, visit the original location and take a walk around the farm before stopping into the taproom or beer garden while enjoying rotating drafts and seasonal brews as well as Belgian-style frites (fried in duck fat!).

What To Drink:

If you’re going to visit a rural farmhouse brewery like Oxbow, you need to sip a farmhouse ale, right? Well, Oxbow’s Farmhouse Pale Ale is worth the trip alone. This hoppy, fruity, and crisp farmhouse ale is like a mix of a Saison and a pale ale in all the best ways.

Fogtown Brewing Company – Ellsworth

If you’re already planning to go to Maine to visit the popular Acadia National Park, you’d be remiss if you didn’t stop at the nearby Fogtown Brewing Company in Ellsworth. Opened in 2017, the brewery is known for its high-quality beers, a mission of sustainability, and mouth-watering farm-to-table menu. Visit the tap room and bar garden to imbibe a rotating list of brews while enjoying wood-fired pizza and other fare.

What To Drink:

Fogtown Night Nurse is an award-winning 7.1% ABV American stout that definitely should be on your “must-try” list if you find yourself at Fogtown. Brewed with organic oats and dark chocolate malts, it’s known for its palate of roasted malts, chocolate, and coffee, as well as its creamy mouthfeel.

It’s looking like Playboi Carti‘s long-awaited third studio album may finally arrive soon. In recent weeks, the rapper has shared a number of new songs to YouTube, seemingly ushering in a new era. The album will mark Carti’s first since 2020’s Whole Lotta Red, and promises to be worth the wait.

While rumored release dates have come and gone, Carti remains determined to get the album into the hands of fans. Here is everything we know so far about Carti’s upcoming album, which is rumored to be titled I Am Music, or simply, Music.

Release Date

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A release date for Carti’s new album has not been confirmed, however, last December, DJ Akademiks shared that the album would arrive this January.

Tracklist

At the time of writing, an official tracklist has not been confirmed.

Singles

Ahead of the album, Carti has shared the YouTube exclusive singles, “Different Day,” “2024,” “H00dByAir,” and “Backr00ms” with Travis Scott. It is unknown if these songs will make the album’s final tracklist.

Features

No collaborators have been confirmed for the album, however, Travis Scott could be featured, as he is on “Backr00ms.”

Artwork

The album’s official artwork has not yet been revealed.

Tour

Carti previously announced the Antagonist tour with Ken Carson, Destroy Lonely, and Homixide Gang, but dates have since been delayed, with new dates unconfirmed at the moment.

Adam Driver has had many fantastic roles in his career: boyfriend to Lena Dunham, husband to Lady Gaga, and ex-husband to Scarlett Johansson. But when he’s not playing a sulking boyfriend or space son, he’s playing Italians, and he thinks it’s weird that everyone has been asking him about it.

“So many people have been like, ‘How many Italians… ?’ I’m like, it’s just kind of worked out that way,” Driver recently said on the SmartLess podcast. Driver is currently starring as Enzo Ferrari in the sports biopic Ferrari.

Even though he knows people are talking about it, Driver doesn’t think it’s weird. “But I’m like, you know, it’s Ridley [Scott] and it’s Michael [Mann] and they’re in my mind some of the best filmmakers. Who gives a s**t that it was two Italians back to back?” This is also what people were saying about The Super Mario Bros. Movie last year.

Driver isn’t mad about being typecast as an Italian, but he doesn’t know why people keep bringing it up. “I’m surprised how much it comes up. It’s like, ‘You have a thing,’ and I’m like, ‘It’s two! It’s two Italians!’ It’s just two. The press isn’t a place where you have a nuanced conversation,” he added. Does Driver even know that there is an intensive internet campaign to get an Italian-American in Star Wars? Probably not! Because there isn’t one…..yet.

But Driver says that it’s about the plot and not about the Italy of it all. He continued, “That seems like a hard idea. Like, ‘What is it with Italy?’ I mean, it’s less to do with Italy, although I like it. It’s more about Ridley Scott and Michael Mann and the projects themselves. Italy is not the first thing on my mind,” he added.

It sure should be on your mind, Adam!!!! Without Italy, we would never have Martin Scorsese or his TikToks. Think about that!

(Via Deadline)

The Golden Globes are back, just in time to kick off one of the most chaotic and bizarre awards seasons we’ve seen in a while. From reschedule-Emmys to shows with no host, nothing’s really certain this year (except that Oppenheimer and Barbie will likely be battling for all the big categories). Still, there are some terrific movies nominated in both the Best Picture – Drama and Best Picture – Comedy races so, if you’re filling out your ballot, here’s where you can watch them before the show airs on Jan. 7th.

Oppenheimer (Rent/Buy)

Christopher Nolan’s riveting historical biopic scored a handful of nominations at this year’s awards ceremony with critics praising its cast, direction, and masterful score. Currently, the only way to watch Cillian Murphy stare despondently as he invents a weapon that will help humanity destroy itself is via your wallet. The film is available on demand, or you can copy Nolan’s preferred viewing method and buy it on Blu-Ray.

Here’s our review:

In the end, JFK was about Jim Garrison’s quest to uncover the truth, if there actually was a hidden truth or not. Oppenheimer shares that DNA (and style and structure) with Nolan’s fixation on the truth about J. Robert Oppenheimer. As Emily Blunt’s Kitty Oppenheimer tells her husband, “Will anyone, ever, tell the truth about this?” Christopher Nolan has obviously accepted this question as his charge.

Killers of the Flower Moon (In Theaters/On Demand)

Martin Scorcese’s lengthy epic chronicling the tragic true story of the Osage people will soon find its streaming home on Apple TV+ — for now, you can see it in theaters or buy it on demand. That means, before Lily Gladstone, Leonardo DiCaprio, and/or Robert de Niro take home trophies for their performances, you’ll be able to watch as they steal, murder, and get revenge on one another in 4K.

Maestro (Netflix)

It took Bradley Cooper six years to learn how to conduct an orchestra so that he could make this biopic about legendary composer Leonard Bernstein but, thanks to Netflix, you don’t have to wait nearly as long to stream it. The film is already queued up on the platform so dissect Cooper’s podium technique (and his prosthetic nose) all you want.

Past Lives (Rent/Buy)

Celine Song’s bittersweet love story broke our hearts when it landed in theaters last year. The film follows Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo), two sweethearts separated in childhood who reunite years later. As of now, the only way to cry hysterically while watching Lee give a masterclass in acting is to rent or buy it via Apple or Amazon Prime.

The Zone of Interest (In Theaters)

Jonathan Glazer directs this eerie nightmare about Auschwitz commandant Rudolf Höss and his quest to build the ideal family life next to the most notorious concentration camp in Germany during the war. Unsettling and thought-provoking, the film has already earned Oscar buzz, but the Golden Globes are its first stop on the awards season circuit. Catch it in theaters now, and likely on Max when that window ends.

Anatomy of a Fall (Rent/Buy)

This French courtroom drama stunned critics when it won the Palme d’Or and the Palm Dog Award (yes, this is a real thing) at the 76th Cannes Film Festival last year. In it, Sandra Hüller plays a novelist accused of killing her husband. Whether she did or not is less interesting than how director Justine Triet presents the case. The best way to stream this thriller is via on-demand.

Barbie (Max)

The summer blockbuster that launched a worldwide shortage of the color pink is finally streaming on Max so get ready to have the most iconic lines from this soon-to-be Greta Gerwig classic etched into your brain. “Do you guys ever think about dying?” Only when we imagine a world in which this movie doesn’t rack up all of hardware come awards night.

Here’s our review:

I truly wonder if Mattel signed up for “shrewd, biting, and hilarious cultural commentary about their product.” Or, if they even realized, of course, that’s what they were going to get with Gerwig and Baumbach involved. To the point, throughout the film’s running time, I just kept thinking to myself I can’t believe this exists and I can’t believe they got away with it.

Poor Things (In Theaters)

This delightfully quirky, strangely feminist coming-of-consciousness story from Greek Weird Wave ambassador Yorgos Lanthimos is still playing in theaters. But then again, wouldn’t you want to watch Emma Stone frolick and f*ck her autonomy on the big screen? It’s her performance, plus that of Mark Ruffalo as an enamored sleazy lawyer that could upend the Golden Globes this year.

Here’s our review:

Emma Stone gives the performance of a lifetime in this. The best word I can give here is “fearless.” She does a lot of things in this movie that a lot of actors would never do.

American Fiction (In Theaters)

This comedy, based on a novel by Percival Everett finally gives actor Jeffrey Wright the kind of leading man material he deserves. As Thelonious “Monk” Ellison, a novelist fed up with stories filled with outlandish Black stereotypes who decides to write one of his own out of spite, Wright is sympathetic, funny, and insightful in equal measure. You’ll likely be able to watch this one on Amazon Prime before the Oscars but for now, it’s only in theaters.

The Holdovers (Peacock)

Paul Giamatti plays a grumpy professor tasked with babysitting a group of troublesome students with nowhere to go over the Christmas break in this heartwarming comedy teeming with nostalgia and some terrific performances from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. Catch it on Peacock before it competes for some major awards this season.

Here’s our review:

The other night I had dinner with a friend who saw The Holdovers and it quickly became one of their favorite movies of the year. What’s interesting is he said he was shocked by how good it is, even though he went in expecting it to be good.

May December (Netflix)

Whether Todd Haynes’ loose interpretation of the Mary Kay Letourneau scandal is a comedy or not is still up for debate. There are certainly some hilarious moments in the film, most notably Julianne Moore’s obsession with hot dogs. But what’s undeniable is how good everyone is in this, from Natalie Portman who plays an actress preparing for a career-defining role to Moore’s sexual predator in denial, to Charle Melton’s heartbreaking portrayal of the boy she took advantage of. Check it out on Netflix now.

Air (Amazon Prime Video)

Remember Air? The movie about Michael Jordan that’s not really about Michael Jordan but instead, about the Nike sneakers Michael Jordan made popular and the white guys who pitched those sneakers to Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan was the Michael Jordan? Yeah, we’re surprised it’s here too. But it’s available to watch on Amazon Prime Video in case you want to catch Ben Affleck wearing the worst wig in cinematic history.

Now that it’s a new year, it means that festival season is also approaching — and will be here before many know it. As January marks the time that quite a few festivals unveil their typical lineups, here’s what to know about Bonnaroo 2024 at this moment.

When Is Bonnaroo 2024?

Bonnaroo 2024 will take place on Thursday, June 13 through Sunday, June 16.

Where Is Bonnaroo 2024 Held?

The music festival takes place on The Bonnaroo Farm in Manchester, Tennessee.

Who Is Headlining Bonnaroo 2024?

Right now, the headliners for Bonnaroo 2024 have yet to be announced. Fans on Reddit have been speculating possibilities of who will be performing. A few of the potential artists include Cage The Elephant, Post Malone, Maggie Rogers, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Taking Back Sunday, Ethel Cain, Fred Again, Idles, and more.

When Does The Bonnaroo 2024 Lineup Come Out?

Based on last year, the lineup for Bonnaroo should be arriving very soon. The 2023 one dropped on January 10, so it’s likely that the 2024 lineup reveal would follow a similar pattern.

Is Bonnaroo 2024 Sold Out?

Bonnaroo 2024 tickets are not sold out yet.

Can You Still Buy Tickets For Bonnaroo 2024?

Yes, you can still buy tickets for Bonnaroo 2024. 4-Day General Admission passes start at $420, but the prices may increase soon. From there, Bonnaroo also offers different tiered tickets, including GA+, VIP, and Platinum. More information on these can be found on their website.

How Much Are These Bonnaroo 2024 Tickets?

The prices for Bonnaroo 2024 tickets range from $420 to $4,155 currently, depending on the pass you choose to purchase.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

It’s about that time; January is traditionally when the year’s slate of festival lineups is announced, and New York’s Governors Ball Music Festival is no exception. Here’s everything we know about Governors Ball 2024.

When Is Governors Ball 2024?

The dates for Governors Ball 2024 have not yet been announced. Governors Ball 2023 took place June 9-11, so it’s likely that the 2024 edition will take place in early June.

Where Is Governors Ball 2024 Held?

The Governors Ball is held annually in Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens, New York.

Who Is Headlining Governors Ball 2024?

The headliners for Governors Ball 2024 have not yet been announced. The 2023 edition featured performances from Kendrick Lamar, Lizzo, and Odesza, as well as Diplo, Lil Baby, Lil Nas X, Lil Uzi Vert, Omar Apollo, Rina Sawayama, and Sofi Tukker.

When Does The Governors Ball 2024 Lineup Come Out?

Although there’s no solid date for when the Governors Ball lineup comes out, last year’s lineup was announced on January 17, so you may expect to see this year’s lineup sometime mid-month.

Is Governors Ball 2024 Sold Out?

Tickets have yet to go on sale, but you can RSVP for notifications when they do.

How Much Are These Governors Ball 2024 Tickets?

A three-day pass for 2023 Governors Ball was listed at $277, so expect this year’s prices to be in line with this.

A recent poll found that two-thirds of Republicans believe the 2020 election was rigged, Donald Trump being the most prominent, all caps-obsessed conspiracy theorist of them all. Much of the former president’s falsifications come from Gateway Pundit, the “uniquely incompetent” outlet run by Jim Hoft who Media Matters dubbed the “Dumbest Man on the Internet.”

Gateway Pundit (tagline: “Where Hope Finally Made a Comeback”) was “a favorite of Trump’s as he clung to the presidency more than three years ago, aides said,” according to the Washington Post. “It has become a key amplifier of his continued fraud claims as he campaigns to return to the White House.”

In the weeks before he left office in 2021, Trump brandished printouts of Gateway Pundit articles questioning the results of the election, say former aides who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private White House conversations. “When he was looking for evidence, Gateway Pundit was one reliable place he knew he could go for validation, and maybe even some new ideas,” said one former aide.

A former Trump official told the Post that sourcing Gateway Pundit in a debate “means you’ve lost. You can’t use it to make an argument. You can only use it to hear what you want to hear.” A conservative radio host added that Gateway amplifies “a fringe segment of so-called conservative media that’s driven by conspiratorial clickbait to drive revenues to stay afloat.” Google demonetized the website in 2021, but the misinformation is still flowing. And it’s only going to get worse in an election year.

(Via the Washington Post)

We’ve written about value a lot in the last month or so. Specifically, when we’re talking about alcohol, we talk about the best value per dollar. This is a range to determine how much quality and enjoyment we get from each expression for every dollar we spend to purchase it. The more the quality and enjoyment, the better the value. We’ve already found great value per dollar vodkas and value per dollar gins. Now, it’s tequilas turn.

Tequila is a unique spirit. Drinkers who don’t know much about the agave-based spirit might have a tough time discerning between a great bottle and a not-so-great bottle. Add to that, the confusion between blanco, reposado, añejo, cristalino, and other tequila varieties to the tequila novice. It’s not easy to come in blind and find a decent value per dollar expression.

Luckily for you, we have professionals to help with that. We asked a handful of well-known bartenders to tell us the best value per dollar tequilas you can buy right now. Keep scrolling to see them all, and stock your home bar cart with these beauties.

Tapatio Reposado

Bradley Stephens, USBG bartender at Cereus PDX in Portland, Oregon

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Tequila:

Tapatio Reposado is famously referred to as the ‘bartender’s bottle’ for a reason. The “We haven’t updated our label design since last century” shouldn’t deter the casual enthusiasts out there. The tequila is made at a higher elevation — with agaves that are grown in higher iron-rich soil — with zero additives and old-school methods. Tapatio is simply beautiful and not overpriced to pay for marketing and endorsement budgets.

Tasting Notes:

A nose of cooked agave, caramel, and fruit leads to a palate of roasted agave, vanilla, and cracked black pepper.

Espolon Reposado

Jennifer Donegan, bar manager at Bar Pendry in Washington DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Tequila:

Espolon Reposado is one of my absolute favorite ‘bang-for-your-buck’ tequila options. It has body without being syrupy, it has a kick without the burn of regret, and the flavor is understated but doesn’t disappear.

Tasting Notes:

On the nose, you’ll find vanilla, fruit, and spices. Drinking it reveals notes of vanilla, roasted agave, tropical fruits, and peppery spice.

Cimarron Blanco

Alex Barbatsis, bar director at The Whistler in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $30

The Tequila:

Cimarron Tequila Blanco is the best value for an additive-free tequila right now. It works phenomenally in margaritas or even tastes great with soda water and a slice of lime. It’s even a great neat sipper in a pinch. It’s difficult to beat.

Tasting Notes:

Flavors of honey, roasted agave, vanilla, and pepper highlight a surprisingly complex nose for a blanco tequila.

Ocho Plata

Federico Doldi, food & beverage director at Gansevoort Meatpacking in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $42

The Tequila:

The best value-per-dollar tequila is definitely Ocho Plata. This is an incredible tequila. It’s made traditionally with 100% Blue Weber agave.

Tasting Notes:

The peppery, citrus, and marzipan aromas, combined with a flavorful agave sweet and spiced, all at a low cost.

El Tesoro Blanco

Tsuru Goto, food & beverage manager at Society Cafe in New York City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $45

The Tequila:

The El Tesoro agave farm is estate-owned and is not licensed to anyone else. They have a long cooking and distillation process using the “tahona” process. This process separates El Tesoro tequila from most other tequilas on the market. The family that produces El Tesoro has been doing it for 85 years and they focus on smaller batches. This award-winning tequila is known for its crystal-clear color and surprisingly complex flavor.

Tasting Notes:

The resulting product is smooth, earthy, and a little bit peppery with something that might be described as subtly sweet.

Milagro Silver

Tracy Javier, lead mixologist at VUE Rooftop at Hotel Washington in Washington, DC

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

The Tequila:

Milagro Silver is my choice for a good value per dollar tequila. It might not be a tequila I would drink on the rocks, but it makes for a delicious margarita. Also, as someone who loves creating cocktails, I enjoy infusing this brand to create something one-of-a-kind.

Tasting Notes:

It’s inexpensive and smooth with hints of fresh agave, citrus, and pear. It’s a great choice as a mixing tequila.

Arette Blanco

Bijan Ghiai, beverage manager and Sommelier at Urban Hill in Salt Lake City

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $27

The Tequila:

This is an easy one. Tequila Arette Blanco is typically under $30 for a 1000 ml bottle. The distillery, El Llano, is one of the oldest in the region of Jalisco. Paired with the fact that the agave is hand-selected and naturally fermented in stone tanks, this spirit is an easy pick-up and great for cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

It has a subtle and deep sweetness with a stark, grassy, and vegetal profile that screams traditionally authentic to me.

Suerte Blanco

Nick Jackon, head bartender at The Rum House in New York City

ABV: 30%

Average Price: $32

The Tequila:

Suerte Blanco is perfect when looking for a “value” tequila. It’s an additive-free tequila for a great price, making it a very versatile tequila that is as good on its own as well as making excellent cocktails.

Tasting Notes:

As a tequila flavor profile should be, it has notes of agave, black pepper, fresh herbal qualities, and a lovely earthiness with subtle orange hints.

Teremana Reposado

Phil Castello, USBG bartender at owner at The Side Lot in Chicago

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $33

The Tequila:

Celebrity spirits get a bad rap. But at a price point under $40, this one is hard to argue with. Copper pot still distilled and aged in former American whiskey barrels, it’s known for its complex and balanced flavor.

Tasting Notes:

With oak, vanilla, caramel, and gentle spices, this is a memorable sipping tequila you’ll go back to again and again.

Olmeco Altos Blanco

Sean Yeats, USBG bartender at Porco Lounge and Tiki Room in Cleveland

ABV: 40%

Average Price: $28

The Tequila:

My best pick for value tequila is Olmeco Altos Blanco. For $30, I’d say it’s a pretty good deal and what I like in my well. It’s an outstanding blanco made from 100% Blue Weber agave that is grown in the Los Altos highlands of Mexico.

Tasting Notes:

It has no additives and while I wouldn’t call it a sipper, you still get some of that nice bright cooked agave and white pepper, which comes through in cocktails.

In many ways, Australia is an ideal place to live. Its comfortable climate with plentiful sunshine, beautiful natural attractions, high standard of living and people-centered policies give the land down under a leg up on many other countries.

As long as you’re willing to put up with its long list of “WTF is that thing?!” wildlife, that is.

Australia’s wildlife is the “Florida man” of the animal kingdom, with countless examples of exceptionally terrifying creatures showing up where you least expect them to. Sure, there are cuddly koalas and cute kangaroos as well, but those don’t outweigh the spiders the size of your face, the massive saltwater crocodiles, 100 species of venomous snakes, the nonvenomous but equally as scary pythons that can eat said crocodiles, the tiny but potentially deadly irukandji jellyfish, etc., etc., etc.

And thanks to people sharing on the internet, we now have one more reason we can never go live in Australia: Giant Beach Worms.

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Some of us already knew about Australia’s giant earthworms, but comforted ourselves by the fact that we were unlikely to ever encounter them even if we did visit Oz. What some of us did not know was that there are also giant worms in the sand—at the beach, for the love—and they look like something straight out of a horror movie.

Please prepare yourself, then watch:

Nope. Nope. Nope. All the nopes. WTF is that, Australia?!? They can grow up to 300 cm long? That’s like 9 frickin’ feet. No. No, thank you.

The fact that these things are just hanging out under the sand along the populated east coast of Australia is too much to process. People apparently collect these worms for bait—ironically, using fish for bait to lure them out. I don’t think that’s how the circle of life is supposed to work, but we’re talking about Australia here, where apparently anything is possible.

People in the comments, of course, had a heyday:

“Literally no space is safe in Australia. Just one big island of Tim Burton creatures and Vegemite.”

“This is longer than my patience!”

“Australia is that you? Lol of course it is.”

“I could have happily lived the rest of my natural life not having seen that…”

One person offered this bit of comfort:

“Lol this isn’t the thing you need to worry about. It won’t touch you it is only after fish. What you have to worry about are bristle worms, stone fish, blue ring octopus, happy moments, lion fish, irrakanji, box jelly fish, toad fish, sting rays and sea snakes.”

Hahahaha. Thanks, mate.

Of course, the reality is that people go to the beach all the time in Australia and don’t encounter any giant worms. Many Aussies in the comments said they’ve been enjoying Australian beaches their whole lives and haven’t ever seen one. The worms aren’t attracted to human flesh, so they’re not going to just pop up and start nibbling on your toes. Theoretically, anyway.

By the way, there are actually three different kinds of giant beach worms one can find on Australia’s beaches if they try. One is the “up to 9 feet” variety, one “only” grows up to around 3 feet and the third has nicknames like “hairy Mary,” “greasyback” and “blackhead,” which just sounds charming. That last one isn’t favored as a bait worm, by the way, because, according to the Australian Museum, “If placed in the same container with others, it makes them all wriggle and break to pieces.” Lovely.

It’s not like the U.S. doesn’t have its own scary or icky wildlife. We’ve got grizzly bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, brown recluse spiders and others. Some states might give Oz a run for its money in the WTF wildlife department (looking at you, Arizona), but in a real creepy creatures contest, Australia always wins, hands down.

Welcome to 2024, whiskey crew. We’ve just come off five solid months of seemingly endless whiskey releases, the holiday season, and all the trimmings that come with all of that. It’s okay if you feel a little burned out on whiskey stuff. I get it. But the wheels of the whiskey industry never stop nowadays and that means it’s time to call out the best whiskeys to drink this January.

If you’re in the whiskey industry, Dry January doesn’t exist. It’s more a time to reset, catch up, and look forward to the year ahead. So the 10 bottles of whiskey I’m calling out below do just that. There’s a mix of late-2023 drops that snuck under the radar, brand-new releases that are dropping this week (literally), and some iconic once-in-a-lifetime releases for good measure.

Since there’s such a wide array, my advice is simple. Go through my tasting notes for each whiskey, find the one that speaks to you, and then hit that price link to see if you can score a bottle too. Welcome to 2024!

• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This December
• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This November
• The Absolute Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This October
• The Stone-Cold Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This September
• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This August
• The Best Whiskeys To Chase Down This July

Traveler Whiskey Blend No. 40 Blended Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $39

The Whiskey:

This new whiskey from Buffalo Trace is the summation of years of collaboration between Country icon Chris Stapleton and Master Distiller Harlan Wheatley. They’ve been collaborating on single barrel picks of E.H. Taylor, Jr. Bourbon for years now and decided to make it official in 2024. The whiskey in the bottle is a special blend of Buffalo Trace rye and bourbons that hit just the right note for Stapleton’s whiskey palate.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose leans into rich Buffalo Trace bourbon with a deep vanilla buttercream over soft spiced brandied cherries just kissed with dark chocolate and old oak staves with a whisper of salted caramel.

Palate: That caramel has a hint of sweet corn to it on the palate before the vanilla rushes back in with a creamy lusciousness and layers of winter spices, orchard barks, and musty barrel houses — classic Buffalo Trace.

Finish: The end warms nicely for a moment with plenty of woody winter spice and a touch of grassy rye notes before the lush vanilla, cherry, and oak finish lingers for just the right amount of time.

Bottom Line:

This is a very classic Buffalo Trace whiskey. It’s a great example of how far blended American whiskey has come as well since this whiskey is easily sippable or mixable into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail.

New Riff High Note Series: Bohemian Wheat Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey 8-Year-Old

ABV: 58.95%

Average Price: $69

The Whiskey:

This late 2023 release from New Riff is all about the wheat. The whiskey is made with 65% non-GMO corn, 18% Bohemian floor-malted wheat, 10% unmalted wheat, and 7% dark wheat. The whiskey was then small batched and bottled 100% as-is to highlight the work that the wood and wheated bourbon underwent over years of resting on the Ohio River.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose feels like walking into an old bread bakery in Central Europe early in the morning before hitting this note of freshly fried apple fritters and old-fashioned doughnuts, a touch of prune, plum, and date, and a good dose of soft winter spice.

Palate: The palate is dry but full of sourdough bread crusts, Graham Crackers, and Fig Newtons with a touch of huckleberry jam, dry sweetgrass braided with smudging sage, and a touch of straw bale before the woody spice kicks in with a cinnamon bark focus.

Finish: The end leans into the woody spices with a touch of clove, allspice, and nutmeg before sweetgrass and bread crusts take over with a hint of buttery cream.

Bottom Line:

This is a very unique pour of bourbon. Grab this to expand your palate beyond the usual sweet/spicy Kentucky bourbons of the mainstream.

Old Forester 117 Series: Scotch Cask Finish Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 46.5%

Average Price: $279

The Whiskey:

This brand-new release from Old Forester is their classic bourbon rested in finishing barrels from Speyside. The Scotch barrels were used sherry and wine barrels that held Scotch whisky before being shipped to Louisville and filled with well-aged bourbon. A very small batch of barrels was then vatted and bottled with a touch of proofing water for this special release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Dark yet creamy chocolate pops on the nose with a deep sense of orange oils cut with spiced mulled wine, a touch of sticky toffee pudding, and salted caramel sauce just kissed with brandy pear and cherry.

Palate: Apple fritters and toffee rolled in almond drive the palate toward cinnamon-spiced chocolate cake covered in almond buttercream frosting with a nice whisper of barrel-toasted sugars that release this fluttering twinge of singed marshmallow.

Finish: The end is silky with a deep sense of that buttercream almond frosting, sharp woody winter spices, and old oak staves from a dank and musty cellar.

Bottom Line:

Old Forester just can’t miss with these special releases right now. Every single one has slapped over the last year or so. This is a great sipping bourbon.

Almost Old Bones Bourbon 9 Years Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 55%

Average Price: $89

The Whiskey:

Old Bones is known for their 10-year-old bourbon releases but changed it up a bit for this late 2023 drop. The whiskey is a sourced Kentucky bourbon from Bardstown with a 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill. The whiskey barrels were left alone for nine years before batching and bottling with a light kiss of water.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is pure classic Kentucky bourbon with a deep vanilla presence layered with soft orchard fruits, stewed and spiced cherry, and old barrelhouse earthiness.

Palate: The palate leans into the sweet/spicy vibes with dark cherries dipped in cinnamon syrup and served with vanilla sauce and shaved dark chocolate cut with a hint of oily tobacco and cedar bark.

Finish: The end leans into the tobacco and cedar with a deep oakiness that highlights woody winter spices, stewed fruits, and soft vanilla.

Bottom Line:

This is a classic Kentucky sipper with a nice warm hug at the end. Pour it over a big rock or into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail and you’ll be all set.

Cedar Ridge Distillery The QuintEssential American Single Malt Whiskey Special Release “Portside”

ABV: 58.6%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

This new special release of Cedar Ridge’s now-iconic Quintessential American Single Malt takes that whiskey to new places. The base is the same 100% 2-Row Pale malted barely base that’s aged for six years in ex-bourbon barrels. Prime casks were then batched and re-barreled into first-fill Ruby Port casks, first-fill Amontillado sherry casks, and new French oak casks. Those barrels were then vatted and the whiskey was bottled 100% as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose draws you in with a sense of pecan waffles with a sharp candied orange rind vibe next to sugar cookies frosted with almond and lemon oil-infused frosting, a touch of creamy chocolate, and a sharp slice of ginger soaked in maple syrup.

Palate: That candied orange takes on the ginger with a rock candy sharpness and sweetness before Nutella enters the equation over buttermilk biscuits with a deep butteriness that leans toward toffee and brandy-soaked cherries dipped in dark salted chocolate.

Finish: The pecan and chocolate combine on the finish with a deep woody winter spice, soft vanilla pancake, and candied orange feel before stewed pear and soft marzipan kick in with a mildly warming finish that leans into rich tobacco spice just kissed with dried red leathery chili.

Bottom Line:

Cedar Ridge’s The Quintessential is already a must-have American single malt. This version is even more dialed and just stellar. Take a deep dive into the greatness that American single malt whiskey is (finally) achieving by getting this bottle and loving every second of it.

Lost Lantern Single Distillery Series Brooklyn Bakery Kings County Distillery Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 66.5%

Average Price: $99

The Whiskey:

Lost Lantern closed out 2023 with a release of some truly outstanding whiskeys. This single distillery release is a very small batch from New York’s iconic Kings County Distillery. The whiskey in the bottles is batched from five and six-year-old small barrels (15 gallons) made from a New York-grown mash bill of 80% corn and 20% malted barley. Once batched, the whiskey went into the bottle 100% as-is at cask strength.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Caramel malts and dark chocolate shavings drive the nose toward pecan pie with a dollop of fresh cream next to hints of blackberry brambles and soft sweet oak.

Palate: The palate leans into the blackberry in a crumble fashioned with a big scoop of malted vanilla ice cream next to a slice of warm cherry pie, wintry oak spices, and a touch of that dark chocolate sneaking in late.

Finish: The finish dips honey Graham Crackers in that dark chocolate as the stewed cherry and blackberry lead to buttery spiced crumble and a final bow from the lush malted vanilla ice cream.

Bottom Line:

This is a super fruity and creamy vanilla pour that’s great for when you’re ready for a change of pace in your bourbon lineup. Pour this over some ice to take that creaminess up to MAX volume with even more dark and tart berry vibes.

Jeptha Creed RWB Heirloom Mash Bill Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 50%

Average Price: $82

The Whiskey:

This whiskey was released for Veteran’s Day late last year. The mash is a mix of 25% Bloody Butcher corn, 25% heirloom white corn, 25% Bruce’s Blue corn, 20% malted rye, and 5% malted barley. That juice is aged for at least four years before blending, proofing, and bottling for this special once-per-year release.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with hints of wicker, old leather, apple and pear cider, and a good dose of burnt orange and old oak.

Palate: The palate has a salted caramel vibe that leads to pecan waffles with plenty of maple syrup and butter next to burnt orange tobacco leaves and a touch of holiday spices.

Finish: The end leans into those woody holiday spices with a sense of caramel candies and allspice-spiked apple cider with a hint of old apple orchard wood and bark.

Bottom Line:

This is a nice woody bourbon that leans into vibrant orchard fruits. Then it goes deep on nutty sweetness on the palate that just works. Long story short, it’s diverse and delicious. Pour it over a rock or into your favorite whiskey-forward cocktail.

J. Rieger & Co. Six Columns Straight Bourbon Whiskey

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $39

The Whiskey:

This whiskey from J. Rieger & Co. celebrates their home college football team with a special small batch offering. The whiskey in the bottle is a batch of four and five-year-old bourbons aged in Missouri. Once batched, the whiskey was proofed with local Missouri water for bottling and branded with the famed “Six Columns” of the University of Missouri football team.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: This is classic from the jump with a nose full of cherry tobacco cut with deep vanilla oils, orange zest, and soft baking spices in wintry gingerbread.

Palate: That dark cherry takes on a moment of brandy before chocolate-spiced tobacco drives the mid-palate toward oaky spice barks, soft cedar, and a hint of smudging sage braided with sweetgrass.

Finish: The end leans away from the dry grassy notes toward lush tobacco chewiness with a spiced cherry vibe just kissed with vanilla cream.

Bottom Line:

J. Rieger & Co. released this whiskey just in time for Mizzou’s run to the 2024 Cottom Bowl, which they won this past weekend. That makes this the exact right time to buy this whiskey.

Teeling Whiskey Single Malt Aged 33 Years Pineau Des Charentes Finish

ABV: 49.7%

Average Price: $3,795

The Whiskey:

This latest release from Teeling’s ultra-rare whiskey line is an oldie but a goodie. The whiskey was distilled back in 1989 and spent 30 years mellowing in ex-rum casks before it was batched and re-barreled into Pineau Des Charentes wine casks for three more years of rest.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Black tea-soaked dates, stewed prunes with cardamom and clove, and white mulled wine drive the nose toward floral honey that’s so fresh you can still feel the honeycomb and this whisper of dried apricot rolled with roasted almonds.

Palate: That medley of apricot and almond pops on the palate as grilled pineapple combines with clove-laden tobacco and spice cakes with a hint of brandied cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate with a whisper of orange oils lurking in the background.

Finish: That cherry vibes carry on throughout the finish as the winter spices get woody and dry and attach to sharp and spice tobacco with a hint of old worn boot leather, soft marzipan, and a touch more of that honeycomb.

Bottom Line:

This is squarely in the once-in-a-lifetime buy category. This is exemplary whiskey and worth checking out as a pour at your favorite whiskey bar before committing to the price tag for a whole bottle. Still, this is delicious.

Talisker Single Malt Scotch Whisky “Parley” Glacial Edge 45-Year-Old

ABV: 49.8%

Average Price: $4,999

The Whiskey:

The latest release from Talisker’s Parley series is a wildly unique version of the whisky. The juice was left to age for decades in old bourbon barrels next to the sea in Skye, Scotland. Then Talisker filled finishing barrels with ice to crack them open and fracture the staves before reassembling the barrels for a finishing run, creating a new wood surface for aging. Those barrels were then vatted and the whisky was bottled 100% as-is.

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is very bourbon forward for a fleeting moment — vanilla and orchard fruit — before diving into sheets of damp nori, soft grey sand from a rainy beach, and salted lime with this foundation of rich and lush sticky toffee pudding, creamy figs, and ambrosia salad before this whisper of fat and creamy insense wick arrives.

Palate: The palate is richly luxurious with a soft sense of smoked prunes and dates that were soaked in salt water before being turned into jam with spice barks and clove buds next to seawater salted caramel dipped in nutty nori flakes and dark and dry chili pepper flakes.

Finish: The end is long AF with a sense of fresh honeycomb candles that have just been lit next to salted orange rinds and tart cherries next to smoked chili pepper flakes over a malted gingerbread cut with smoked plums and figs with this fleeting whisper of spicy tinned mussels cracked opened on a rainy pebble beach on a cold winters day.

Bottom Line:

This is magic. This is a life-changing pour of whisky in that you’ll immediately think “I never knew whisky could be this…” It’s also f*cking amazingly delicious.